Congregation-wide

As part of our celebration of Social Action on May 13th, we assembled a booklet of "testimonials" in which members of the NVHC community explain how participating has touched their lives.  For inspiration and ideas for making social action a bigger part of your life, click on the link below.

I constantly hear that the most effective way to teach students

On December 25th, a contingent of NVHC members, family and friends brought food, music and cheer to over 100 residents of Reston's Hunters Woods Fellowship house.

Headed by Karen Singer, Karen Forman, and Rikki Epstein, a group of approximately 70 NVHC volunteers served a Lasagne Lunch, baked goodies to share, provided musical talent and offered companionship for senior citizens unable to spend the day with their families. To get a flavor of this activity and the impact that the NVHC community can have on those around us, click below to view video slideshows prepared by Ron Shapiro (top) and Eric Forman (bottom).   
  

KOL HALEV: THE VOICE OF THE HEART

One of the members of our community is in need of help. Jonathan Haupt is a young man who has been struggling with Leukemia. He is the son of our congregants Cliff and Anna Haupt.

The single most vital partner we have in building a connection to Judaism for your child or grandchild are the summer camps sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism.

Our region's camp is called URJ Camp Harlam, and it is located in Kunkletown, PA, in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains, just a few hours away. More than a dozen of our NVHC students attend URJ Camp Harlam each summer and we hope to grow this community of kids participating in this special opportunity.

Part of our synagogue's membership in the URJ supports Camp Harlam and the movement's high school programming for NFTY youth groups, Israel trips, conventions and Israel programs. So our kids have a special incentive to attend URJ camps, youth and travel programs.

Tot Shabbat Worship Service the first Saturday of the month

Led by music specialist Nell Hirsch, with guest appearances by Rabbi Holzman and Cantor Altshul, Tot Shabbat is a lively, exciting experiential worship service to help our youngest children (pre-school aged) and their family and friends enjoy Shabbat together. A scrumptious oneg follows the thirty-minute service, held monthly on the first Shabbat of each month on Saturday mornings beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the NVHC sanctuary.

Back again for the second year, NVHC has been preparing and serving meals for Reston Interfaith Hypothermia Shelter. 

Since our first dinner in December (Ed Byrne's famous Venison Stew), the outpouring of help has been tremendous.  For the first two dinners, thirteen individuals and families have cooked, baked, served, provided ingredients and served meals.  One family even donated the money they would have spent on Hannukah presents to provide for others, less fortunate in our community. 

At NVHC we are very proud of our ecumenical work. Our synagogue community works in a variety of ways to increase interfaith communication and understanding, collaborating with interfaith partners in dialogue, projects of social action and advocacy for the most vulnerable. We are pleased to announce that in November our interfaith dialogue will be further expanded in an innovative and exciting way. Throughout the month, we will join with our next-door neighbors at St. Thomas a Becket Catholic Church for Walking in God's Paths: Jews and Christians in Candid Conversation.

September is a busy month for Social Action at NVHC. Observe the High Holidays by connecting with your Jewish roots through the following activities:

Yom Kippur Food Drive

This NVHC tradition has become a significant part of our High Holiday observance. By donating the food that we do not eat on Yom Kippur, Reston Interfaith is better able to provide for the less fortunate in our community. Fill a bag or two of non-perishable groceries and bring them to Yom Kippur morning services.