History of Kemp Mill Synagogue
Kemp Mill Synagogue held its first service on Parashat Parah, March 17, 1990 in a house purchased to serve as a temporary facility for the new congregation by a group of ten generous investors. That first service was attended by 50 worshipers. In January 1990, those same investors became a makeshift board of trustees and voted to found the Kemp Mill Synagogue, incorporating the synagogue as a non-profit corporation.
Founding Philosophy
The founding philosophy of KMS combined study, prayer, spirituality, and community to create an encompassing institution. In 1994, Rabbi Jack Bieler officially became the first rabbi of KMS. As the leader of the KMS community, Rabbi Bieler has led and inspired the development of an ambitious program of shiurim, study groups, scholars-in-residence and educational programs. Weekly Divrei Torah by men and women enlighten the congregation by offering a diversity of perspectives. Youth groups and social activities contribute to creating a warm and engaged community.
Founding Rabbi
Rabbi Yaakov Bieler was the founding rabbi of KMS and served as our Mara D'Atra until his retirement in 2015. Rabbi Bieler has published numerous articles on Jewish education and issues facing Judaism today, especially from the perspective of Modern Orthodoxy. His Divrei Torah, podcasts, articles and other writings can be found on his website "Rayanot Yaakov" and on his blog "Contemporary Explorations of Jewish Texts and Thinkers".
Rabbi Bieler was ordained by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and received an MA in Jewish Education from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Education in 1974. Following graduation from Yeshiva, Rabbi Bieler served on the faculty and was Chairman of the Talmud Department of the Joseph H. Lookstein Upper School of Ramaz from 1974-1988.
During his tenure at Ramaz, Rabbi Bieler concurrently served on the faculty of the Adult Education Institute of the Lincoln Square Synagogue between 1971-1977, and as permanent scholar-in-residence of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun from 1977-1988. In 1985, he received a Jerusalem Fellows fellowship and spent the year with his family in Jerusalem. In 1988, Rabbi Bieler assumed the position of Lead Teacher and Chairman of the Judaic Studies Department at the Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington, now as Berman in Rockville, MD. He served as the Upper School Assistant Principal in charge of Judaic Studies from 1991-2005.
KMS Today
Kemp Mill Synagogue held its first services in our current home on Kemp Mill Road on Shabbat of September 19 1998. Our beautiful building is the hub of our community, and a place where we gather to daven, learn, celebrate, and observe lifecycle events, smachot and rituals together.
To this day, KMS remains a synagogue that relies on all of its members to realize the aspirations and vision upon which it was founded.
Rabbi Brahm Weinberg joined KMS in August 2015 with the goal of building on KMS’ strong history and making KMS a place where people feel at home and inspired to grow in their Judaism. Since his arrival, Rabbi Weinberg has taken an active role in spearheading new ideas, initiatives, and programs that have added another dimension to life at KMS. His creativity and experience in other shuls around the country enable him to bring a wealth of insight that continuously pushes KMS to strive for more and to continue to grow. Rabbi Weinberg has become an integral part of the greater community outside of KMS as well and currently serves as the Secretary of the Vaad HaRabanim of Greater Washington.
Rabbi Weinberg is a native of Montreal, Canada. After a year of study at Yeshivat Hamivtar in Israel he attended Yeshiva University (YU). At YU he earned his B.A. in History and Jewish Studies from Yeshiva College, his Master’s degree from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and his Semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). At RIETS, Rabbi Weinberg also studied in the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel and at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. At YU Rabbi Weinberg received several awards including the Torah Umadda Award for the student who best exemplified the ideals of Yeshiva University as well as awards for excellence in Gemara and History. Rabbi Weinberg was one of six semicha students chosen to be a Sanford Lurie Scholar at the Jewish Center in Manhattan. He was also a member of the Kollel Program at the Ramaz Upper School. Rabbi Weinberg also participated in the Ner L’Elef Fellowship for outreach training as well as the Isralight Teacher Training Program in Israel. Prior to joining KMS, Rabbi Weinberg served as the rabbi of the Young Israel of West Hartford in Connecticut for six years.
Rabbi Weinberg is married to Elana Weinberg who grew up in East Brunswick, NJ. After graduating from Yeshivah of Flatbush, Elana studied at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel and then attended Brandeis University where she earned a B.A in Philosophy and Jewish Studies. Elana also studied at the Drisha Institute and as well as the Graduate Program for Women in Advanced Talmudic Studies at Yeshiva University. She received her Master’s degree from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education. Elana taught Judaic Studies at the Frisch School in Paramus, NJ as well as at the Hebrew High School of New England in West Hartford, CT. She now teaches Judaic Studies at the Upper School of Berman Hebrew Academy.
Rabbi Weinberg and Elana are blessed with four wonderful children.
Guiding Principles of KMS
Serious Tefillah
The various minyanim at KMS are marked by a seriousness of purpose and devotion to Kavod HaTorah and Kedushat HaMakom. We are committed to quiet tefillah with proper decorum. KMS holds daily minyanim during the week, two minyanim Friday night (including a Ruach Minyan) and six shacharit minyanim on Shabbat morning (including a Youth Minyan). KMS’ Women’s Tefillah Group meets for mincha monthly on Shabbat Mevarchim, and at the request of families celebrating a bat mitzvah or a Shabbat kallah.
We welcome men’s and women’s participation in the religious life of our shul within a Modern Orthodox halachic framework. There are an approximately equal number of seats for men and women in every venue where services are conducted, and women are represented on the KMS Ritual Committee. Women dance with a Sefer Torah on Simchat Torah. We encourage broad participation by as many individuals as possible in all shul activities.
Sophisticated Limmud Torah
At KMS we seek to promote an approach to our original sources that courageously and honestly deal with the issues of faith, morality, and the application of Jewish law and tradition to the situations that arise in our lives. It is a valued tradition at KMS that the Rabbi, KMS members (both male and female) and bnei mitzvah boys and girls all regularly give divrei torah from the pulpit after the completion of tefillot on Shabbat morning. We also extend invitations to male and female scholars in residence several times each year.
Service to KMS and the Community
From its inception, KMS has stressed an activist approach regarding the shul’s operation and organization of activities. Our Kiddush Committees feature a rotation of the entire membership responsible for setting up before, and cleaning up after, Kiddush. The vast majority of programming offered by KMS takes place only because we have volunteers ready to devote the time and energy needed. Men and women serve in all lay leadership roles.
Commitment to Youth
The shul takes seriously the responsibility to provide our junior members with a meaningful, positive, and inspiring religious experience including a robust Youth Minyan Shabbat morning, a Youth Governance Committee, a vibrant Bnei Akiva youth program, and youth groups for our youngest members on Shabbat morning. Quality, age-appropriate Shabbat and Yom Tov programming is a high priority in terms of budgetary and space considerations. The Youth Minyan, which is run by adolescents, is as important as any other minyan in the building.
Commitment to the State of Israel
KMS is dedicated to the support of the State of Israel. We regularly feature speakers and conduct symposiums addressing issues relevant to current events in Israel and the world at large. Hallel with a bracha is recited on Yom Ha’Atzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim in our minyanim. We welcome into our midst the members of the MJBHA Torah MiTzion Kollel, as well as many Israeli families coming to Washington on sabbaticals and for government assignments.