ABBA

ABBA, which means "father" in Hebrew, is a group for fathers of young children who want to: socialize with other fathers, participate in wide-ranging Jewish activities, and just get out of the house every now and then!

There is no time commitment or membership fee. ABBA events are open to fathers of young children. Past events have included a Nationals game, a charity poker tournament, bowling, an evening of shooting pool, and a family Shabbat dinner. For more information about ABBA, contact Ilan Sussan, xo4salc@yahoo.com.

2010 Events

Preparing for the ABBA family dinner

For more information, call or email the listed contact, or Ilan Sussan.

ABBA Goes Bowling! Please join us on Sunday, January 17, beginning at 7:00pm, for an exciting evening at Bowl America in Burke (5615 Guinea Road; Burke, Virginia 22015 -- Tel. 703-425-9303)! Please RSVP by Sunday, January 10, to Ilan Sussan (xo4salc@yahoo.com) to let us know if you plan to attend or if you have any questions. The cost for this event is $20 (payable in cash at the event) which includes three games, shoe rental, and an opportunity to raise funds for charity. We look forward to seeing you at Bowl America on January 17.

ABBA’s Fifth Annual Texas Hold'Em Poker Tournament, Sunday, March 7, at 7:00 pm (note date change). Please join us for a relaxing evening at Olam Tikvah as we play cards to benefit Olam Tikvah’s Carol Samuels Memorial Youth Fund, which provides need-based scholarships for Jewish camping and travel. Refreshments will be provided and prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners. Surprise awards have also become a tradition. Cost: $36, payable at the event, will cover all refreshments, supplies, prizes and proceeds to be donated. Please RSVP by Sunday, February 28th, to Jim Kaplan (jim@jimkaplan.com) or Ilan Sussan (xo4salc@yahoo.com) to let us know if you plan to attend or if you have any questions.

Socialize, Shoot Pool & Play Darts, Sunday, April 18, 7:00pm. Please join ABBA for a relaxing evening at Fast Eddie’s in Fairfax (9687 Lee Highway – Fairfax, Virginia/Tel. 703-385-7529)! Eighteen dollars will cover the evening’s activities. Food and beverage will be available for purchase. Please RSVP by Monday, April 12th, to Ilan Sussan (xo4salc@yahoo.com) or Barry Hemmerdinger (behemmer@gmail.com) to let us know if you plan to attend or if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you on April 18.

Fourth Annual Steak Dinner, Sunday, May 23, 6:00pm, OT Social Hall. Join the Men from ABBA as we enjoy a relaxing evening at Olam Tikvah. We'll taste and learn about various libations and enjoy a nice steak dinner! An assortment of non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided too. Forty dollars, payable in cash at the event, will cover all of the evening's activities. Please RSVP by Sunday, May 9, to Ilan Sussan (xo4salc@yahoo.com) to let us know if you plan to attend and/or if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on May 23rd!

River Trip (contact: Philip Blumenthal), Sunday, June 27, 12:00noon. Join the Men from ABBA for the Second Annual Afternoon River Trip on the Shenandoah! Please join us as we enjoy a relaxing afternoon floating down the Shenandoah River. We'll meet at Olam Tikvah to form carpools. Thirty-six dollars, payable in cash at the event, will cover all the fun, including snacks, beverages and equipment. Please RSVP by Sunday, June 20 to Philip Blumenthal (philipblumenthal@gmail.com or 703-569-3285) to let us know if you will attend and/or if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on June 27!

Distillery Tour (contact: Barry Hemmerdinger), Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, July 25, 1:00pm. Join the Men from ABBA on a tour of the Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition, followed by a private tasting! While there is no cost associated with this event, you will have an opportunity to purchase souvenirs and/or spirits before our afternoon concludes in the late afternoon. We'll meet at Olam Tikvah at 1:00 PM to form carpools. Alternatively, you may meet us at 2:00 PM at the distillery, located in Purcellville (www.catoctincreekdistilling.com). Please RSVP by Sunday, July 18th to Barry Hemmerdinger (behemmer@gmail.com) to let us know if you will attend and/or if you have any questions.

Kickball & Highballs, Thursday, August 19, 7:00pm. Play kickball at Ratcliffe Park (10300 Sager Avenue in Fairfax—three miles west of OT). There is no charge to play kickball. Afterwards, we’ll adjourn to the Coyote Grill & Cantina, 10266 Main Street in Fairfax, (703) 591-0006, where food and beverages will be available for purchase. Please RSVP to Ilan Sussan (xo4salc@yahoo.com) by Monday, August 16. We look forward to seeing you!

Support of So Others Might Eat (SOME) Sunday, September 12, 7:00pm. The Men from ABBA are supporting SOME and Olam Tikvah Sisterhood's tuna casserole community service project. Please join us at Olam Tikvah to socialize while we make tuna casseroles for SOME. With only four steps to the directions, anyone can do it! Your cash contribution of ten dollars will help buy ingredients, supplies and some refreshments while we cook. It’s always a fun time when ABBA takes to the kitchen! Please RSVP to Barry Hemmerdinger (behemmer@gmail.com) by Monday, September 6, to let us know if you will attend and/or if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you!

River Trip on the Shenandoah, Sunday, October 3, 1:00pm, contact: Philip Blumenthal.

Scotch, Study & Havdalah, Saturday, November 27, 7:00pm, contact: David Goldberg.

Family Shabbat Dinner, Friday, December 10, 6:00pm.

2011 Events

Bowling Night, Sunday, January 9, 7:00pm, contact: Aron Sterling.

GMU Basketball, February, date and time TBD, contact: Barry Hemmerdinger/James Kaplan.

Poker Night, Saturday, March 12, 7:00pm, contact: James Kaplan.

Movie Night, April, date and time TBD, contact: Aron Sterling.

Steak & TBD, Sunday, May 15, 6:00pm, contact: Scott Gould.

Kickball & Highballs, June, date and time TBD, contact: Dan Werbel.

Pool & Darts, July, date and time TBD, contact: Philip Blumenthal.

Annual Sukkah Raising

After Rosh Hashana, the ABBA dads got together to pre-assemble and label 2x4s and brackets, and then delivered the materials to each of the future Sukkah dwellers. On Sunday after Yom Kippur, ABBA organized the new Sukkah owners and ABBA helpers into teams to travel house-to-house putting up the Sukkahs. Everyone had a lot of fun. As one of the participants wrote, "Thanks to everyone who made this wonderful experience possible. It was an ingenious idea, magnificently orchestrated and carried out!"



Above, one team goes through the steps to erect a sukkah from start to finish. Photo courtesy of Barry Hemmerdinger. Below, another team works on a similar sukkah. Photo courtesy of Dan Werbel.

3800 Glenbrook Road · Fairfax, Virginia 22031 · phone 703-425-1880 · fax 703-425-0835 · info@olamtikvah.org