February Calendar of Events
FEBRUARY EVENTS
Feb. 7 7:00 p.m. - Taiz� service
Feb. 8 6:00 p.m. - Family Shabbat Celebration
Feb. 9 1:00 p.m. - Jewish Community Women's
Rosh Chodesh Group
6:30 p.m. - Havdallah with a Purpose
Feb. 10 3:00 p.m. - Sunday School
Feb. 19 5:30 p.m. - TBT Men's Night
Feb. 22 6:30 p.m. - Kabbalat Shabbat Service
Feb. 23 9:00 a.m. - Torah study
10:30 a.m. - Torah service
7:00 p.m. - Purim Masquerade at Levinsons'
Feb. 24 --- PURIM ---
10:00 a.m. - Sunday School
11:30 a.m. - Purim Carnival at Shalom Bayit
7:00 p.m. - TBT Board Meeting
ON THE HORIZON
March 1st - "Nazi Hunter-Simon Wiesenthal" One-Man
Show at the Tower Theater
March 25th - TBT Community Seder
FEBRUARY School Activities:
Sunday School (Shalom Bayit): 2/10-3:00p, 2/24-10:00a
Hebrew School:
First Year Tues. w/David, 3:45 p.m. at Dudley's:
2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26
Second Year Weds. w/Ronit, 4:30 pm. at Brants': 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27
Fourth Year Tues. w/Sara, 4:40 p.m. at Dudley's:
2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2,26
For more details about any TBT events, see our complete schedule of Services, School activites and Events online:
http://www.bethtikvahbend.org/calendar.
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Havdallah With a Purpose Feb. 9th
On Feb 9th, the Chudowsky family will open their home to host a Havdallah with a Purpose evening from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This event will benefit the B.E.A.T. scholarship program, which enables low-income students in Central Oregon to participate in the performing arts. An evite will be going out to the congregation this week with more details. |
Purim Masquerade Costume Party Saturday, Feb. 23rd
On Saturday night, February 23rd, the adults of TBT will celebrate Purim with a masquerade/costume party at the home of Liz and Paul Levinson, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The evening will also include a brief Havdallah service. Why do we dress in costume on Purim?? Purim is all about disguise, secrets, intrigue! We are supposed to drink until we can't distinguish between Haman and Mordechai. Please call Liz to respond and tell her what you will bring 541-318-4640. Hamantaschen will be made by Lisa Uri. |
Purim Carnival February 24th
Proceeds Benefit Community Sunday School The community Family Purim Carnival will be held Sunday, February 24th, from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. at Shalom Bayit (JCCO) 21555 Modoc Lane. There will be food, games, and raffles. Proceeds will benefit the Community Sunday school. Bring the kids and come in costume! |
Greetings From Rabbi Ettman
Dear Friends,
On the heels of my sharing my big news with our congregation, I have been reflecting about the journey we have taken and the journey we are about to embark on. It is truly bittersweet to think that after June, I will not be coming to Bend regularly. But I can assure you that our community will continue and that I will do my best to help the next Rabbi succeed and help lay the groundwork for our congregation to continue to develop.
In our adult education session this past month, among many other texts we looked at, I shared a reflection from Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was leader, visionary and deep thinker who seemingly stopped at nothing to find the best practices for his organization. He believed in a concept that can be found at the core of our Congregational Development committee, and that concept is the idea of moving from "Good to Great".
This is what he says:
You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
And it can be like this for us as well. We have an amazing community and congregation. But we have to have faith that the next five years for us will be even better. We have to look inward and say "how can we be better," "what gift do I bring to our community" and "how am I going to help strengthen our congregation?"
In a few weeks, we will read in our Torah a verse that comes to symbolize much of my Rabbinate, and that can inspire this sacred task that we are embarking on. We will read: "V'asuli M'kdash, V'shechanti b'tocham" - "Make for me a sacred space, so that I may dwell within them." This is the core idea of who we are as a community and we must continue. We will make sacred spaces, sacred moments and sacred relationships. And when we do, I know that God will dwell with each one of us.
So your task is this: Answer the questions above. In a few weeks, you will be receiving an email from Lauren Olander, the chair of our Congregational Development Committee, and myself which will ask you to share these answers. Our future depends on your involvement - in whatever capacity that is.
There continues to be great work ahead. But when we work, partner, and dream together, the path can become illuminated with hope and holiness. This is my prayer for each of us as we forge ahead into our lives.
Always,
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Rabbi Ettman is available via email. If you want to set up an appointment, please email him at: [email protected]. His office hours are Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
President's Message From TBT President Mark Schindel
A CARING COMMUNITY
TBT Members and Friends,
On a very personal note, I want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude on behalf of Kathy and myself for the overwhelming outpouring of support, care, and well-wishes from our Congregation and the community as a result of Kathy's ankle fracture, surgery, and long recovery. It is extremely gratifying to see how well we live up to our mission of Gemilut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness) and community support.
