Wind down your day with Rabbi Emmanuel and the Den with a summer evening stroll through the monument along the National Mall—one of DC’s best after-work traditions. A chance to make new friends or reconnect with familiar faces, we'll go for a leisurely, scenic stroll with a mid-break rest for Jewish learning and meaningful conversation. In keeping with our historic surroundings, we’ll explore Jewish texts on leadership and collective memory—focusing on the curious question of why the Torah records that no monument was built for its greatest leader: Moses.

We will gather at a Metro accessible location on the National Mall. All are welcome, with no prior experience necessary. Meet up spot will be shared with registrants.

In the era of the internet and social media, questions about speech, truth, and misinformation are more pressing than ever. Join Rabbi Emmanuel and Den member Rebecca Barabas for a learning session exploring the intersection of misinformation and the Jewish ethical tradition of lashon hara—often translated as “gossip,” but more broadly understood as a call to mindful and responsible speech. Together, we’ll delve into Jewish wisdom on communication, trust, and the power of words, with reflections on how these teachings resonate in our lives today.

We will gather in a Metro accessible location in Central DC. All are welcome, with no prior experience necessary. Address will be shared with registrants.

In Jewish tradition, we prefer to say l’hitraot, meaning “see you again,” rather than goodbye. Saying goodbye sounds too final; we’d rather say farewell, knowing and hoping that our paths will cross again.

Please join us to share farewell and blessings with Rabbi Emmanuel as he heads off to his next adventure. We are grateful for the ways Rabbi Emmanuel has served the Den Collective community this past year, and we hope you’ll join us for this special evening.

We’ll gather at a great spot in NoVA on Thursday, June 5th, 2025 @ 5-7pm to say l’chayim (cheers to life) and l’hitraot (farewell)!

All are welcome. Location and details will be shared with registrants.

Join the Den and Rabbi Emmanuel for a relaxed and meaningful Sunday morning for brunch and learning with lots of opportunities for meaningful conversations and connections with fellow community members. 

We’ll spread out on blankets, share bagels, coffee, and treats while we dive into questions about keeping kosher. Together we'll explore both the “what”—what’s traditionally in, what’s traditionally out—and the “why”: what deeper meanings and motivations shape the diverse ways people keep kosher today? As we gather on the eve of Shavuot—the holiday that celebrates receiving the Torah—we’ll study one of the Torah’s most enduring and multifaceted practices through a range of perspectives and values.

All are welcome—whether you keep kosher, don’t, are skeptical, enthusiastic, curious, or questioning—or all of the above! No prior experience necessary. We will gather at a location in Arlington, VA that is Metro accessible. Exact meet up location will be shared with registrants. 

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make a $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future opportunities to gather together. All are welcome. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate.

Rosh Chodesh celebrates the passage of Jewish time with the arrival of a new Hebrew month, offering us a chance to renew, craft an intention or "kavanah" for the month ahead, and gather in community.

Led by Den members Heather Brody and Maxwell Thompson, this gathering is intended for all 20's-30's-40's who identify as LGBTQ+ to come together in community. We’ll celebrate the month of Sivan through our connections with one another, as well as art-making, text study, and intention-setting for the new month. 

No prior experience is required. We will gather at a metro accessible location in DC. Address will be shared with registrants.

Shabbat afternoon in late spring is wonderfully spacious, with long sunny hours filled with learning, singing, conversation, and play. Together with Rabbi Emmanuel, we’ll enjoy the magic of Shabbat in community. The Den will bring snacks and a taste of the week’s Torah portion to learn and discuss, while everyone is invited to bring blankets, board/card games, frisbees, etc. Come ready to relax, meet new friends and reconnect with old ones, and enjoy Shabbat. No prior experience is necessary, all are welcome!

We will gather in a central location determined by registrant sign ups. Exact meet-up location will be shared with registrants.

Traditionally read on the upcoming late-spring holiday of Shavuot, the biblical book of Ruth takes place in the backdrop of ecological crisis, political instability, and a breakdown of social trust and institutions. Yet amidst it all, Ruth’s characters learn to care for one another and lay the foundations for a better future. Join Rabbi Emmanuel for learning and conversation as we explore the Book of Ruth and reflect on its resonances with our current moment and lives today. 

