| Building Name: | B'nai Israel Congregation |
| Image Upright: | 1.4 |
| Map Type: | USA Maryland |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Map Relief: | 1 |
| Location: | Rockville, Maryland |
| Country: | United States |
| Coordinates: | 39.0542°N -77.128°W |
| Religious Affiliation: | Conservative Judaism |
| Status: | Synagogue |
| Functional Status: | Active |
| Architecture Type: | Synagogue architecture |
| Established: | 1925 |
| Interior Area: | 125000square feet |
| Capacity: | 3,500 worshippers |
B'nai Israel Congregation is a Conservative Jewish egalitarian congregation and synagogue, located in Rockville, Maryland, in the United States.[1] B'nai Israel's mission is to study in the Jewish tradition, worship God, commit to social action, and address the needs of the Jewish people locally, in Israel, and worldwide.[1] The congregation consists of 1,200 families.[1]
B'nai Israel's clergy includes rabbi Michael J. Safra, Rabbi Mitchell H. Berkowitz, Cantor Josh C. Perlman, and Cantor Sarah Bolts.[2] Rabbi Matthew H. Simon and Rabbi Jonathan A. Schnitzer both serve as rabbi emeritus, and Cantor Robert Kieval is cantor emeritus.[2] Marla Schulman serves as B'nai Israel's president.[3]
B'nai Israel holds religious services, including morning and evening minyan,[4] Shabbat services,[5] and holiday services.[6]
B'nai Israel's preschool has a religious curriculum and enrolls children between 15 months and 5 years of age.[7] B'nai Israel's religious school has classes for students in kindergarten through eleventh grade.[8] Classes are held on Sundays and weekday evenings.[8]
Lectures and classes are held during the year at B'nai Israel to educate Jewish adults.[9] Social action programs at B'nai Israel include school supply drives, fall and winter clothing drives, and blood drives.[10]
In 2011, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's Solomon Schechter Awards presented B'nai Israel with a gold award for Jewish education for adults.[11] United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism noted B'nai Israel's "varied courses and programs provide learners with a greater appreciation for the scope of Jewish history and thought and offer conceptual grounding in many key aspects of Judaism and Jewish life."[11]
B'nai Israel was founded in 1925.[12]
In 1936, B'nai Israel was led by Rabbi Henry Segal and was located at 14th Street and Emerson Street NW in the Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Sixteenth Street Heights.[13] Membership increased, and B'nai Israel moved to a larger space at 16th Street and Allison Streets NW, which was also in Sixteenth Street Heights.[13] In 1952, B'nai Israel moved a few blocks away, to 16th Street and Crittenden Street NW.[13] At the time, B'nai Israel's members generally lived nearby.[13]
By the mid-1960s, however, many of B'nai Israel's members had moved away from the neighborhood, and those who had stayed felt unsafe in the neighborhood.[13] The synagogue was vandalized, and some members said they were afraid to attend services.[13]
In 1970, B'nai Israel bought 14acres on Montrose Road in Rockville, Maryland.[13] The old building was sold to Nineteenth Street Baptist Church for $1.2 million.[13]
Rabbi Matthew H. Simon attended an ecumenical worship service marking the presidential inauguration of George H. W. Bush in 1989.[14] Rabbi Simon read verses from 10:17-10:18 HE.[14]
In 1989, Rabbi Jonathan Schnitzer left B'nai Abraham Synagogue in Wilson, Pennsylvania, to join B'nai Israel Congregation.[15]
in 2002, B'nai Israel held a forum for candidates for governor of Maryland.[16] Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Bob Ehrlich both participated, and Barry Sussman served as the forum's moderator.[16]
In 2006, B'nai Israel held a forum for candidates.[17] Participants included Martin O'Malley, candidate for governor of Maryland; Kristen Cox, candidate for lieutenant governor of Maryland; and Ben Cardin, candidate for United States Senate.[17] Jonathan Salant served as moderator.[17]
In 2007, B'nai Israel hosted a forum sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.[18] Presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani spoke at the forum.[18]