When Torah Leaves the Classroom

On a recent day in Silver Spring, something remarkable happened.

Boxes stacked high. Tables filled with kosher-for-Passover staples. Volunteers moving quickly but with purpose. And in the middle of it all — dozens of students from the Yeshiva of Greater Washington quietly packing food.

By the end of the day, the numbers were staggering.

16,000 pounds of Pesach food packed.

And behind those numbers?

More than 1,200 Jewish households in the Greater Washington area who will be able to sit down to a proper Passover Seder.

This was part of the Ma’ot Chittim campaign organized by Yad Yehuda of Greater Washington, the region’s Jewish safety net for families facing financial hardship.

But to understand why this moment mattered, you have to understand something deeper.

This wasn’t just a volunteer project.

This was Torah in motion.

The Jewish Value That Happens Before Pesach

Every year before Passover, Jewish communities around the world fulfill an ancient tradition called Ma’ot Chittim — literally “money for wheat.”

For centuries, communities have ensured that every Jewish family can celebrate Pesach with dignity. No one should sit down to a Seder table without the basics needed for the holiday.

That responsibility hasn’t disappeared in the modern world.

If anything, it’s become more important.

Organizations like Yad Yehuda exist precisely for this reason: to ensure that families experiencing financial hardship can still celebrate Shabbat, Yom Tov, and daily life with dignity.

Through programs like the Capital Kosher Pantry and Tomchei Shabbos, the organization provides food assistance, emergency support, and other critical services for hundreds of individuals and families across the Greater Washington Jewish community.

But even the most organized chesed efforts require something essential:

People willing to help.

Enter the Students of Yeshiva of Greater Washington

When the YGW students arrived to volunteer, the scene quickly transformed.

What might have taken days suddenly began moving with remarkable efficiency.

Boxes opened. Items sorted. Packages assembled.

The boys worked assembly-line style — one placing matzah, another stacking grape juice, another sealing boxes. Someone joked that if Gemara learning requires teamwork, apparently packing Pesach food does too.

There was laughter.

There was focus.

And most importantly, there was purpose.

Because each package wasn’t just a box.

It was someone’s Seder table.

(Donate Here: www.yadyehuda.org)

16,000 Pounds of Food — One Community Effort

By the time the project wrapped up, the numbers told the story.

16,000 pounds of kosher-for-Passover food packed.

Food that will now make its way to more than 1,200 local households struggling financially.

That means:

• Families who can cook proper Yom Tov meals
• Parents who don’t have to quietly worry about grocery bills
• Children who will sit at a Seder table that feels normal

Yad Yehuda’s broader programs already distribute significant amounts of food annually, helping community members maintain dignity while navigating difficult financial periods.

But Pesach adds another layer of complexity.

Kosher-for-Passover food is expensive.

Demand spikes.

And for families already facing financial stress, the holiday can feel overwhelming.

That’s exactly why the Ma’ot Chittim campaign exists. (Donate Here: www.yadyehuda.org)

The Quiet Power of Chesed

What made the day especially meaningful wasn’t just the scale of the project.

It was who was doing the work.

Teenage boys.

Future community leaders.

Young men who, only hours earlier, may have been deep in a sugya of Gemara.

Now they were lifting boxes, sealing packages, and helping ensure that strangers they will never meet can celebrate Pesach with dignity.

That’s a powerful lesson.

In Judaism, Torah study and acts of kindness are never separate tracks.

They are two halves of the same life.

The Culture of Chesed in Silver Spring

The Greater Washington Jewish community has quietly built one of the strongest volunteer cultures in the country.

Students. Parents. retirees. Professionals.

Everyone participates.

Yad Yehuda’s programs are powered almost entirely by volunteers — individuals from across the community who unload deliveries, organize inventory, and help distribute food to those who need it most.

The students of Yeshiva of Greater Washington are simply the latest generation stepping into that tradition.

And if this project is any indication, the future looks promising.

Supporting the Ma’ot Chittim Campaign

Pesach is approaching quickly.

The need remains significant.

If you’d like to support the effort to ensure that every Jewish family in the Greater Washington area can celebrate the holiday with dignity, donations to the Ma’ot Chittim campaign are still being accepted.

Donate here:

www.yadyehuda.org

Because sometimes the most powerful acts of kindness happen quietly.

In a warehouse.

With a few boxes.

And a group of students who understand that Torah isn’t just something you learn.

It’s something you live.

In a world reshaped by October 7, the question is no longer simply how Israel will respond — but how it will reimagine its future.

Today at 12 noon Eastern (7 p.m. Jerusalem time), EMET — Endowment for Middle East Truth will host a live Zoom briefing titled Israel 2048: A Blueprint for a Rising Asymmetric Geopolitical Power. The conversation promises more than policy analysis; it aims to outline a strategic reset — one that touches deterrence, technological dominance, economic leverage, and Israel’s broader civilizational mission.

Is Israel merely fortifying its borders? Or is it preparing to redefine the balance of power across the Middle East and beyond?

