One congregant among 325 member families, Bernie Shleien seemed to be at the center of Tifereth Israel Congregation. Even after his death in 2020, Shleien continues to support the Conservative congregation and bring it together.
At Tifereth Israel, on 16th Street in the District, he was a regular Shabbat attendee and a frequenter of the parshah class. But what really connected Shleien to the synagogue community was his art.
“I don’t remember TI without Bernie’s artwork,” said synagogue president Sara Goldberg. “I’ve been around TI for 17 years, and it’s always been here.”
Upon entering the synagogue, one is greeted by sculptures, oil paintings and drawings. Shleien sold to Tifereth Israel a painting of the domed Jerusalem synagogue Nisan Bak — also…
