Washington, D.C

DC’s Shawn Shafner Brings Jewish Tradition to Center Stage

Published

7 months ago

April 30, 2025

DC’s Shawn Shafner Brings Jewish Tradition to Center Stage

Shawn Shafner. (Photo by Jay Belsky)

Shawn Shafner balances many roles: teaching artist, educator, activist, actor, mindfulness coach and longtime summer camp staff member.

Shafner, who holds a bachelor of fine arts in drama and theater arts, facilitates Jewish ritual theater programs, educating audiences on the East and West coasts about Torah and Jewish tradition.

The multidisciplinary artist is an early childhood educator and ritual facilitator for the nonprofit Storahtelling, where he’s worked since 2005. Shafner runs the theater department at Camp Ramah in northern California in addition to his seasonal work with Trybal Gatherings, a summer camp experience for young adults.

Shafner looks forward to premiering one of his solo shows in June at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C., where he is an Atlas Arts Lab resident. It’s called “Sheldon Feldman Sings the Songs They Told Me Not to Sing.” Shafner lives with his fiancé in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of D.C.

Tell me about your Jewish upbringing and background.
I guess you could say I grew up in the Conservative movement [in Colorado]; the synagogue we belonged to growing up was within the Conservative movement, but we were always on the Reform side of that. We definitely celebrated Jewish holidays, [but we] didn’t have a strong Shabbat practice growing up — we didn’t go to temple very often — although my sister and I both went to religious school once a week, then twice a week to prepare for our b’mitzvah.

I went to NYU … and college was when I began to find my own journey through Judaism. I was at the musical theater school at NYU Tisch [School of the Arts] and I remember asking a friend, “Are you going to Hillel for the High Holiday service?” — I think I went to the Rosh Hashanah service and I didn’t find it super inspiring. And she said, “I don’t do that; I’m going to the art museum where I’m doing my observation of the holiday.” I was like, “You can do that?” That year, I followed [my friend] there and realized that there is a different way to have contemplative experience.

How did you get to where you are today?
I did a project with Hillel, a devised play about someone wrestling with their queer identity called “Song of Solomon.” Through that, I met the women who would later found the Kohenet Institute and a year later, I received a Spielberg fellowship through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. I was tasked with creating a theater program at a Jewish summer camp. The training for it was a fellowship for a week at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute with [Rabbi] Amichai Lau-Lavie, the founder of what’s now called Lab/Shul, but was then called Storahtelling. That was really my full entrance into Jewish adulthood.

At one point, Amichai and other faculty started playing music and said, “Flip through the siddur. Whenever you find a line or even a word that moves you, go ahead and say it out loud.” We sort of made our own prayer that way. That really changed my understanding of what it meant to be Jewish and to practice Judaism.

What were your responsibilities at Lab/Shul?
I started making interactive theater that brought the stories of the Torah alive. We’d go to communities and when the Torah service began, myself, another actor and two musicians would open the story into this interactive play that was either translated by biblical characters in the story or modern-day people who were reading the story. [Our performances] included the pshat (literal meaning) of the Torah with midrash (rabbinic additions), both ancient and more contemporary.

We were also inspired by the Jewish Renewal movement to open the Torah up with group aliyot (calling up to the Torah), and an interactive question session where we invite the audience to put themselves in the stories. We essentially used techniques from psychodrama in order to reveal their own feelings and emotions around stories.

You’ve been an actor and artist since the age of 5. What about art appeals to you?
Art is a window into what the human experience is in a way that removes our specific identities and enables us to imagine what it could be like to be anybody. I think we’ve always needed it, but now, especially, the ability to have empathy and compassion for an experience that’s not your own is so important. It’s really integral in the Jewish experience as well. “I’m a stranger in a strange land and I have been a stranger before.” Our midrash teaches us this idea that we are to see ourselves through the other. It’s important that we have access to universality of the human experience, and this is really where art comes in.

How do you make summer camp fun for young adults through Trybal Gatherings?
Trybal Gatherings is for adults, primarily for people in their 20s and 30s, and we have a cohort of folks from the D.C. area who come every year, and it’s been a pleasure to watch that community grow. There, it’s kind of like giving young adults a taste of their childhood back, whether they went to summer camp and loved it, or went and didn’t like it and are coming back to reenact their summer camp experience, or if they never went to camp but want a taste of it, or maybe their partner went to camp but they’re not Jewish.

