Washington, D.C. Information

The Association for Jewish Studies welcomes you to the nation’s capital for its 40th Annual Conference, December 21-23, 2008. This year’s destination, Washington, D.C. promises to provide an enriching backdrop for the conference sessions, plenary, receptions, and exhibits. We hope you find this guide helpful and easy-to-follow. It is meant to provide you with tips on getting around and making the most of everything this vibrant capital city has to offer. As you plan your itinerary, we invite you to share any tips of your own that might help us to improve this section. Your suggestions can be sent directly to ajs@ajs.cjh.org.

I. Hotel Information

The Association for Jewish Studies 40th Annual Conference will be held in the vibrant neighborhood, Penn Quarter, located in downtown Washington D.C. The location will put you within walking distance of a number of Washington D.C. attractions, including numerous museums and national monuments, as well as the White House. The area is home to some of the best restaurants, cultural, and entertainment venues in Washington D.C.

The site for this year’s conference is the Grand Hyatt Washington, situated at 1000 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C.  20001. Phone: (202) 582-1234. The closest metro station is the Metro Center stop. There is an entrance to the Grand Hyatt Washington in the station. 

To learn about hotel accommodations and facilities, please click here.

To learn about attractions in this residential neighborhood, click here.

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II. Transportation           

Three major airports serve Washington, D.C. (Dulles, Ronald Reagan and Baltimore/Washington). In addition, there is the Amtrak railroad system, the Capital Beltway formed by Interstates I-495 and I-95 and the extensive Metrorail (subway) and Metrobus lines. Click here to view more information on city transportation.

Getting to the hotel:

• Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport (approximately 30 miles) and Points North:
  Take I-95-South to Exit 22 B (Baltimore-Washington Pkwy South); Follow onto New York Avenue for six miles. Turn left onto 5th Street NW and follow for three and a half blocks. Turn right onto H Street NW and follow for five blocks; The Grand Hyatt is at the corner of 10th and H Streets NW.
  
  From Points South:
  Take I-95-N to 395 North. Continue over the 14th Street Bridge, then merge into the right lane. Take the exit for 12th Street, continue though the tunnel for eight blocks. Turn Right onto H Street and follow for one block; The Grand Hyatt is at the corner of 11th and H Streets NW.

• Washington Dulles International Airport (approximately 27 miles):
  Take Dulles Toll Road/VA-267 East, and stay on this road after it becomes I-66 E. Take the US-50 E / Constitution Ave exit, and stay straight to go onto US-50 E. Turn left onto 15th Street NW, then right onto New York Ave NW.  Turn right onto H Street NW; The Grand Hyatt is on the corner of 11th and H Streets NW.

• Reagan National Airport (approximately 5 miles):
  Take George Washington Memorial Parkway North. Merge onto US-1 N toward Washington. Stay straight to go onto 14th Street NW, then turn right onto New York Ave NW. Turn slight right onto H Street NW; The Grand Hyatt is on the corner of 11th and H Streets NW.
  

• By Metro: Take the Blue line to Metro Center stop.  There is an entrance to the Grand Hyatt Washington in the station.

A Word on Taxis

By the summer of 2008, Washington, D.C. cabs will operate on time-and-distance meters. By law, basic rates must be posted in every cab. The base fare will be $3.00 and each additional one-sixth of a mile will cost 25 cents, or $1.50 per mile. The maximum fare — not including surcharges — will be $18.90 for rides that start and end in the District. Maryland and Virginia cabs operate on metered fares.

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III. Restaurants

Although the majority of the Jewish population lives in the outlying suburbs of Virginia and Maryland, the capital boasts a limited number of noteworthy glatt kosher restaurants within city limits. A useful guide to kosher eating establishments are:

• The Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington

You can find a map showing Kosher options near the Grand Hyatt Washington here.
For a listing of other restaurants in walking distance from the hotel click will be forthcoming.

For information on vegetarian and vegan cuisine in D.C. and the surrounding areas, visit:

• Friends of Animals D.C. Vegan Restaurant Guide
• The Vegetarian Guide to Washington, D.C. and Surrounding Areas
• Veggilicious Vegan Resource Directory

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V.   Shabbat Hospitality and Synagogues

The following synagogues will help to arrange Shabbat hospitality and can be contacted for information on services:

• Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue is part of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.
  Address:  1600 Jonquil Street, NW
  For further information, please contact Rabbi Herzfeld directly via email at rabbiherzfeld@yahoo.com. Please be sure to mention that you are an AJS member and conference attendee.
  
  
• Tifereth Israel is a traditional conservative congregation.
  Address:  7701 16th Street, NW.                                                               
  For further information, please contact Adriana Sandler, tiadmin@tifereth-israel.org. Phone number: 202-882-1605 ext 101. Please be sure to mention that you are an AJS member and conference attendee.
  
  
• Congregation Kesher Israel                            
  Address: 2801 N Street NW, in Georgetown                                              
  For further information, please contact the hospitality committee by email at hospitality@kesher.org. Please be sure to mention that you are an AJS member and conference attendee.

Services:

• Temple Micah, located 2 miles from DuPont Circle, is a Reform congregation.  Address: 2829 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
  For more information, please contact Susan Blumenthal at administrator@templemicah.org.

To learn more about Jewish life and places of worship in the greater D.C. area visit Shalom DC.

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V.   Jewish Museums

The District of Columbia is home to a number of Jewish-related collections and archives of international significance.  For a listing of leading Jewish art museums, galleries, performing arts centers, and more, please go here.

Specific Museums and Exhibits of interest are as follows. A map of museums and exhibits near the Grand Hyatt Washington can be found here.

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• George Washington University's Gelman Library, Kiev Judaica Collection
  The collection has an on-line exhibition. 
• B’nai Brith Klutznick National Jewish Museum
• Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
  (houses the Lillian and Albert Small Jewish Museum and information on Historic 1876 Synagogue)
• National Museum of American Jewish Military History
• Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery, Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center
• The Dennis & Phillip Ratner Museum
• Sixth & I Historic Synagogue and Jewish Center in D.C. is home to a permanent exhibit on the history and restoration of Sixth & I Synagogue. The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue provides a Jewish presence and meeting place for the community in the center of the Nation’s capital. It offers educational and inspirational programs and activities for current and future generations, and helps preserve part of the heritage of Jewish Washington.

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VI.   General Tourist Information

The Grand Hyatt Washington website features a list of the major sightseeing attractions in the greater D.C. area.

Another helpful resource for general visitor information is the official Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation. Their web site offers up-to-date details and procedures for visiting many of the most popular national monuments. For the latest updates, call (202) 789-7000.

For a more general overview of cultural tourism in D.C., click here.

For Georgetown and DuPont Circle Walking Tours, click here.

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VII.   Family Fun

Families traveling with children will be happy to learn that there are many kid-tempting excursions and museums in Washington, D.C.  Useful resources include Fodor’s Washington, DC with Kids by Sandra C. Burt and Linda Perlis (3rd or 4th Edition) and the following websites:

• D.C. Pages Directory
• Our Kids (Activities and Resources for families in the Washington D.C. metro area)
• “Exploring Washington D.C. with Kids”

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VIII.   Maps/Guides to Washinton, D.C. Neighborhoods

Click here for interactive maps of downtown, regional and district D.C.

For a map of the area around the Grand Hyatt Washington specifically, click here.

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