While I do not recommend having your spouse break a leg in order to sample the many delicious and healthy meals that our Congregants make, we are most fortunate to have received this help and consideration. Having all those prepared meals has greatly alleviated a major stress for me in trying to figure out how to feed Kathy, while concentrating on helping her to recover and dealing with the many difficulties associated with having to stay off her right (driving) foot.
We especially wish to THANK our Bikur Cholim ("attending to the sick") Committee, and co-chair Evie Lerner, for coordinating our meal-train arrangements. Meanwhile, I am happy to report, with all your great support we are doing well, and Kathy's recovery is coming along fine; such that she was able to attend many of the events during this January's Rabbi weekend.
As it turns out, Kathy and I were not the only ones to benefit from the work of our Bikur Cholim group this month. Unfortunately, JoAnn Ray also had an accident in which she broke her wrist. Evie was again able to quickly organize a meal-train for her and Larry. Just recently, a key member of our Jewish Community, Hans Biglajzer (a holocaust survivor), had open-heart surgery; and again Evie is helping to coordinate support for him amongst the community.
The Bikur Cholim co-chairs, Evie Lerner and Suzanne Schlosberg, not only help organize meal-trains for injured or sick members, they also help provide support for parents of new babies and other situations where members need some extra assistance from the community. We are very fortunate to have such caring and organized individuals able to run our Bikur Cholim Committee. While it is better to be on the side of helping others in need, it is important when faced with unexpected and unfortunate circumstances that a member can call upon Evie and Suzanne to request help.
Unfortunately, not every difficulty can be fixed with a meal-train or simple assistance. Occasionally, we have members in more dire circumstances, especially financial, that are beyond the capabilities of our Bikur Cholim Committee. Recognizing this hole in our support capacity, the Board and Rabbi Ettman have officially created a new "Rabbi's Caring Fund".
The Rabbi is the sole administrator of this new restricted fund to allow complete confidentiality to any member asking for assistance. The Rabbi can access this Fund to provide reasonable financial assistance in an emergency situation for a member. The Treasurer will still keep the financial records of this Fund, but only knowing that an amount was requested and given to the Rabbi, without knowing to whom or for what specific purpose. The Rabbi will also inform the President when a need arises, but again without specifying to whom or for what specific purpose.
At the January Board Meeting, the Board authorized that $1,000 be transferred from the Board's Special Projects Restricted Fund to start this new Rabbi's Caring Fund. In the future, donations may be made directly to this Fund, in the same manner as we have made donations to the other Restricted Funds (such as Music, Youth Education, etc). In fact, on our website Donation page, this Fund will now appear as one of the choices for people to select. While we hope that we rarely have to use this Fund, we strongly feel that as a Congregation we need to be better prepared to help our own members in cases of extreme need. So, effective immediately, if at any time a member has need or question, please feel free to directly contact our Rabbi ([email protected]) to ask for assistance.
In the Rabbi's informative Adult Education session in January, titled "Sacred Purpose - Sacred Tasks - Sacred Community", a clear distinction was made between just being a functional Congregation and instead becoming an inspiring Congregation. The key difference is how much we are able to allow our Jewish values to be our guide in running the organization. I think our demonstrated values in Community (Gemilut Chasadim), Education (Torah), Religion (Tefilah), and Social Justice (Tikkun Olam) indicate that we are on the right path towards becoming an Inspiring Congregation.
B'shalom,
Mark Schindel
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Taiz� Serivce - February 7th
All members of TBT are invited to participate in an hour of prayerful non-denominational Taiz� music and silence at our monthly ecumenical Evensong Service, 7:00 p.m., Thursday, February 7th, at St. Francis Catholic Center (St. Clare Chapel), 2450 NE 27th St. For more information call 541-383-4179.
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Community Wide Women's Group
Rosh Chodesh Gathering - Feb. 9th
For those of you that could not attend the women's retreat last November, we decided to continue providing programs that celebrate women and "feed our souls." Our first program is scheduled for February 9th. We will each have an opportunity to share an experience about an inspiring woman who impacted our life. We will then create a handmade paper art amulet that honors someone special in our life. Most materials will be provided for you.
Join us for a spiritual & creative afternoon as we celebrate Rosh Chodesh!
SATURDAY, FEB 9
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Beverly Adler's home
Hosted by Naomi Hall and Beverly Adler
- We encourage you to think ahead about an inspiring woman who had a spiritual impact upon your life to share with the group for about 3 minutes.
- Bring a pie tin or any other shallow metal or plastic pan (smaller than 11"x13") for your handmade paper amulet.
- Bring tiny mementos that might remind you of this person or any other meaningful items: stones, beads (no larger than about 1/4 - 1/2"), yarn, thread, etc.