What’s great about Trybal is that they give this connection to Judaism that’s really open. It doesn’t proclaim to have the one true way to practice. However you show up Jewishly is the right way. Our Jewish connection can be through liturgy, through Shabbat, but also through things I do at camp, like through making pickles, doing improv together and celebrating some of our Jewish comedians, through meditation [and] through practicing mindfulness within the Jewish tradition.

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Washington, D.C

DC police issue 2 juvenile curfew zones to deter large gatherings of kids and teens – WTOP News

Published

21 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Press Room

DC police issue 2 juvenile curfew zones to deter large gatherings of kids and teens – WTOP News

Both juvenile curfew zones in D.C. will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

D.C. police are adding more dates for two juvenile curfew zones in Navy Yard and U Street that will be in effect to deter large gatherings of kids and teens.

The Navy Yard restrictions cover Interstate 695 to the Anacostia River and from 8th Street, SE, to South Capitol Street.

(Courtesy D.C. police)

The U Street perimeter covers V Street to Vermont Avenue, NW, and from 9th Street at Florida Avenue to 15th and T Streets.

These two zones were in effect on Nov. 15 and 16 as well.

Both juvenile curfew zones will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser recently signed emergency legislation to reinstate the summer juvenile curfew at 11 p.m. for youth under 18 years old.

Under the order, those under 18 are “prohibited from gathering in a group of nine or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment” unless they are taking part in certain exempted activities, police said.

The youth curfew comes after a hectic Halloween night that brought hundreds of teens to Navy Yard.

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Washington, D.C

Family of man killed by DC police questions officer’s tactics

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

Family of man killed by DC police questions officer’s tactics

The family of a 25-year-old man who was shot and killed by a D.C. police officer last week is questioning the officer’s tactics and training after viewing the body camera video.

David Warren Childs, of Northeast D.C., was shot the night of Nov. 17 after police say he refused to obey the officer’s commands and appeared to reach for a firearm in his waistband. It happened near the Deanwood Metro station.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) says officers spotted Childs with a gun in his waistband and gave chase.

The body-worn camera video released by police this week doesn’t show the initial interaction. It begins in the middle of a foot pursuit that ended outside an apartment building on 47th Place NE.

It’s very hard to tell from the video, but the officer — who had Childs at gunpoint standing between a fence and the building — was without backup and alone for one minute and 23 seconds before the officer opened fire.

The video shows the moment the officer cornered Childs and said, “I’m gonna shoot you.”

“Why wasn’t the matter de-escalated?” Childs’ cousin Da’jon Mason asked. “If it’s the law enforcement’s job to de-escalate matters, why wasn’t the situation de-escalated? If you had 10 to 15 officers out here, why was there no other officer present to assist in the matter to de-escalate the situation? Why did you continue to escalate the situation, threatening to continuously shoot someone when they are telling you, ‘Don’t shoot me’?”

As soon as Childs was cornered near the fence line, the officer apparently got on the radio and said, “One at gunpoint” and “behind the building.”

“The officer used great restraint, gave multiple commands, multiple commands asking the subject to please, to raise his hands and not to reach for the firearm, and for some reason the subject did not obey those commands and reached for his firearm,” Executive Assistant Police Chief Andre Wright said.

It’s difficult to see on the video, but police say Childs moved his left hand toward his waistband and that’s when the officer opened fire.

After the shooting, other officers arrived and began to render first aid to Childs.

Police say this is the weapon Childs had in his waistband.

“The point where he was saying, ‘You know what, OK, if this is how it’s going to go, then do it,’ when we are the same amount of distance that we are now in this conversation, you could have taken him down,” Mason said. “You didn’t have to keep the gun pointed at him. You could have holstered your weapon and proceeded to take him down. You could have tased him. You could have used OC [pepper] spray.”

D.C. police declined to comment on the family’s concerns and referred News4 to the statement the police department made when the body camera video was released.

MPD said in a Nov. 18 news release in part: “The involved members have been placed on administrative leave, pursuant to MPD policy.”

The Internal Affairs Bureau’s Force Investigations Team is investigating the shooting, according to MPD.

“The United States Attorney’s Office will independently review the facts and evidence in the case,” MPD said.

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Washington, D.C

Bellingham, WA man under investigation after D.C. shooting of 2 Guard members

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

Press Room

Bellingham, WA man under investigation after D.C. shooting of 2 Guard members

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., was identified as an Afghan national who lived in Bellingham, Washington.

he shooting suspect, who law enforcement officials identified as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is an Afghan national who entered the U.S. in September 2021. He was reportedly living in Washington state before the Wednesday attack, but authorities are still working to fully confirm his background.

