AUGUST EVENTS

   Aug.  6   7:00 p.m. - Adult Education at Rosenfield's

   Aug. 10  10:00 a.m. - Relay for Life at High Desert MS

   Aug. 11  12:00 p.m. - TBT Annual Picnic at Pioneer Park

   Aug. 16   6:30 p.m. - Kabbalat Shabbat Service

   Aug. 18   7:00 p.m. - TBT Board Meeting

   Aug. 24   9:00 a.m. - Munch & Torah

               10:30 a.m. - Torah Service

   Aug. 31   8:00 p.m. - Selichot & Smores at Connelley's

ON THE HORIZON

   September 4th-5th - Rosh Hashanah Services

   September 8th - Sunday School Kickoff

   September 13th-14th - Yom Kippur Services

For more details about any TBT events, see our complete schedule of Services, School activites and Events online:

http://www.bethtikvahbend.org/calendar.

Come on out to High Desert Middle School and join us in walking the track at Relay for Life. Everyone is welcome! Stop by the tent, visit for a while and walk a few laps. We'd like to have someone on the track for each of the 24 hours of the event - please email Burt Litman and let him know if you can walk: [email protected]. Come on out and honor those you love who have fought and are fighting cancer.

Log onto the Bend/Redmond/Sisters Relay for Life website, www.relayforlife.org and

 type in Team Heal the World, then sign up to join our team or make a donation to help us reach our goal. Funds raised are

 used both to fund cancer related education and research.

TBT Kids Needed to Decorate Luminaria Bags

Sat. Aug. 10th, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

We are selling luminaria bags in memory of someone lost to cancer, or in honor of someone still fighting cancer.  The bags will be used for the Luminaria ceremony on Saturday evening August 10th.

Fundraising Kickoff Party

Thanks to everyone who came out for Team Heal the World's fundraising kickoff at Bend d'Vine. The evening was fun and a success - we raised more than $1,300 for Relay for Life! Thanks to our Relay fundraising team - Cathy Wynschenk, Lester Dober, Seana Jollo, Burt Litman and Jeanne Freeman - for collecting great prizes and their work in creating this successful event.  And thanks to Phyllis and Jerry Greenbach, CJ and Ron Jollo who worked with us for the event and to Jolie Fiore and David Kalov for their generous sponsorship of the evening.

Preparing to write an article about Judaism and the wilderness I googled  "Jews and camping."  The results were astounding.  I found a couple of websites for Jewish summer camps, a YouTube video entitled "Jews Don't Camp," and a bunch of articles about concentration camps.

I am not really surprised given the responses I've heard over the years from people when they learn that I was a rabbi in Alaska or that I am a rabbi, now, in Bend.  "Jews live there?  There's a synagogue?"

The truth of the matter is that Judaism began in the wilderness.  Many of our ancestors took to the wilderness.  Abraham, Jacob, and Moses were all called to forsake their settled lives, their homes, and their communities to endure a period of uncertainty and unfamiliarity in the desert...There they would meet God, discover their sense of purpose, and become Jews.  (Ellen Bernstein, "How Wilderness Forms a Jew" in Ecology and the Jewish Spirit.)

Teaching in the city of Bratzlav, Reb Nachman (d. 1811), the great Hasidic master, is known to have prayed:  Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone; may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass - among all growing things - and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer, to talk with the One to whom I belong.  May I express there everything in my heart, and may all the foliage of the field - all grasses, trees, and plants - awake at my coming, to send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer so that my prayer and speech are made whole through the life and spirit of all growing things.

Jews have even been integral to the mapping of the wilderness in American history.  My friend and colleague, Rabbi Michael Comins writes in his book, A Wild Faith, that some sixty meadows, lakes, and alpine peaks in the Sierra Nevada mountains were named by the first man to travel them in modern times, Theodore Solomons, a Jew.  And "the Bob," a million acre wilderness area below Glacier National Park was named after the pioneering Jewish forester Bob Marshall.

My non-Jewish and anti-religion grandfather taught me about the cycle of life on his farm.  We carefully and lovingly fed the soil dead leaves and manure so that it would grow vegetables right next to weeds we pulled to feed the steers that provided our meat.  Even as a child I knew that connection was sacred.  It amazed me even though it was science and therefore logical.

