1. Book Drive - Donate new books for Children's Inn at the NIH (boxes located in synagogue) - TEEN BOOKS and Parenting Self Help needed (more info)
2. Sunday, 12/25 - First Night of Hanukkah
3. Monday, 12/26 - Community Wide Hanukkiah Lighting at B'nai Shalom of Olney
4. Tuesday, 12/27 - 10:00am - Machar Dreidel Tournament

[Quick Links] |Schedule of Services | BSO Film Festival | Golda's Balcony Tickets | From Cantor Geller | Nursery School |Religious School News | Book Drive| Youth Events | Men's Club | Sisterhood | Save the Dates | Jewish Community Events | This Week's Parsha |

Weekly Schedule of Services

1. Friday, December 23, 7:30pm - Shabbat Service
2. Saturday, December 24, 9:00am - Saturday Morning Service
3. Sunday, December 25, 9:00am - Minyan
4. Monday, December 26th - Federal Holiday 9:00am - Minyan
5. Monday, December 26, 6:30pm - Menorah lighting
6. Tuesday-Thursday, 7:00pm -- Menorah lighting
7. Monday-Thursday, 7:30pm - Minyan
8. Friday, December 23, 7:30pm - Shabbat Service
9. Saturday, December 24, 9:00am -Shabbat Service

Religious School

• Religious School is closed due to winter vacation from December 22 - January 2. Classes resume on January 3.
  
• The first Junior Congregation of 2006 is January 7 and will be followed by Kids Konversation at 11:45 a.m.
  
• Grade 4 will participate in a Havdalah workshop on January 8 during regular class time in the social hall. A letter was mailed home to all Grade 4 families explaining this special day with a RSVP tear-off that is due back to the Religious School office by January 4. The fourth grade students will use the items made in their workshop at the Grade 4 Mincha/Maariv Havdalah service on January 14.
  
• There is no Religious School on Sunday, January 15 due to Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend.
  

FROM CANTOR GELLER

• Photos from the Teen Choir of B'nai Shalom and Agudas Achim are online.
• New additions to the B'nai Shalom of Olney Digital Music Library are available
• We do NOT have bnai mitzvah on the Shabbat mornings of December 24 and 31. So we look forward to greeting and praying with you.
• Remember to support our weeknight evening minyan at 7:30 pm and Sunday mornings at 8:45 am. We continue during school vacation.

Nursery School

FUNDRAISER -- NURSERY SCHOOL PARENTS ASSOCIATION
The BSO Nursery School Parents Association is selling KidStuff...and more! coupon savings books for 2005-2006 for $25; 50% of the proceeds goes to the NS. The book contains hundreds of money-saving coupons for family-friendly restaurants, clothing & shoe stores, game parks, movies and other entertainment venues. Stop by the Nursery School office, or call Trudy at 301-570-0699.

Youth Department

• The Youth Department and the Social Action Committee have started a BOOK DRIVE for the kids and families and the Children’s Inn at NIH. There is a great need for Reference Books to help teens with school work and Self Help Book for Parents. Please deposit your NEW books in the bins outside the sanctuary and at the school wing. This is a very important cause.
  
• It’s time to Hoop it Up! Sign up now for the USY Basketball League. For any questions and for forms check out the flier and/or call Adam immediately. The deadline is December 30th. [More Info]
  
• It’s the 1st annual Machar Driedel Tournament on December 27th from 10a-12p. Compete for prizes and help kids in Israel. More info
  
• Test your luck for great prizes and have lots of fun at the USY Texas Hold’em Tournament, Sunday, January 8th. It’s $10 to enter for USY Members, $20 for non-members. See the flier for more information. More info
  
• This can be the summer of your life if you travel on one of USY’s Summer Programs! Parents and their teens can learn all about them on Wednesday, January 11th at 6:30 in the Social Hall. Teens who have gone on the trips before will talk about their experiences and show you their wonderful pictures. We’ll even serve pizza and drinks! More Info
  
• More than 150 Kadimah kids from the Seaboard Region are getting together for Saturday Night Live. It’s January 7th at 7:30 at Kehilat Shalom in nearby Gaithersburg. There will be laser tag, DDR, X-Box Live, food and other games. It’s $10 and you must be a member of Kadima to attend. See the flier for more information. More Info

• Parents and students alike can check in at the Youth Lounge and browse through our College Bound guide. It’s full of resources to help you find the right school, apply for financial aid and get an idea of Jewish life on campuses.
  
• Let’s help those of other faiths by volunteering for the DC JCC Community Service Day. Here’s the link… http://www.dcjcc.org/volunteer/events/d25.php
  

Sisterhood

• Hiddur Mitzvah Items are on Display in the Lobby Case. Stop by during office hours to have your piece removed. Mazel Tov on a beautiful job - we raised over $400 for victims of Katrina and made several items for donations to families in New Orleans.
  
• Sisterhood Shabbat will be observed on Saturday, January 21st. There are Hebrew and English parts available, including prayers in both languages, aliyot, Torah readings and more. Several Sisterhood members and Cantor Geller are ready and delighted to help anyone who would like to learn something new- as long as you let us know by the first week in January. Contact Naomi Yadin-Mendick for available parts and to sign up to participate
  
• The Sisterhood Judaica shop has new Chanukah items and other beautiful new gift and ritual items in stock. Watch for Sunday morning openings this month. To shop by appointment, please call Ellen Lemberger.
  
• Go on line to check out our Sisterhood calendar for upcoming events

Mens Club

• Basketball teams are forming now. If you would like to play please contact Larry Parizer at 301-570-3475 or larry.parizer@bcbsa.com by First week of December. Also, if you would like to play Softball please contact Larry Parizer. Teams will begin in April 2006
  
• Entertainment books are available once again in the front office.

MOVIE NIGHT

Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00pm
"Late Marriage"
Zaza is a 32-year old Israeli bachelor, handsome and intelligent, and his family wants to see him married. But tradition dictates that Zaza has to choose a young virgin. She must be beautiful and from a good family, preferably rich. Zaza's parents, Yasha and Lily drag Zaza to meet potential brides and their families. Zaza has no choice. He plays along with his family, advocates of the suffocating traditions of their Georgian Jewish heritage. But Zaza always manages to somehow get out of being engaged. What his parents don't know is that Zaza is already in love. Judith is sensuous, strong and intriguing. She's also a divorcée with a 6-year-old daughter. So Zaza has kept Judith a secret from his family. He will have to choose between respect of the strict confines of family and tradition, or the love of his life. (Hebrew with English subtitles)

Save the Following Dates for Upcoming Events:

• Jewish Community Events Calendar

Text of Weekly Torah Portion is brought to you by The Jewish Theological Seminary of America

P A R A S H A T V a - Y e i s h e v
Genesis 37:1 - 40:23

The text of Parashat Va-Yeishev is available online at http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/jpstext/vayeishev.shtml

H A F T A R A T V A - Y E I S H E V
Amos 2:6-3:8

The text of Haftarat Va-Yeishev is available online at http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/jpstext/vayeishev_haft.shtml

Light Shabbat candles Friday, December 23 at 4:32 in the Olney, MD area.
Shabbat ends at 5:40 on Saturday, December 24.