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2022 marked the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in Washington Hebrew Congregation’s 170-year history, as WHC overwhelmingly voted to elevate our beloved Rabbi Susan N. Shankman to become the Senior Rabbi of our vibrant congregation.
This groundbreaking moment not only marks the first time a woman has steered our institution, but Rabbi Shankman’s visionary leadership has ushered in a new wave of rabbinic and cantorial energy, creativity, and engagement.
In honor of this historic chapter, our congregation is embarking on a bold and exciting project, the size and scope of which our congregation has not undertaken in generations: The Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund.
While Judaism has grown and evolved for thousands of years, the one thing that all great congregations have in common is outstanding clergy, like Rabbi Shankman and the Washington Hebrew clergy team. The Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund will ensure that Washington Hebrew can hire, and keep, the nation’s most talented clergy for their entire careers.
To accomplish this goal, the Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund aims to raise an endowment dedicated to fully fund, in perpetuity, Washington Hebrew’s rabbinic and cantorial chairs. We will be offering named chairs for each of our clergy positions, including the chair of Senior Rabbi, along with many other ways that all our congregants can support this generational project.
As our congregation learned in our recent rabbinic and cantorial searches, there is a national shortage of clergy, and studies indicate this trend will continue.
People join Washington Hebrew Congregation because of the sacred connection they and their family have with our clergy team. For our members today, for their children, for their children’s children, and well beyond, the Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund ensures that the nation’s most talented rabbis and cantors will be there for you, your loved ones, and those who come after you.
The driving force behind our historic congregation has always been it compassionate, charismatic, and visionary clergy team. With your enthusiastic support of the Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund, Washington Hebrew’s brightest days are ahead.
Show your support for Rabbi Shankman and this new chapter in our sacred community’s future. In honor of her new position, we are starting the Rabbi Susan N. Shankman Clergy Endowment Fund to create and maintain a dynamic, strong, and multi-talented clergy team that will secure our congregation’s spiritual leadership for many years to come.
Sponsorships are available at a variety of levels:
$1,800
$3,600
$5,000
$7,500
$10,000
$25,000
If you'd prefer to pay by check or another type of gift, please contact Director of Philanthropy Margaret Cohen.
In the 170-year history of Washington Hebrew Congregation, Rabbi Shankman is the seventh senior rabbi, and the first woman in the role. As Senior Rabbi, she emphasizes innovative, compelling worship experiences, and continues to make WHC a destination for Jewish life. Under her guidance, our vibrant celebrations of Shabbat and other holidays, enhanced spiritual experiences, high-caliber lifelong learning opportunities, and meaningful life cycle events, are building on our foundation for an energetic future.
Rabbi Shankman is committed to providing deep Jewish learning and creating a strong sense of Jewish identity within our congregation as well as the greater Jewish community. Her goals include growing our inclusive, caring community in which everyone is seen, heard, and valued. As part of our continued commitment to equity and social justice, the congregation will be fully inclusive of race, sexual orientation, gender, age, and ability. Additionally, fellowship is promoted between congregants and clergy, and among the clergy team.
Additional Sponsors
If you’d prefer to pay by check or another type of gift, please contact:
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Each sponsor ($1,800+) will be recognized in the Installation Shabbat program, WHC Journal, marketing and publicity materials, and will be invited to a private cocktail reception on Sunday, May 7. Sponsors under $1,800 will be listed in the program.
