County Executive Aisha Braveboy Meets Greenbelt Residents at Mishkan Torah

County Executive Aisha Braveboy spoke with roughly 75 people at Mishkan Torah in Greenbelt in a public conversation that focused on pandemic preparedness for faith communities and local land protection. The February 8 event at 10 Ridge Road brought municipal leaders and congregants together for prepared remarks from Braveboy followed by audience questions moderated by Mark Shroder, Mishkan Torah Men’s Club president.

Braveboy framed the discussion around balancing public-health guidance and religious practice, saying she can facilitate discussion, follow the science, respect religious needs and identify alternatives. She acknowledged the strain of past restrictions on worship, observing it is “difficult for people to not be together to praise and serve God.” Moderator Mark Shroder reminded the room that Mishkan Torah had two years without in-person services during Covid-19, a point that underscored calls for clearer coordination between county public-health planning and houses of worship.

Land use and environmental protection dominated the second major thread of conversation. Braveboy told attendees that BARC land is protected. Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan told the meeting that changing BARC land use would require congressional action and that the City Council and City Manager Josué Salmerón are pursuing annexation to give Greenbelt a voice in any future decisions. Jordan added, “We’re doing everything we possibly can to protect that land.”

City Councilmembers Frankie Fritz, Emmett Jordan, Danielle McKinney, Jenni Pompi, Silke Pope and Kristen Weaver attended the event, signaling local government alignment on land and community questions. About 75 residents from Greenbelt and beyond filled the synagogue, and the audience was described as welcoming even as several substantive questions were raised during the Q&A.

The gathering marked the first visit by a Prince George’s County executive to Mishkan Torah in roughly 20 years, a symbolic reconnection between county leadership and the local Jewish community. Braveboy’s appearance followed other recent county outreach efforts, including storm response visits and senior check-ins, illustrating a pattern of on-the-ground engagement by the county executive’s office.

No formal policy commitments, funding announcements or specific timelines for annexation or land-use actions were announced at the discussion. For Greenbelt residents, the meeting put two issues on the near-term radar: how the county will formalize pandemic-preparedness guidance for faith institutions and how municipal and county leaders will coordinate on protecting BARC and the remaining green belt. Residents seeking follow-up or further engagement can contact Mishkan Torah by email at RSVP@MishkanTorah.org for event information and future meetings.