From the press release:

Aspen Hill Jewish Community Welcomes First Rabbi

Beth Joshua, the Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Aspen Hill area of Rockville, along with the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, is proud to announce the appointment of the growing community's first official rabbi. Rabbi Yoel Oz, formerly assistant rabbi at Kesher Israel in Georgetown, will be Beth Joshua's first official rabbi, leading Shabbat services and serving as its spiritual leader. In addition, Rabbi Oz will teach several classes at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy's Upper School.

The appointment of Rabbi Oz is the next step in the larger goal of building up the Modern Orthodox community near the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy. Dennis Berman, a local philanthropist with a strong interest in building up the community, has been instrumental in getting the community to this point. Not only has he offered interest-free loans
to families that want to buy a house in the community and attend Beth Joshua, he facilitated the construction of a mikvah in the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy a few years ago for the benefit of community residents.

"We are doing everything we can to create a welcoming, spiritual, modern Orthodox community in Aspen Hill, and hiring Rabbi Oz is the next step in the community's evolution," Berman said.

Dr. Joshua Levisohn, headmaster of the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, echoed Berman's sentiments, noting that the shul will become the cornerstone of a vibrant modern Orthodox community.

"Up until now, there has been nobody officially tasked with searching for potential new families and acting as a community leader. Potential families will want to know that a young, smart, dynamic rabbi is here for them and for other families," he said.

Shmuel Soloveichik, president of Beth Joshua congregation, says the addition of a rabbi is critical not only to the growth path of the community, but to its spiritual growth as well. Soloveichik moved to Aspen Hill with his family about two years ago, and has become very involved in its growth.

"No Jewish community is complete without a shul and no shul is complete without a rabbi," he said. "A rabbi will teach his congregants by instruction and by example. A rabbi provides a figure to whom others will defer when disputes arise over matters both ritual and mundane. I believe Rabbi Oz is that person. He has both the knowledge and
inclination to teach and the friendly and conciliatory nature necessary to manage diverse personalities and the sense of authority necessary for a well-functioning shul."

Rabbi Oz, who will assume his duties when the school year starts at the end of the month, is excited by the opportunity.

"This is an incredible opportunity to build and grow a community that has at its center a commitment to tradition, halacha and Jewish values but is firmly integrated with the modern world," he said. But Oz doesn't expect miracles overnight.

"The community has been growing slowly over the years. It will take time to create the kind of vibrant community we want," he said. "We're working hard to make this community a top choice for families looking for a modern Orthodox community in the suburban DC area."

Please also see the Gazette's article.