Abby Propis Simms – Keter Shem Tov

Ohr Kodesh Congregation, Chevy Chase MD

We are pleased to announce that Abby Propis Simms has been named the "Keter Shem Tov" - the outstanding volunteer - for Ohr Kodesh Congregation. This honor is in recognition of her decades of devoted service to her shul and to its community.

Abby and her husband Gary have been members of Ohr Kodesh Congregation since 1974, when they were in law school (they met at Cornell); as “young marrieds” they were original members of the Young Couples Club. Abby has been happy to be a life-long volunteer for Ohr Kodesh.

Highlights of her Ohr Kodesh volunteer activities include the following:

She led the effort which created the Early Childhood Center and served as the chair of the OKECC Committee during its formative years.

She co-chaired the Pledge 25 program honoring Rabbi Fishman’s contribution to Ohr Kodesh -- the predecessor of the ongoing Pledge 30 program.

           

She represented Ohr Kodesh on the Consolidated Hebrew School Board, a (now defunct) association of five Conservative Congregations in Montgomery County which jointly operated the school and served as Chair of the Consolidated School Board for two years.

           

She served on the OK Synagogue Board.

           

She recruited speakers such as Nina Totenberg and Judge Abner J. Mikva for the Schlezinger Law Day Lecture.

           

She actively participated and helped organize each of the Congregational Retreats.

           

She served on several search committees to help recruit and hire educational and youth professional staff for Ohr Kodesh.

She has served as co-chair of the Rosh Chodesh Program.

Abby spent her legal career protecting employee rights as an attorney/litigator with the National Labor Relations Board, rising to the position of Branch Chief of the Contempt, Compliance and Special Litigation Branch. She retired in July 2014. Abby and Gary have been married for 43 wonderful years, and have three grown children, Ben, Dan, and Liz.

In addition to her career and volunteer work at Ohr Kodesh, Abby is a life member of Hadassah and has served it in many leadership capacities. She has recently been elected President of North Chevy Chase Connections, a newly formed non-profit “village” in the community focusing on neighbors helping neighbors of all ages and backgrounds.