Simhat Torah Services

Celebrate our Hatan Torah and our Kalat B'Reisheet

Hatan Torah - Stan Blacker

Stan Blacker has been a longtime member of Agudas AChim.  He served in the U.S. Public Health Services for 20 years and retired as a Colonel.  He now works at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital on special projects and reports to the Chief of Staff.  He uses his engineering and other skills to improve processes at the hospital.

Stan and his wife, Rita, joined Agudas Achim in 1976.  Their three children, Faye, Sam, and Andrew attended AAC Religious School and celebrated their b'nai mitzvah at Agudas.  Stan and Rita are blessed with four wonderful grandchildren.

Stan started his involvement at Agudas Achim as a member and eventually the chair of the School Board (the pre-cursor of the YRSC). Always concerned about the finances of the synagogue, Stan took an interest in our Endowment Committee, which he later chaired.  He has worked to ensure that AAC's endowment is managed responsibly so it can serve many generations to come. A member of the Strategic Planning Committee, Stan uses his process knowledge to enhance the committee's function.  Stan is respected for his ability to listen when needed and contribute a game-changing question or solution when a committee needs it most.

Please join us in wishing Stan mazel tov on becoming our Hatan Torah!

Kalat B'reisheet - Rachel Goldberg

Rachel Goldberg, co-chair of AAC's Strategic Planning Committee, has been a member of Agudas Achim for seventeen years.  She and her husband, Bryan Quigley, have three children: Leor, Avner and Yhudit (Dee Dee).

Rachel grew up in Chicago, and attended Orthodox day schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, although her family practiced Conservative Judaism.  Her love of dance drew Rachel to New York to study ballet on a scholarship with the Joffrey Ballet School for two and a half years.  In addition to her dance studies, Rachel attended the University of Scranton where she completed a B.A. in Communication. Rachel later earned a graduated degree in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.  Rachel has enjoyed a career in journalism and worked for the Naval Academy Alumni Association where she ran their magazine publication.

In 2000, Rachel and Bryan Quigley were married and moved to Alexandria. Sadly, her mother passed away that year and Rachel came to Agudas Achim to say and attend morning minyan on a daily basis. During her year of mourning, Hazzan Dienstfrey invited Rachel to lead the morning minyan one day per week. Rachel accepted and so began her close connection to Agudas. She has served on the Ritual, Communications, and Preschool Committees, and has also been a member of our Board of Directors. She has helped tutor the adult b'nai mitzvah students and our young bar/bat mitzvah students.  She has recently become a Shabbat morning gabbi. Additionally, Rachel helps coordinate Agudas Achim's connection with A.L.I.V.E.

Please join us in wishing Rachel mazel tov on becoming our Kallat B'reisheet!