Featured speakers include strategic analyst Barak Seener and veteran Middle East policy expert Dr. David Wurmser, who will present what they describe as a next-generation doctrine for Israel’s long-term strength. Their discussion is expected to examine how asymmetric strategy — combining military preparedness with innovation, diplomacy, and economic power — could shape Israel’s trajectory toward its 100th year of statehood in 2048.

The event comes at a pivotal moment. Regional alliances are shifting. Global powers are recalibrating. Technology is transforming the nature of warfare and influence. For Israel, the stakes extend beyond immediate security concerns to questions of identity, resilience, and long-term strategic vision.

Whether you follow geopolitics closely or are simply concerned about Israel’s future in a volatile world, this briefing offers an opportunity to hear directly from voices engaged in shaping that conversation.

The webinar takes place today, Wednesday, February 25, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 p.m. in Jerusalem).

Registration is available online.

Purim is around the corner.

And in Greater Washington, that means one thing — the trays come out.

The golden ones. The perfectly folded ones. The ones that disappear before you even finish setting the table.

For over three decades, The Kosher Pastry Oven in Silver Spring has been baking the hamantaschen that quietly define Purim for families across Montgomery County and the D.C. area.

Not trendy. Not flashy.
Just baked right.

The Hamantaschen Everyone Waits For

Walk into The Kosher Pastry Oven on Lamberton Drive this time of year and you’ll see it immediately — trays lined with warm, fresh, triangular perfection.

The dough is tender but structured. The folds are clean. The filling is generous without overpowering.

And the flavors?

• Chocolate
• Raspberry
• Prune
• Apricot
• Poppy

The classics. The ones that actually belong on a Purim table.

Whether you’re assembling mishloach manot, preparing for the seudah, or just stocking the kitchen for the week, these hamantaschen have become a Silver Spring ritual.

Every year, same question:
“Did you pick them up yet?”

Baked Right Here in Silver Spring

In a time when so much is shipped, frozen, or mass-produced, there’s something grounding about knowing your Purim pastries are baked locally.

The Kosher Pastry Oven has been serving the Greater Washington Jewish community since 1995 — and that consistency shows. These aren’t factory cookies.

They’re handcrafted.
They’re community-made.
They’re the kind that show up at shul kiddush tables, school celebrations, and family dining rooms year after year.

When people search for “best kosher hamantaschen near me” in Montgomery County, they’re often looking for this exact place — even if they don’t realize it yet.

A Tradition That Tastes Like Home

Purim is loud. Joyful. A little chaotic.

But the food? That’s memory.

It’s the taste you grew up with. The one your kids now expect. The one that quietly tells you the chag has arrived.

And in Silver Spring, that taste has a name:
The Kosher Pastry Oven.

No gimmicks.
No overcomplication.
Just fresh, golden hamantaschen baked the way they’re supposed to be.

Planning Your Purim Table?

The season moves fast. So do these trays.

📍 1372 Lamberton Drive, Silver Spring, MD
📞 301-592-8844
🌐 www.thekosherpastryoven.com

Because some traditions don’t need reinvention.

They just need to be baked right.

If you live in Montgomery County and have ever found yourself tossing a bag of Bamba into your cart “just in case,” this one’s for you.

The iconic Israeli peanut snack — light, airy, and instantly recognizable from that first melt-in-your-mouth crunch — is now available at Costco in Gaithersburg and Wheaton.

For families across Silver Spring, Rockville, Potomac, and beyond, Bamba isn’t just another snack food. It’s the thing you keep in the pantry for toddlers learning to self-feed. It’s what disappears first at playdates. It’s what somehow makes its way into school lunchboxes, car rides, and those quiet late-night kitchen visits.

And now? It’s at Costco.

That means bulk bags. That means fewer emergency grocery runs. That means finally stocking up without wondering if the local kosher aisle will be cleared out by Sunday morning.

For anyone searching “Bamba at Costco Maryland” or “Where to buy Bamba in Gaithersburg,” the answer is simple: check your local Costco warehouse in Gaithersburg or Wheaton and head straight for the snack section.

No hype needed. Just a familiar favorite, now easier to find — and probably not staying on shelves for long.

If you’ve got little ones (or let’s be honest, if you are the little one at heart), it might be worth the trip.

There are simchos that arrive with music.

A l’chaim that echoes across a hall.
A stroller parked outside shul.
A baby name whispered for the first time.

And then there are the chapters that unfold in silence.

The appointments no one talks about.
The treatments scheduled between work meetings.
The Shabbos tables where a couple smiles warmly — while carrying a weight few can see.

And in that quiet space, Bonei Olam Greater Washington stands as something extraordinary: a community’s promise that no couple will walk this road alone.

The Part No One Prepares You For

In a family-centered frum community, children are not just milestones — they are the rhythm of life.

Schools, carpools, Shabbos invitations, simchos — our entire social fabric is woven around family growth. Which makes infertility not just medically challenging, but emotionally isolating.