What we know:

On Wednesday, the suspect, later identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, opened fire on two National Guard members just blocks away from the White House. The West Virginia service members, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, were both sworn in less than 24 hours before the attack.

National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom dies after Washington, D.C. shooting

On Thursday, President Trump revealed that Sarah Beckstrom had died. Wolfe remains in critical condition.

Washington, D.C. shooting suspect’s ties to the CIA

Dig deeper:

Authorities say Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under humanitarian parole as part of the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome in the aftermath of the country’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Lakanwal was part of a CIA-associated unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Officials say these units were highly trusted by the CIA and played crucial roles in operations against the Taliban.

From Wednesday night into Thanksgiving morning, the FBI and federal agents executed search warrants at his home in Bellingham, Washington, where he lived with his wife and five children. Investigators seized electronic devices including laptops, cellphones and iPads as the case expands into a coast-to-coast investigation.

“All the individuals found in that house have been interviewed, and some interviews remain ongoing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will not stop until we interview anyone and everyone associated with the subject, the house and every piece of his life.”

The Seattle FBI office says it is assisting the Washington office but declined to comment further.

Bellingham, WA officials respond to D.C. shooting suspect’s investigation

What they’re saying:

Bellingham’s police chief says the department immediately stepped in to support federal investigators.

“Our hearts are heavy for the two West Virginia National Guard members who were shot while on active duty yesterday in Washington D.C.,” said Bellingham Police Department Chief Rebecca Mertzig. “We stand with them, their loved ones, and all the National Guard members across the nation.

“Violence like this is horrific and unacceptable. As soon as I was notified of the situation, investigation and the possible connection to Bellingham, I called our local FBI partners to offer Bellingham Police Department’s assistance with their criminal investigation of this case. We are closely monitoring the situation for any updates.

“People who serve and protect our communities, like the two wounded West Virginia National Guard members, represent the best of what we strive for, and we honor their service, sacrifice, and courage.”

Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund also says the city is actively coordinating with investigators.

“It takes courage to say yes to the job of protecting fellow community members and protecting our country. We honor the courage of the two National Guard members who were wounded in service yesterday. There is no excuse for the heinous, violent attack they suffered.

“We are holding them and their loved ones in our hearts today, wishing them a full return to health.

“As mayor of Bellingham, I am directing local resources to be ready to support the FBI’s investigation. We share the resolve to see justice and accountability for this violent attack.

“The terrible actions committed in Washington, D.C. yesterday are the actions of one person, not a community. They don’t represent Bellingham’s values. They don’t reflect the values of either Washington. They don’t represent what makes our communities great.”

FOX 13 Reporter Alejandra Guzman spoke to some neighbors living near the suspect’s home.

“It’s less than 50 feet away from my apartment, so it kind of scares me,” said Bill Beveridge. “Who knows what can actually happen after this.”

Big picture view:

The shooting came a week after a federal judge ordered an end to the National Guard deployment in the Washington, D.C., area. President Trump has since ordered 500 additional National Guard members to the capital.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph B. Edlow has directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every green card issued to immigrants from countries of concern at the direction of President Trump.

The Afghan American Cultural Association, a nonprofit, non-political community-based organization registered in Washington state, released the following statement:

“We are deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic incident in Washington, D.C., where an Afghan national shot two National Guard service members. As an organization representing Afghan Americans across Washington State, we strongly and unequivocally condemn this heinous and cowardly act. There is no justification for violence against those who protect and serve our communities.

Our thoughts, prayers, and unwavering support are with the injured National Guard troops and their families. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them during this difficult moment and pray for their full and speedy recovery.

At the same time, we must be clear: one person’s actions do not define an entire community. Afghan Americans have built lives here grounded in safety, hard work, and service. Many of us came to the United States precisely because we fled war, extremism, and instability. We left everything behind to pursue a future rooted in peace, dignity, and opportunity.

We remain fully committed to the safety, unity, and progress of the United States, the nation that welcomed us and gave us a chance to rebuild. Afghan Americans are teachers, soldiers, doctors, business owners, neighbors, and taxpayers who contribute to the growth and resilience of this great country every single day.

We stand for peace. We stand for accountability. We stand with America.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The Source: Information in this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle, reporting by FOX News Digital, the Associated Press and officials in Bellingham, Washington.

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