Fear is typically assumed to be a negative emotion. But not in Judaism. Even the standard biblical Hebrew word for fear is commonly translated as awe, not fear. I have […]
We can’t go back to “normal.” The Covid-19 plague will abate but our society and nation will not go back to the old normal. Yes, we will live with inconvenient masks […]
After shutting down much of the economy, society and religious activity in the wake of the Corona virus, we anxiously await that “morning after.” How will economic, social and spiritual life […]
The current COVID-19 pandemic is not the first instance in history of a plague. And social distancing is not new as a response. In our tradition, illness sometimes required isolation. […]
My prayer for a friend who is ill. I wrote this thinking about how much more difficult it must be to be ill in a time of a pandemic when we are all apart.
As an unexpected exercise in binge television viewing, I watched The Leftovers. The HBO series explored the psycho-spiritual reaction to being a survivor after 2% of the world disappears. The reactions […]
Passover is a holiday of leadership. Yes, to themes of redemption, freedom, matzo and springtime. At this time in history, the story is most important as a tale of leadership […]
Has a virus dissembled Judaism? Social distancing has confounded the traditional prayer protocol of a prayer minyan. Life cycle gatherings are restricted or postponed. Shabbat observance embraced the electronic information age. While […]
Another day, another hundred emails. One from the Jewish Community Council asked that we write to the Senate leaders to request economic relief for non-profit organizations. I found this to […]
A lifelong musician, cantorial soloist Caitlin McLaughlin has been a service leader and band member at Temple Emanuel of Kensington, MD since 2011, has led alternative High Holiday and Women’s Retreat worship services, and has also taught music in the Religious School since 2020. She joined the Jewish Studio worship leading team in Rockville MD in 2021.
Caitlin completed vocal studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and a master’s degree in Music (Choral Conducting) at the University of California, Irvine. She has led choral groups in schools and congregations in California, New England and Minnesota before settling in Maryland. Beginning in 2021, Caitlin will be a member of Cohort 11 of the Davennen Leadership Training Institute. She has taken part in other Jewish music workshops including Shabbat Shirah and Hava Nashira at OSRUI, NewCAJE and the Jewish Collaborative Songwriters’ Retreat.
She lives in Silver Spring MD with her family.
David Abramowitz was ordained as a Cantor by the ALEPH Ordination Program in January 2016 and received his certificate as a spiritual director in January 2017. David enjoys leading Shabbat morning services at the Charles E. Smith Life Communities in Rockville, Maryland twice a month and officiates life cycle events year round.
In his other professional life, David is the Mid-Atlantic regional technical lead at Trend Micro, a specialist in computer and network security. In his free time, he enjoys playing drums and singing in a rock cover band, and playing in an adult ice hockey league.
David graduated from Brandeis University with a B.S. in Computer Science and received his Masters in Computer Science from The George Washington University.
Evan J. Krame was ordained as a rabbi by the ALEPH Ordination Program in January 2015 and is currently a fellow of Rabbis Without Borders. He has served as president of several non-profit organizations, including the Hillel at George Washington University and Shared Horizons, Inc.
In addition to leading the Jewish Studio, Evan also serves as a founding builder of Bayit, a national organization that provides innovative tools to build a new Judaism. His honors include Hillel’s Exemplar of the Year, Israel Bonds Young Leadership Award, the Jewish Federation of Washington’s Campaigner of the Year, ORT’s community leadership award and the Shared Horizons Humanitarian award.
In addition to his religious activities, Evan is also a partner at Krame and Biggin, a Maryland law firm specializing in estates and trusts work with a focus on assisting families of persons with special needs. Evan is a graduate of Brandeis University and George Washington University Law School and has an LLM in Taxation.