Couples navigating fertility treatments often face:

• Emotional strain that feels relentless
• Physical exhaustion from procedures and medications
• Financial pressure that can reach tens of thousands per cycle
• The quiet loneliness of not knowing who to talk to

Fertility treatment costs can range from $15,000 to $30,000 per cycle — sometimes more — and many couples require multiple attempts. Insurance coverage varies widely. Savings can disappear quickly.

The journey becomes not only about hope — but about survival.

And that’s where Bonei Olam steps in.

What Bonei Olam Really Does

Bonei Olam is not just a funding source. It is an anchor.

Founded in 1999, the organization now includes 28 regional chapters and has helped bring over 14,000 children into the world. But statistics, as inspiring as they are, only begin to tell the story.

Locally, in Greater Washington, this past year alone:

• 21 couples received counseling and guidance
• 13 families received financial assistance
• 4 babies were born
• The projected 2026 budget is $130,000
• $110,000 still needs to be raised to continue assisting couples currently in process

Read that again slowly.

Those are not abstract numbers.

Those are couples sitting across from specialists.
Those are husbands and wives who chose not to give up.
Those are babies now sleeping in cribs in our own neighborhoods.

Bonei Olam provides confidential guidance, halachic direction when needed, medical navigation support, and financial assistance that often determines whether a couple can continue treatment at all.

It does not simply fund procedures.

It restores oxygen to families running out of breath.

Neighbor Helping Neighbor

One of the most beautiful aspects of Bonei Olam Greater Washington is that it is local.

This is not anonymous philanthropy drifting somewhere else.
This is Silver Spring helping Silver Spring.
This is our own community quietly ensuring that dreams are not deferred because of cost.

Every dollar raised here stays here.

Every contribution becomes:

• A consultation
• A medication
• A treatment cycle
• A moment where a couple says, “We can try again.”

In a world where so much feels beyond our control, this is something profoundly Jewish: taking responsibility for each other.

Dor l’dor is not just a phrase.
It is an obligation.

Joy That Builds Futures

This Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM, the Greater Washington community will gather at Kemp Mill Synagogue for an evening titled:

Joy That Builds Futures

There will be a beautiful fleishig buffet.
There will be an inspiring program.
There will be an exceptional Chinese auction featuring thoughtfully curated prizes.

But the heart of the evening is something far deeper.

It is about choosing to show up for couples who are still waiting for their first baby announcement.

It is about ensuring that finances are never the reason a dream ends.

It is about transforming heartbreak into hope — one family at a time.

A Community That Shows Up

Somewhere in our neighborhood tonight, a couple is hoping their next appointment brings good news.

Somewhere, a husband and wife are calculating costs while calculating courage.

Bonei Olam ensures that when the bracha comes — and b’ezras Hashem it does — money is not the obstacle.

When our community gathers, when we give, when we attend, when we care — the impact is immediate and deeply personal.

Because behind every future stroller is a story.

Behind every baby’s cry is a journey.

And behind every journey should be a community that says:

We are with you.

For event details or to support Bonei Olam Greater Washington, visit: https://boneiolam.org/greaterwashington


Bonei Olam Greater Washington provides Jewish infertility support in Silver Spring through funding and guidance. Join the Feb 22 Kemp Mill Synagogue event.

Beside him stands Shloime Zionce of Ami Magazine, a journalist known for immersive reporting and global investigative features. Zionce has traveled across continents — from remote Jewish communities to geopolitical flashpoints — documenting stories with depth, empathy, and clarity. His journalism bridges worlds: traditional and modern, religious and secular, local and international. In the White House press room, however, the story wasn’t politics. It was partnership. Two observant Jews carving out sacred time in a place built for headlines.

The scene speaks volumes about Orthodox Jewish representation in American media. It challenges outdated assumptions. It proves that one can wear a kippah, speak in the cadence of Torah, and still operate at the highest professional levels of national journalism. More than that — it suggests that perhaps the highest levels of journalism are strengthened by moral clarity, spiritual grounding, and intellectual discipline shaped by Torah learning.

And maybe that’s the real headline. Not just that two Orthodox journalists were learning together in the White House — but that they belong there. Fully. Authentically. Confidently. In an era searching for identity and integrity in media, the image of Jake Turx and Shloime Zionce learning side by side may quietly represent the future: principled voices asking hard questions, grounded in something eternal.

For readers in Silver Spring — one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the Greater Washington D.C. area — the image carries particular meaning. Silver Spring has long been a hub of Torah learning, community leadership, and civic engagement. Seeing two visibly Orthodox journalists learning Torah inside the White House press room resonates deeply with a community that values both spiritual commitment and professional excellence. It reflects the ethos many Silver Spring families live every day: fully engaged in American society while unwavering in Jewish identity.

The presence of Jake Turx and Shloime Zionce in the White House also underscores the growing influence of Orthodox Jewish media beyond local communities like Silver Spring and the D.C. region. What was once considered niche journalism has become nationally relevant, shaping conversations at the highest levels. For young Jewish professionals in Silver Spring and across Maryland who aspire to careers in media, politics, or public service, the message is clear: you do not have to compromise who you are to sit at the table. You can bring Torah values into the room — even the White House press room

Photos taken by Aryeh Leib Abrams