I feel the same way in the wilderness.  I understand how and why things happen, and still the beauty and power of natural processes fill me with awe and respect for a universal reality that came before and will outlive humanity.  While I love the city, fine food, good art, and cultural diversity, the wilderness nurtures in me a sense of wonder and amazement.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (d. 1972) devotes an entire chapter to the very concept and importance of wonder in his book God in Search of Man. Awareness of the divine begins with wonder.  It is the result of what man does with his higher incomprehension...Wonder or radical amazement, the state of maladjustment to words and notions, is a prerequisite for an authentic awareness of that which is.

Heschel captured exactly what I mean when I talk about finding God (for lack of a better word/name) in the wilderness.  There is a part of my brain that turns to reason and science to explain the how's and why's.  And there is a part of my brain that says, "Who cares how or why, this is totally awesome."

It worries me when Jews are so surprised to learn that other Jews live close to the wilderness because we like to play in it.  It suggests a disconnect to nature thereby stifling an authentic and innate spiritual awareness.

Also from Heschel's God in Search of Man, As civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines.  Such a decline is an alarming symptom of our state of mind.  Mankind will not perish for want of information; but only for want of appreciation.  The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living.  What we lack is not a will to believe but a will to wonder.

The current Hebrew month, Elul, is a time in which we are supposed to prepare for the High Holy Day season of returning to God.  It is a time to get outside and experience wonder and awe and connection to the natural processes that operate without our permission or interference.  So go, especially while the weather is warm.  Hope to see you on the trails...

TBT Members & Friends, 

What a great way to begin our sixth year.  The weather in July was beautiful.  Rabbi Hershenson's first Torah Study provided a thoughtful insight into the book of Deuteronomy and had record attendance (and nice munchies as well).  We certainly encourage all who are interested in learning and sharing perspectives to join us in these monthly sessions.  The next one will be on Saturday, August 24th, at 9:00 am in the Wesley Room.  

The Rabbi's first Adult Education presentation was on Tishah B'Av, and provided a meaningful discussion about the observances relating to the two Temple destructions.  We greatly appreciate Leslie Conley and Joe Jezukewicz for hosting this session.  We invite you to attend the next one on Tuesday, August 6th, at 7 pm in the home of Ann and Michael Rosenfield.  

The culmination of the Rabbi's first month was her initial Erev Shabbat service which was also the dedication of our new Ark.  Words cannot do justice to the beauty and magnificence of this work of art.  While we hope you will come to our next Erev Shabbat service on Friday, August 16th, at 6:30 pm to enjoy the inspirational service and lovely music, at least come see this amazing Ark.

Also, in August, we have several other special events for gathering together.  Our Relay For Life group, "Team Heal the World", would welcome your support at the walk on August 10th through 11th.  Please stop by anytime between 10 am on the 10th to 10 am on the 11th and enjoy the event and support the cause for fighting cancer.  Then, also on Sunday, August 11th, at Noon, will be the annual TBT Picnic.  Besides a delicious summer BBQ feast at Pioneer Park, there will be fun activities especially for children.  What better way to enjoy a summer afternoon.

Although we are in the midst of enjoying another spectacular summer in Central Oregon, it is hard to believe that the High Holy Days are just around the corner this year.  In fact, shortly after Labor Day, Erev Rosh Hashanah services will be on Wednesday, September 4th.  This year, with Rabbi Hershenson, we will be having an outdoor S'lichot "preparation for the High Holy days" event on Friday, August 31st, at 8 pm at Lynne and Ed Connelley's place.

As you will notice, now that we are blessed with a resident Rabbi, we are able to offer events throughout the month, rather than cramming everything into one weekend.  Also, having Rabbi Hershenson around, means we can think about other events and programs that we may wish to offer.  

Rabbi Hershenson officially was hired in the same quarter-time capacity as we have had in the past, as that was what our projected budget allowed.  But, she is more than willing to provide additional opportunities for us.  Of course, in fairness, we would make sure that she receives proper compensation.  However, in order to make that happen we will need the generous support from the community.  

For congregants renewing their membership this year, if your financial circumstances allow, you may wish to consider adding an extra contribution to your annual support amount.  Others may wish to simply make a special donation.  Our Fundraising Committee will be contacting the congregation for pledges and contributions to sustain extra Rabbinical activities.  

