Join fellow men and male-identifying folks at the Den for an evening of meaningful connection, good conversation, and shared reflection. Mifgash, Hebrew for gathering or encounter, invites us to come together in openness and curiosity, to connect with one another, explore what feels most relevant and nourishing in this season, and imagine what future gatherings might hold.

This first Mifgash is designed to be both social and exploratory, an opportunity to meet others who share an interest in gathering as men within the Den community, and to be part of shaping what comes next. Come as you are, no preparation or background needed, just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to connect with others and share ideas. 

We are grateful to Den members, Ethan Litvin and Richard Swanson, for organizing this first gathering. We will meet at a location in Silver Spring, Maryland. Address and details will be shared with registrants after the sign up date. 

Join Rabbi Aderet for a reflective and engaging class exploring how behaviors, values, and traditions flow from one generation to the next. Using the stories of the patriarchs and matriarchs, we’ll examine both the blessings and the challenges that shape family dynamics—from favoritism and miscommunication to acts of care and love. Together, we’ll uncover what we inherit, what we choose to pass on, and how mindful awareness can help us break unhelpful patterns while strengthening the legacy of hope, connection, and meaning for future generations.

No prior experience needed. We’ll gather in a central location to those registered. Address will be shared with registrants. Everyone welcome.

In our liturgy, Sukkot is referred to as Z'man Simchateinu, the Season of our Rejoicing. Join Rabbi Aderet for a special evening, where we will explore new ways to access and creatively express our joy - even amid challenging times - through learning, creating art, mindful contemplation, and more! We’ll gather outdoors and under the stars in a Sukkah together for an evening of meaningful connection. Everyone Welcome.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Join the Den for our annual Kayaking Tashlich experience on the Potomac River. The ritual of Tashlich, or “casting away”, is conducted during the Ten Days between the start of Rosh Hashana and the beginning of Yom Kippur. We’ll kayak out together to a location on the Potomac River where Rabbi Aderet will guide us through this powerful and meaningful ritual. You are then invited to enjoy the riverside scenery and find a spot to eat lunch together with other community members. Location shared with registrants. All are welcome!

Location and kayak booking information will be shared with registrants after the sign-up deadline. 

Please note: In line with our updated security policy, only those who register by the sign up date will be given the opportunity to book a kayak and join this gathering. Location details will be shared closer to the event date. Thank you for your understanding.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Jewish mystics retreated into nature as a way to experience a more profound sense of intention and attention to their lives. We’ll be guided on our hikes by our very own “hike captains” (nature lovin’ folks from the Den), followed by learning and discussion to get us warmed up for the High Holy Day season.

Meeting location will be shared with registrants; hikes will be centrally located and transit-accessible. No experience necessary. All are welcome! BYO snack + water bottle.

In accordance with our updated security guidelines, location details will be shared with registrants after registration has closed and closer to the event date.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Join us for an intimate evening of deep connection, sweet challah baking, and exploration of Jewish teachings! We'll be joined by Rachel Jacobs from Walla Challah, who will guide us as as we braid and bake our round and sweet Rosh Hashana challahs. As our challahs bake in the oven, we’ll gather together with Rabbi Aderet for a dynamic learning and discussion touching on the themes of the High Holy Day season. You’ll take home your freshly baked challah bread to enjoy over the holiday (or on the way home… we won't judge ;)

We will gather in Bethesda, MD in a Metro accessible location. All are welcome.

To help cover the costs for this gathering, please click here to make a $20 contribution that supports the Den and helps us continue to create these and future offerings. If the amount is cost prohibitive, please make a meaningful contribution that you are comfortable with. Thank you!

How to Join Us:

1. Sign up below by Sept. 12 to reserve your spot.

2. Please make your $20 contribution to the Den by Sept. 12—your gift sustains this gathering and helps us offer future gatherings for our community.

Once you’ve signed up and contributed, we’ll send you the address and all the details you’ll need after Sept. 12.

Thank you for being part of creating this and future experiences with us!

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Jewish mystics retreated into nature as a way to experience a more profound sense of intention and attention to their lives. We’ll be guided on our hikes by our very own “hike captains” (nature lovin’ folks from the Den), followed by learning and discussion to get us warmed up for the High Holy Day season.

Meeting location will be shared with registrants; hikes will be centrally located and transit-accessible. No experience necessary. All are welcome! BYO snack + water bottle.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Selichot = Prayers asking for forgiveness. On the Saturday night before we move into the new year, it is an ancient custom to enter the week of the High Holy Days with the tunes of the season in our ears and on our hearts. Everyone is invited to join us for this in-person Selichot Service experience, complete with havdalah marking the end of Shabbat and soulful singing with members of our Den Music Team.

We will gather at a location in DC, specific location will be shared with registrants. Everyone is welcome.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

We are thrilled to support Sarah Hurwtiz, member of the Den’s Advisory Council, and the release of her forthcoming book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. In her book, the former head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama and author of Here All Along documents her quest to take back her Jewish identity and unearth the treasures of Jewish tradition.

The Den Collective is proud to be a promotional partner, along with Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the EDCJCC, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, GatherDC, and Adas Israel Congregation.

All books will be pre-signed by the author. A book signing will follow the event for those who would like their book personalized.

Jewish mystics retreated into nature as a way to experience a more profound sense of intention and attention to their lives. We’ll be guided on our hikes by our very own “hike captains” (nature lovin’ folks from the Den), followed by learning and discussion to get us warmed up for the High Holy Day season.

Meeting location will be shared with registrants; hikes will be centrally located and transit-accessible. No experience necessary. All are welcome! BYO snack + water bottle.

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Join Maxwell Thompson, Den community member and Den Music Team member, for a fresh take on the High Holy Days through a full listening of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3 “Kaddish” with open ears, hearts, and minds.

We will gather for an evening of music, art, and spirited discussion in a location in Silver Spring, MD (address shared with registrants). No music experience needed; all are welcome!

We have reached full capacity for this gathering. We look forward to seeing you at a future Den gathering!

Celebrate WorldPride DC 2025 at the Capital Jewish Museum after hours with the launch of our new special exhibition, LGBTJews in the Federal City. Discover stories of LGBTQ+ Jewish Washington with curator spotlight talks, enjoy drag performances, sip on a lavender gin and tonic, show your pride by making your own button, and get bedazzled with SparkleLynn Designs.

Proudly co-sponsored by the Den alongside GatherDC, GLOE, The Kurlander Program for GLBTQ Outreach & Engagement, and Washington Hebrew Congregation LGTBQ+ Affinity Group.

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.