By Steven R. Weisman, with Evelyn Sahr
As most Temple Micah members know, the congregation looks after its own with our volunteer community, Hineni (“Here I am”). For many years, Hineni has provided loving care across generations to those suffering from illness, loss, family crises, or simply loneliness.
Yet as Temple Micah has grown, some members have felt the need for new ways to make our community better connected, especially to our newer members. That’s how the Micah in Your Neighborhood project got started.
With support from our rabbis and staff, several Temple Micah members involved with Hineni, led by Evelyn Sahr, came up with the idea of connecting congregation members with others in their own neighborhoods. The organizers invited members to host gatherings for their neighbors. The simple objective was to facilitate members’ getting to know each other and enjoying each other’s company because of shared interests and values defined by our belonging to a great community. Longer term, the hope was that strengthening our connections may lead to carpools, playdates, and supporting each other in times of need.
Thanks to the hosts, since August, about a dozen neighborhood gatherings have taken place throughout the region, in neighborhoods ranging from Tenleytown to Silver Spring, from Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom to Palisades and Cleveland Park. The occasions for these gatherings included Shabbat meals, brunches, Havdalah, and relaxed rooftop or garden get-togethers.
“It was a wonderful morning!” wrote Sunny Kaplan and Robin Shaffert about the early September brunch at the Palisades home of Robin and her husband Dean Brenner. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and feel very comfortable together.” One couple in the neighborhood had such a good time and felt so welcomed that they decided to join Temple Micah.
Brunch at the home of Debra Kurshan and Ben Bolitzer in September brought together two new and younger families with longstanding Micah “veterans.” The hosts said everyone enjoyed meeting each other and adding to their familiar faces at the temple.
Leslie and Steve Melman hosted a Havdalah ceremony and dinner for 5 families in Chevy Chase, DC. “There were several children in attendance, each of whom had a small muslin bag to fill with their choice of fragrant spices,” she reports. “Given that it was a Saturday night at a very busy time of the year, I would conclude that it was a success.”
While the future of these gatherings is still being discussed, the Hineni organizers are planning to put out a call for members to host another round of gatherings in the coming month. Undoubtedly, the spirit of innovation and experimentation so characteristic of Temple Micah is bound to continue.
This article originally appeared in the Dec 2026/Jan-Feb 2026 issue of the Vine.