In our Vision, we hoped for the opportunity of having a resident Rabbi, and amazingly it has been fulfilled.  Now, we need to step up to fulfill our obligation to make it succeed.  We understand that not everyone may be in a financial position to give a lot extra, but we simply ask that you consider the wonderful Community, Educational, Religious, and Social programs that TBT provides, and decide what you feel you can afford to give extra that will allow even more of these meaningful activities in your life and the lives of others.  As always, we appreciate your support and involvement.

B'Shalom, 

Mark Schindel

Ann, Jill and Rabbi Hershenson have been working hard to create a religious service schedule through the end of December.  Please take the time to look at the schedule on the TBT website and put the dates on your calendars. 

Since we now have a resident rabbi, you will notice that we no longer have one very busy weekend each month filled with numerous activities.  Instead, we have attempted to space out the activities. We have scheduled Shabbat services on the 2nd and 4th Fridays with one of the services being a Family Shabbat service. The Family Shabbat services will start in October.  We have also scheduled one Saturday morning Torah study and service.   Our Torah study is now called Munch and Torah and includes a light breakfast of bagels, fruit and coffee. We will also be scheduling one adult education session each month except for the busy month of September.

Tuesday, August 6th at 7:00 p.m. is adult education at the home of Ann and Michael Rosenfield.  On Friday, August 16th at 6:30 p.m. we will have a regular Shabbat Service.  The Munch and Torah study will be held on Saturday, August 24th, followed by a Torah service.

With regards to the early High Holiday services, our first service, Selichot, will be held on Saturday, August 31st at 8:00pm. It is entitled Selichot and S'mores and is at the home of Lynne and Ed Connelley.  Many Jews prepare spiritually for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by attending a special service called "Selichot" (forgiveness).  This service is designed to help worshipers direct their hearts and minds to the process of teshuvah, the Hebrew word that means "turning away from sin".

Erev Rosh Hashanah is Wednesday, September 4th with the break-the-fast of Yom Kipper being held on Saturday, September 14th.  Rounding out the month of September will be celebrations for the holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.

The religious service schedule is a work in progress, so don't be surprised to see additions and changes to the calendar as we work out details for the year.  Also, don't forget to give us feedback on the activities, the services, the scheduled times, etc. so we can try to make this a great year!

We hope to see many of you in August at one of our many religious events and definitely at the upcoming High Holy Day services.

Back Door Caf� 

Even though the weather has been in the 90's, the need for assistance to those in hard times has not diminished. TBT members staffed the kitchen at Back Door Caf� on Wednesday, July 17th. Jeff Adler, Vivian Freeman, Gerry Greenbach, Joe Jezukewicz, Ann and Michael Rosenfield, Kathy and Mark Schindel, and Jeanne Freeman and Burt Litman served more than 50 people breakfast, along with a large dash of kindness.

TBT will next serve breakfast on Wednesday, August 21st, at Back Door Caf�, located in the social hall of the First United Methodist Church. August will mark a year since TBT started serving once a month at Back Door Caf�.  Those who participated have found it a wonderfully rewarding experience to provide hands-on help to those in need. We begin prepping and setting up at 7:30 am, with breakfast service from 8:00 - 10:00. You can join the group and leave knowing that you have made a difference in someone's world.

Contact Burt Litman to sign up or for more information: [email protected] or 541-504-5368.

Bethlehem Inn   

On Thursday, July 18th, the TBT men's group cooked up a barbecue for the residents of the Bethlehem Inn. Thanks to all those who participated.  Our next opportunity to serve at Bethlehem Inn will be September 19th.      

The Inn provides shelter, meals, case management, access to transportation, and work experience for their residents - single men and women as well as families. 

Contact Burt Litman to sign up or for more information: [email protected] or 541-504-5368.

If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary this month or simply wish to participate, we welcome you to SHARE the honor of hosting the Oneg following our Shabbat Service on Friday, August 16th.  With several people participating by providing some of the refreshments, hosting becomes easy.  Also appreciated are volunteers to help set up and/or clean up after the Oneg. 

Please contact Vivian Freeman

 [email protected] or Lorraine Schechter [email protected] ASAP so that we can coordinate what your contribution will be.

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 24th of each month.  As always, you will continue to receive "e-minders" before important events take place.

Shalom,

Sara Charney Cohen

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.

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.