We will gather in a Metro accessible location in Central DC. All are welcome, with no prior experience necessary. Address will be shared with registrants. 

Join Rabbi Emmanuel for a leisurely, scenic bike ride as we emerge from Passover and embrace the season of renewal and rebirth with a day of nourishing our minds, bodies, and souls. We'll meet at a bike path in DC near a bike share station for those without bikes, with a mid-ride stop for Jewish learning and meaningful conversation with our fellow cyclists.

Meet up spot will be shared with registrants.

Please note: an earlier version of this gathering was initially planned for 4/27, but has been rescheduled. We're grateful for your flexibility and excited to come together soon!

Judaism offers a wide range of blessings to honor everyday moments in addition to times for daily and holiday prayers—traditionally covering everything from travel and using the bathroom to surviving life-threatening experiences. Contemporary Jewish poets and writers have also crafted liturgies for seemingly mundane occasions, such as going to a party or even watching TV.

Join Rabbi Emmanuel to explore the traditions and practices of "everyday" blessings, followed by art inspired by our learning: creative writing, poetry, interpretive translation, drawing, sketching, and more. This session is designed with first-time poets or painters in mind—nobody will be put on the spot!  

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary. We will gather at a home in Arlington, VA that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants.

Beginning on the 2nd night of Passover, we count the Omer, for 49 days, until we arrive at the festival of Shavuot. Counting the Omer began as a count toward the spring harvest, and it has evolved into a spiritual accounting. The Omer is a period for introspection, grounding, and personal growth, in preparation for receiving the Torah on Shavuot. Walking and learning in nature will provide us with an ideal setting for looking inward and discovering new places for us to stretch and grow.

Join Rabbi Aderet for a natural walk in the great outdoors, where we’ll break for learning over snacks. Everyone is welcome. We will meet in a park in Maryland that is metro accessible. Specific meet-up spot will be shared with registrants.

Join Rabbi Emmanuel at 12:30pm on Saturday, May 3rd for Shabbat lunch and learning with the Den! We’ll enjoy a home-cooked meal, Shabbat rituals, and lots of opportunities for conversation with community members as we explore the weekly Torah portion while exploring resonances with our lives today.

We will gather in a Metro accessible location in Arlington with lots of street parking nearby. No prior experience necessary. Seating is limited, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrants will receive address and other details.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate. All are welcome.

Join our partners at GLOE for this annual event to celebrate Passover through an LGBTQ lens, as you explore the theme of Holding Space in Narrow Times. You'll enjoy a special Passover meal as you read GLOE's own Haggadah and perform its festive rituals with the Jewish LGBTQ community and friends.

Proudly co-sponsored by the Den alongside Bet Mishpachah, Adas Israel, Embassy of Israel, Nice Jewish Boys, Nice Jewish Girls, GatherDC, Keshet, A Wider Bridge, Washington Hebrew Congregation, and Honeymoon Israel.

Jewish mystics sought out nature as a way to experience a more profound sense of intention and attention to their lives. In this spirit, we’ll prepare for Passover—known in the Torah as Chag Ha-Aviv (“spring holiday”)—by immersing ourselves in the blooming natural beauty of our region. Join Rabbi Emmanuel for a hike in the great outdoors, where we’ll break for learning over snacks.

All are welcome! This will be a gentle hike suitable for various experience levels. No prior experience necessary. We’ll gather in Rock Creek Park, with the exact meet up location to be shared with those who sign up.

The Den is thrilled to be invited as one of the partner organizations to join the Capital Jewish Museum (CJM) this Passover season at CJM’s second annual untraditional seder to remember. Read from CJM’s community Haggadah, clink glasses over stories old and new, connect over charoset and horseradish, and find inspiration all around the table. (ages 21+).

Presented in partnership with the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, Avodah – Jewish Service Corps, DC Central Kitchen, DC History Center, Edlavitch DCJCC’s Center for Social Responsibility, Food & Friends, GatherDC, HIAS, Historic Congressional Cemetery, Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington, Rainbow History Project, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, the Den Collective, Tzedek DC. 

