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Welcome to our synagogue!
Magen David Sephardic Congregation (MDSC) is a Modern Orthodox synagogue founded in 1966. Our building is ideally located to serve worshippers from Bethesda, Rockville, and Potomac (Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC).
Our distinctive Sephardic character is a source of pride for us, but membership in MDSC is not exclusive. Visitors may hear not only “Welcome” but “Bienvenue” and “Bienvenidos” – and from our many Israeli members, a hearty “Shalom”. In this diverse and vibrant environment, a biseleh Yiddish is not out of place.
A more welcoming, caring congregation you won’t find. We think our energy and devotion will inspire you to share in our prayer services and learning sessions.
We invite people of all levels of Jewish knowledge and awareness to explore their personal growth here, supported by others in this warm, outgoing community. Magen David is the go-to gathering place for Jews of all ages, backgrounds, and perceptions.
We hope you will explore this website to learn about the life of our community and the breadth of our mission. If you're not already on our mailing list, it’s easy to sign up. Just send a request to our executive director, Andrea Choobineh, at office@magendavidsephardic.org.
Parashat HaShavuah Vayera Genesis 18:1 - 22:24
Abraham, resting in front of his tent, greets three angels who are disguised as men. He prepares a meal for them, and one of the three announces that Sarah will give birth to a son. Sarah overhears this promise and finds it amusing; she laughs, as she has been barren throughout her adult life.
Abraham pleads with HaShem to spare the wicked of Sodom. Two of the three disguised angels arrive in the doomed city, where Abraham’s nephew Lot offers them hospitality and protects them from the Sodomite mob.
The angel guests reveal that Sodom will be destroyed but they will save Lot and his family. As they flee, Lot’s wife disobeys the command not to look back at the burning city, and she is turned into a pillar of salt.
While taking shelter in a cave, Lot’s daughters, believing they and their father are the only humans left alive in the world, get him drunk, lie with him and become pregnant. Their sons will become the fathers of the nations of Moab and Ammon.
Abraham moves to Gerar, where the Philistine king Abimelech, believing Sarah to be Abraham’s sister, takes her to his palace. In a dream, HaShem warns Abimelech that he will die unless he returns her to her husband. He does so, and Abraham explains that he feared the king, tempted by Sarah’s beauty, would kill him.
HaShem remembers his promise to Sarah and a son is born to her and her husband. They name him Isaac (Yitzchak). Abraham is one hundred years old and Sarah is ninety.
Hagar and her son Ishmael are banished from Abraham’s home and they wander in the desert. HaShem hears the cry of the dying child and shows Hagar to a well so she can retrieve the water that will save him. HaShem promises that the boy will grow to be a man of power and influence, a tribal leader.
HaShem tests Abraham’s devotion by commanding him to bind his beloved Isaac on an altar on Mount Moriah. Before Abraham can sacrifice his son, a voice from Heaven calls to stop him and a ram, caught in the underbrush by its horns, is sacrificed instead.
We recently celebrated a Bar Mitzvah at Magen David (socially distanced, of course). Mazal Tov to Shmuel and his family on reaching this beautiful milestone and for sponsoring a delicious Kiddush To Go!