- We will have lots of floss, thread, ribbon, sequins, etc. for additional adornment to your special amulet.
- SPACE IS LIMITED. FEE: $5 RECEIPT OF YOUR CHECK IS YOUR RESERVATION
Mail check payable to Beverly Adler by FEB. 1.
[email protected] for questions, etc.
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"Nazi Hunter - Simon Wiesenthal" Comes to Tower Theater Mar. 1st
One-man play chronicles Simon Weisenthal's lifelong fight against Holocaust amnesia. Winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and three L.A. Ovation Award Nominations, "NAZI HUNTER - SIMON WIESENTHAL" (written by and starring Tom Dugan, directed by Jenny Sullivan) is a full-length one-man play that chronicles the life of the Austrian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who became internationally famous after World War II for his relentless pursuit of such notorious villains as Adolf Eichmann, Franz Stangl, Dr. Josef Mengele and the SS officer who imprisoned Anne Frank. With warmth, wit and surprising humor veteran actor and playwright Tom Dugan (Bones, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends) portrays the aging Wiesenthal as he welcomes his final group of students to The Jewish Documentation Center in Vienna, Austria. Dugan will visit middle schools to speak about WWII leaders and personalities, how and why he created the role of Wiesenthal, and the art of storytelling. The full length public show will be presented Friday evening, March 1st, 7:00 p.m., at the Tower Theater. It is recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets are $25/adult, $15/child, and are available online at www.towertheatre.org.
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Passover Seder is Coming Soon! Seder is March 25th.
Join TBT for our annual Passover Community Seder on Monday, March 25th at Aspen Hall. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the Seder begins at 6:00 pm. Tate and Tate is again catering a delicious buffet meal. The Seder is open to members and their guests and to the public. You are welcome to bring non-ceremonial wine to enjoy with your dinner; ceremonial wine will be provided and served at each table. Watch for your evite coming soon.
Help Wanted: Easy Ways to Help Out with Seder SEDER PLATES NEEDED: We're all looking forward to another festive and memorable community Seder. If you have a Seder plate that we can use for the evening, please call Terry Reynolds 541 383-1709, to let her know and bring your empty plate to her. Remember to put your name on the bottom of the plate. And, please, no priceless antiques or family heirlooms. TBT BAKERS AND COOKS WANTED: The best part of any meal is dessert - and that's especially true when dessert is made with some extra love. While Tate & Tate is serving the meal this year, we are asking our members to again provide desserts. Last year's desserts were delicious and we're looking forward to sampling old and new recipes. Please call or email Randi Zlatkus, 541 504-4048 [email protected], to let her know what you can bring. Pick-up foods - cookies, bars, etc - are what we need. |
TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting: Sunday, February 24th, 7:00 p.m
Location: Wesley Room, FUMC
Your TBT Board meets monthly and everyone is invited to attend. Dates and times of Board meetings are on the TBT calendar at http://bethtikvahbend.org/calendar.
If you would like to read the minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary Diane Dober: [email protected].
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Committee News
Back Door Caf� - A Mitzvah Waiting for You
Burt Litman, Chair - Social Action
The Back Door Caf� at the Methodist Church provides breakfast every Wednesday morning for those in need. As part of the TBT Social Action Program, a group of TBT members serves one Wednesday each month. On January 23rd we cooked and served French toast to almost 60 people. Our next breakfast will be served on Wednesday, February 20th. Please call Burt Litman 541-504-5368 if you'd like to participate.
Thanks to all those who have participated in this mitzvah: Jeff Adler, Jeanne Freeman, Corrie & Shelly Grudin, Burt Litman, Arlene & David Multz, Ann & Michael Rosenfield, Terry Reynolds, Kathy & Mark Schindel, Marcia & Ralph Uri.
The Caf� menu varies weekly - eggs, hash browns, French toast, pancakes; always hot oatmeal, cold cereal, and fruit. The number of guests ranges from 35 to 50; we anticipate that number to grow as the weather gets colder.
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Rabbi Search Committee Report
Kathy Schindel, Co-Chair RSC
Co-Chairs: Ann Rosenfield, Kathy Schindel
Members: Sara Charney Cohen, Mike Freundlich, Lauren Olander, Justin Finestone
The Rabbi Search Committee (RSC) has met several times, once with Rabbi Ettman. Ann and I have been in contact with Rabbi Alan Henkin, head of placement for the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), and Rabbi David Fine, our Western Region URJ contact, as well as Rabbi Jan Offel.
Our first task was to write the job application that would be posted on the CCAR website. As a committee we collaborated on this effort and used the results of the Focus Groups to help us with some of the normative questions. We also had Rabbi Ettman take a look and offer his input. The application was sent to the Board for feedback and as of Friday, January 25, it is posted on the CCAR website. We are now awaiting resumes and will then begin vetting those as they are received.