Join Rabbi Aderet for a night of learning and lively discussion as we explore the intersection of law, practice, and custom when it comes to Passover preparations and observance. You’ll walk away with a tangible understanding of the why, how, and what, as you prepare to enter the Festival of Passover.

No experience necessary. All are welcome.

We will gather in a central location determined by registrant sign ups.

Address will be shared with registrants.

Join Rabbi Emmanuel and Den member Mary King for a meaningful and fun-spirited trip to the National Gallery! Together, we’ll take a leisurely look at works by Jewish artists and others, reflecting on their artistic contributions, life stories, and resonances with our own perspectives. Afterward, we’ll gather for learning, discussion, and time to connect with one another over snacks and conversation.

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary.

Join Rabbi Emmanuel to enjoy a home-cooked meal, meaningful Shabbat rituals, and lots of opportunity for connection and conversation with community members. Together, we'll study a range of Jewish teachings on the upcoming holiday of Passover, reflecting on its varied themes and traditions while exploring resonances with our lives today.

We will gather in a Metro accessible location in Arlington with lots of street parking nearby. All are welcome, with no prior experience necessary. Seating is limited, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Please sign up by Tues. March 25th in order to receive the address and other logistical information. 

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate.

Join the Den for a night at Theatre J—a project of the Edlavitch DC JCC. We will see Your Name Means Dream, José Rivera’s poignant play that explores the evolving relationship between an aging woman, Aislin, and her AI caregiver, Stacy, as they navigate questions of humanity, connection, and the soul. Blending magical realism with science fiction, the production examines what it truly means to be alive when the boundaries between human and machine begin to blur.

Following the performance, a post-show conversation with Rabbi Emmanuel will explore Jewish wisdom and values as powerful tools to unpack the challenges and possibilities of AI.

Contact Rabbi Emmanuel to receive an 20% ticket discount code exclusive to the Den’s community members.

Join members of Avodah and Sea Change for a conversation between cross-generational members fighting for social change and building relationships in coalition spaces, exploring real-life examples of leaning into relationships and community organizing. Moderated by the Den’s Rabbi Emmanuel Cantor.

Get ready for Purim with an evening of learning and creativity! As we prepare for this holiday of bold reversals, colorful costumes, and spirited festivities, join Rabbi Emmanuel to study the story of Queen Esther and Mordechai’s rescue of the Jewish people in Ancient Persia. Through their tale, we’ll explore many of Purim’s rich themes—concealed identities, communal responsibility, unexpected revelations, and the power of transformation—then bring our insights to life through art-making. Whether through creative writing, poetry, interpretive translation, drawing, or sketching, no prior experience is needed—this gathering is open to all, from first-time poets or painters to seasoned artists.

We will gather at a home in Arlington, VA that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants. Please sign up below by Mon, Mar. 10.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate. We look forward to gathering together with you!

Join us for a magical evening of soulful music and connection as we come together for a fresh take on the Den’s approach to curating spirited communal singing experiences. A renewed offering of our beloved “Den Vibes” singing and havdalah (end of Shabbat ritual) gatherings, we will be held and led in communal singing by the Den Music Team (Shy Ashkenazi, Maxwell Thompson, Michael Berkson, Ben Wacks, and our Den rabbis), along with Micah Hendler, local musician, and the Founder and Artistic Director of the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. 

No experience necessary. All are welcome. We will come together for this soulful evening of communal singing in a central location in DC. Address will be shared with registrants.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate. We look forward to gathering together with you!

We have reached capacity for this event. We look forward to seeing you at another Den gathering soon!

In the wake of the Holocaust, an unpublished manuscript was found in the rubble of the Warsaw Ghetto. Written before the war, the author— Hasidic rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira—buried his life’s work shortly before his death. In doing so, he preserved his “Hakhsharat HaAvrekhim,” a spiritual guidebook seeking to speak to the life experiences and religious questions facing communities of young adults. Join Rabbi Emmanuel for study and conversation about this unique text, exploring its wisdom and takeaways for our lives today. 

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary. We will gather at a home in DC that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants.

