Welcome!
Home
Services
About Us
Calendar
Directions
Membership
Donations
Reconstructionism
Rabbi & Staff

Education
Religious School
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Adult Ed

Community
Events
Caring & Support
Community Outreach
Funeral Support
Men's Club
Retreat
Shop Oseh!
Sisterhood
Youth Groups

Resources
Planit Jewish
Jewish Recon. Fed.
Laurel Links
Teenagers and Shabbat
Why Prayer?
OS: Who We Are
Other JRF Congregations
Jewish Links

Oseh Shalom, 7515 Olive Branch Way, Laurel, MD 20707

From I-95:

• Exit 33A onto Route 198 (east) toward Laurel.
• First Right onto Van Dusen Road.
• Past Three lights
• Oseh is at corner at 4th light.  Turn right into our parking lot.

From Route 29:

• Exit at Burtonsville toward Laurel.
• Drive about two miles until you pass over I-95.
• First Right onto Van Dusen Road.
• Past 3 lights
• Oseh is 4th light.  Turn right into our parking lot.

From the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Exit at Route 197:

• If coming from Washington, turn left toward Laurel at end at exit ramp onto Route 197.
• If you are coming from Columbia/Baltimore, turn right onto Route 197 toward Laurel.
• Go several miles until you see I 95 signs.
• Just BEFORE I-95 turn left on Van Dusen Road.
• Past 3 lights
• Oseh is 4th light.  Turn right into our parking lot.
   

About Our Building

Our building is the result of more than eight years of effort that began in 1983 with the selection of our architect, Travis Price. A Building Steering Committee was formed to guide us through the protracted search for land, leading to the purchase of our present site in 1986. Many subcommittees were formed, each working with the architect to develop ideas for the functional areas of the synagogue. We visited many area synagogues in an effort to learn from their successes and mistakes. The combined results of these efforts became the guiding principles for the synagogue design.

Notwithstanding the many jokes concerning the impossibility of getting a group of Jews to agree, a single design emerged that embodied all of our requirements, and which captured the collective imagination and spiritual aspirations of our Congregation. The design was enthusiastically accepted. A model of the proposed design was presented at the 1987 High Holy Days. We moved into our new home four years later, in time for the 1991 High Holy Days.

The building has received accolades for its inspired design, its rich incorporation of symbolism, and its remarkable sensitivity to the functional needs of the Congregation. Over 200 people can share services held in our domed sanctuary, which can be expanded in stages to seat up to 1000 for High Holy Days. Our social hall and modern, well-equipped kitchen offer a kosher catering facility for up to 200 persons. It hosts formal dinner-dances, wedding and b'nei mitzvah receptions, as well as many social and life-cycle functions. Our eleven-classroom school provides a constructive learning environment for over 300 religious school students. All this, in a structure that inspires those who use it and provides an educational presence to the community around it.

We have a more detailed description of the symbolism and uniqueness in our building, written by Rabbi Gary Fink.