We have begun discussing our timeline for the Search Process and this will be refined as we receive viable resumes.
In our meeting with Rabbi Ettman, he shared some of the positive aspects of his recent search process. This information will be valuable as we look at how to proceed with our process of trying to attract great candidates
We will continue to work with Rabbis Henkin, Fine, and Ettman as we move ahead, with the goal being to find a Rabbi who will be the best fit for TBT. We will continue to keep the Board and our congregation updated as we proceed.
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Fabulous Programs for February
Lauren Olander, Chair - Religious Committee
Thank your to everyone who came out to celebrate Shabbat Shira during our most recent Rabbi weekend. What a musical treat to hear some of the most beautiful contemporary Jewish melodies sung by Melissa Bagwell accompanied by our very own Julie and Jo. A special thanks from the music committee goes out to all of you. Without your wonderfully generous donations to the Music Fund, we would not be able to be blessed by the spiritually moving music that is part of our prayer services. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.In the month of February, we have some exciting and fun programming planned. On Friday, February 8th, 2013, we will hold our monthly Family Shabbat Celebration. This month's celebration will be followed by dinner sponsored by the Chudowsky Family. Please make sure to RSVP to the Evite you will be receiving shortly so they can order enough food for everyone! The following evening, the Chudowsky family will be hosting a Havdallah with a Purpose at their home to support B.E.A.T.'s scholarship fund. Please RSVP to the Evite already sent!Our upcoming Rabbi weekend February 22nd - 24th, 2013, is one that will keep you laughing, celebrating and learning. Friday night will be a family friendly service giving us all a "Taste of Purim". Don't miss the festivity and story telling at Shabbat services. We may need a few volunteers to help "participate" in our service. If you are game, please send me an email at [email protected]. On Saturday morning there will be Torah study and a Torah service. Saturday evening is our adult Purim celebration and Megillah reading. Don't forget those creative costumes! There will be an Adult Education session on Sunday Morning, location TBD. All info will be emailed closer to the date. |
Advertising Opportunity
Jeanne Freeman, Chair - Communications and PR Committee
Would you like to reach TBT's audience with your business's message? Each month our newsletter is sent to 190 individuals - members of TBT and those who have expressed interest in knowing what's happening at the synagogue. You can reach our audience every month with an ad in the TBT newsletter.
If you'd like to place an ad or get more information, contact Jeanne Freeman at [email protected].
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March Newsletter Deadline: February 23rd
This newsletter is emailed to both members and non-members each month. If you have something you want to include in the newsletter, please e-mail it to [email protected] by the 23rd of this month. As always, you will continue to receive "e-minders" before important events take place.
Shalom,
Sara Charney Cohen
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TBT Men's Night - Feb. 19th
The TBT monthly Men's Night is generally held on the third Tuesday of each month. The next TBT Men's Night will be Tuesday, February 19th, 5:30 p.m. at Crux Fermentation Project located at 50 SW Division St., Bend. 541-385-3333. All men of TBT are invited to this new venue for Happy Hour--great brew and pub food. For more info, contact Lawrence at :
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TBT Tributes
You may honor the lives and achievements of friends and relatives via a tribute with a donation to TBT. You can do this online or by sending a check and the name and address of the person being honored to TBT at P.O. Box 7472, Bend, OR, 97708.
Donations may be designated to a specific fund, including the Youth Education Fund, the High Holy Days Fund, the Music Fund, the Library Fund, the Rabbi's Caring Fund, or to the General Fund. Donations listed below were made to the Temple's general purpose fund unless otherwise specified.
Temple Beth Tikvah gratefully acknowledges the following contributions:
- From Liz & Paul Levinson, wishing a speedy recovery to Kathy Schindel.
- From Liz & Paul Levinson, in memory of Ida B. Levinson.
- From Suzanne Schlossberg, in honor of Terry Reynold's birthday.
- From Liz & Paul Levinson, for blessings in their new home to Shelley and Corey Grudin.
- From Jeff & Beverly Adler, in memory of Marian Shultz
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About Temple Beth Tikvah
Temple Beth Tikvah is a growing Jewish congregation based in Bend, Oregon. We are affilliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and are excited to be the first Reform synagogue in Central Oregon.
Our members come from a range of Jewish backgrounds including Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Renewal. Temple Beth Tikvah welcomes interfaith families and Jews by choice.
We are committed to providing a Jewish education for our children as well as stimulating educational activities for adults. We value social action and strive to provide a Jewish cultural, social and religious experience in Central Oregon.
Temple Beth Tikvah is a warm and enthusiastic community that includes families, singles and "empty nesters." We are a mix of long-time Bend residents and newcomers from around the country who moved here to enjoy Central Oregon's beauty, active lifestyle and quality of life.
Please contact us at 541-388-8826 or [email protected] for more information. |
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