Reproductive freedom is a Jewish value. The Den Collective is proud to partner with National Council of Jewish Women on Repro Shabbat, February 22nd (Parashat Mishpatim).

Join Rabbi Emmanuel at 12:30 PM on Saturday, February 22nd, for this special Repro Shabbat Den gathering. Enjoy a home-cooked meal, meaningful Shabbat rituals, and connections with community members as we explore Jewish perspectives on reproductive health, rights, and justice through the lens of the weekly Torah portion, Parashat Mishpatim.

We will gather in a Metro accessible location in Arlington with lots of street parking nearby. No prior experience necessary. Seating is limited, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registrants will receive address and other details.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate. All are welcome.

Mindfulness + Meditation at the Den is a holistic and soulful experience that takes us on an individual journey from being present to what we are personally experiencing inside to meaningfully connecting with the community around us. Meditation practice has the ability to build our capacity for a heightened awareness of what is real and true for each of us as we navigate our world.

Jewish wisdom, guided meditation, and mindfulness skill-building will help us ground, reduce anxiety, set tangible intentions, and become more present in our lives

No experience necessary. Dress is comfortable and please bring a yoga mat or towel if you are able.

Location will be set for a central location for those registered.

Address will be shared with registrants.

This experience is great for those new to meditation as well as for veteran meditators.

Everyone is welcome!

Join Moishe House Arlington and the Den Collective's Rabbi Emmanuel Cantor for a special celebration in honor of the holiday of Tu BiShvat, or “new year for trees.” Like Passover, Tu BiShvat is celebrated with a Seder featuring special foods, storytelling, reflective discussion, singing, and four symbolic cups of grape juice or wine. In this spirit, Tu BiShvat offers us a unique opportunity to come together to take stock of our relationships to nature, spirituality, and community, with no prior experience necessary. Seating is limited, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

Join Rabbi Emmanuel for a spirited, soulful gathering in honor of the holiday of Tu BiShvat, or “new year for trees.” Like Passover, Tu BiShvat is celebrated with a Seder featuring special foods, storytelling, reflective discussion, singing, and four symbolic cups of grape juice or wine. A beloved tradition among Jewish mystics, Tu BiShvat offers us a unique opportunity to come together to take stock of our relationships to the natural world, community, and year so far. 

No prior experience necessary. Seating is limited, with registration on a first-come, first-served basis. We will gather at a home in Arlington that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make an $18 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future gatherings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a contribution that you are comfortable with. A contribution is not required to participate. All are welcome.

Several years ago, the term “JewBarrassment” came on the scene to describe a negative feeling some experience when they make a ritual “mistake,” or don't know something relating to Jewish culture or observance. Whether you have heard of “JewBarrassment” or are new to the term, many of us can identify with the fear of not-knowing the “right” thing to do in one setting or another—regardless of Jewish background, upbringing, or experience.

In this spirit, we’ll explore with Rabbi Emmanuel a diversity of Jewish sources about “not-knowing”—including Talmudic narrative, Jewish feminist poetry, rabbinic word-play, and artistic commentary—as well as our own personal reflections.

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary. We will gather at a home in Arlington that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants. 

Come in from the cold for a hot tea and an intimate gathering about Jewish spirituality and creative practice led by Rabbi Emmanuel. Together we will explore one of, if not the most, central Jewish prayer—the Shema, and its radical declaration that God, and perhaps all people, experience, and existence, is fundamentally united in “One.” We'll then make art inspired by our learning: creative writing, poetry, interpretive translation, drawing, sketching, and more. This session is designed with first-time poets or painters in mind—nobody will be put on the spot!  

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary. We will gather at a home in Arlington, VA that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants.

Scion of a Hasidic dynasty, professor at Reform and Conservative seminaries, mystical social critic, civil rights and anti-war advocate—Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel embodied many of the biggest questions about spirituality, politics, and technology that continue to shape the Jewish community and our world today. Led by Rabbi Emmanuel, we will explore the life of one of the 20th century's greatest Jewish thinkers, reflecting on Heschel’s lessons for our own lives and current moment. 

All are welcome and no prior experience necessary. We will gather at a home in Arlington, VA that is Metro accessible. Address will be shared with registrants.