OCTOBER EVENTS

   Oct.  6  10:00 a.m. - Sunday School 

   Oct. 11   6:00 p.m. - Family Shabbat Celebration

                              - Book Fair Order Deadline

   Oct. 13   7:00 p.m. - TBT Board Meeting

   Oct. 19   9:00 a.m. - Munch & Torah

               10:30 a.m. - Shabbat Torah Service

   Oct. 20  10:00 a.m. - Sunday School

   Oct. 22   7:00 p.m. - Adult Education 

   Oct. 23   5:30 p.m. - Poker Tournament

   Oct. 25   7:00 p.m. - Kabbalat Shabbat Service

   Oct. 29   5:00 p.m. - Men's Night 4th Anniv. Event

ON THE HORIZON

   November 2nd - Ladies' High Tea

   November 23rd - Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Uri

OCTOBER School Activities:

Sunday School: (10:00 a.m. Shalom Bayit):  10/6, 10/20

Hebrew School: (All classes 4:30 p.m. Shalom Bayit):

    10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29

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

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

Are you a beginner, a wanna be, a closet player, think it is just a man's game?

Well, EVERYONE PLAYS at the FIRST SEMI-ANNUAL TEMPLE BETH TIKVAH POKER TOURNAMENT.

Win $1000 CASH, first prize, or $400 Gift Certificate, second prize.

Now, there is even a FREE Beginner's Class.  On Tuesday night, October 8th, 6:00 p.m. at Sidelines Pub, come on down and learn Texas Hold 'Em from a pro.

The tournament is Wednesday, October 23rd.  No host dinner at 5:30 p.m., and poker 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.  You must get your reservation in no later than October 15th to reserve your seat at the table.  Also, invite your poker playing friends.  They can play along with you. You should have received a reminder notice in the mail with all the details.  Basically, you, and your friends, each send your $100 check payable to Temple Beth Tikvah, P.O. Box 7472, Bend, OR 97708.  Then come and play.

Join the fun and WIN big!

For any questions or additional information, contact Jerry Greenbach: g.greenbach@gmail.com.

This year the Hebrew month of Cheshvan coincides with the Gregorian calendar's month of October.  The ancient rabbis called the month of Cheshvan, "Bitter Cheshvan."  It is bitter because it contains no festivals or holidays. 

I consider Cheshvan a month of beginnings.  While the Hebrew month of Tishri initiates Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and three weeks of Holy Days to follow, Cheshvan is the month during which we have the opportunity to take pause and figure out what it all means.

We've just restarted the yearly Torah reading cycle.  We are in the early chapters of the book of Genesis.  These texts and stories are our mythology, our effort to determine who we are as people and as Jews.  First and foremost we are human beings.  We are separate from the rest of the animal kingdom in our capacity to gain knowledge conceptually in addition to gaining knowledge from our experiences. 

We have desires and jealousies that other animals do not.  We seek meaning in life, which other animals do not.  We ponder what's fair and what's not.  We separate ourselves from others whose ethics or behaviors do not fit our sense of what is just and loving in communal living. 

From Adam and Eve to Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, the Torah explores what it means to be human, to live in a family unit, and to build a society.  Every time we revisit the questions these early stories bring up, we create new opportunities to re-evaluate our lives, not against the High Holy Day list of absolute rights and wrongs, but against real-life narratives that speak to the murkiness of our own familial and communal experiences.

What does it mean to be exiled from innocence?  What have we learned that cannot be unlearned?  What does it mean to have a family of origin and a home that we eventually leave to build something of our own?  How do we cope with the inherent injustice of human behavior?  The favoritism of parents towards children?  The rivalries among siblings?  The union of family baggage through marriage?  The calling to be fair and the desire to be comfortable?

Cheshvan brings us back to the basics of human behavior and social organization.  It is a good opportunity to enjoy not having a holiday to celebrate, but rather, an opportunity to take the time to pay attention to family relations, the patterns of habit we've constructed, our business practices, and our commitment to the welfare of the greater community in which we live. 

We move from theoretical discourse to practical applications.  Now that the Holy Days are past, we have the time to truly begin living the life we imagine for ourselves.  The rhetoric ends and the practice begins.  Let's get to it!

TBT Members and Friends,

With the High Holy Days starting so early in September this year, it meant we had a month full of holiday celebrations.  The High Holy Days services are always very meaningful and special, but even more so this year as we welcomed our new Rabbi, and had the opportunity to be inspired and enriched by the graciousness, spirit, and warmth that Rabbi Johanna Hershenson brought to these holidays.  Of course, to have such magnificent High Holy Days events requires a lot of work by many members.  We owe a great deal of gratitude to our High Holy Days Committee under the fine direction of Kathy Schindel and Jerry Greenbach, and the many volunteers who gave their time and effort for this special occasion. (See more about those that contributed in the HHD article.)

But, we had much more in store for September.  We had the building of our Sukkah, directed by Laurel Fishkin, and then a wonderful Sukkot celebration at the Fishkin's home.  To end the month, we enjoyed a lovely Simchat Torah service.  Following the service, while enjoying a delicious Oneg, there was a great children's activity of "making" their own Torah, thanks to the creative direction of Kim and Fred Rafilson.  Also, in September, our Hebrew School and Jewish Community Sunday School sessions got underway.

Unfortunately, on Yom Kippur, we lost a valued member of our congregation, Ruth Baser.  Ruth always had such a sunny attitude and warm affection for our congregation.  She will be greatly missed.  It was comforting that through the efforts of Evie Lerner, and the support of Rabbi Hershenson, we were able to have a remembrance gathering to honor Ruth on the Sunday after Yom Kippur. Then, on October 1st, Evie's mom, Pauline Lerner, passed away.  Her funeral and burial will be on October 2nd.  Pauline had a strong will and passion for life, and will be greatly missed, too.

While September was about special holidays and new beginnings, October will be about establishing our routines.  We will have our monthly Family Shabbat Celebrations starting on October 11th; our regular "Munch and Torah Study" on October 19th; our Adult Education on October 22nd (with an "Adult" topic not to be missed); and our Friday night Shabbat Service on October 25th.  Beside these regular activities, we will have TWO very special events in October.  The first is a big fundraiser, with the emphasis on FUN, of a Poker Tournament on October 23rd.  It is important that you respond to participate by sending in your entry fee by October 15th.  The second is our annual Men's Gathering with Spouses affair, which will take place on October 29th.  However, in order to know how many people to expect, so an appropriate venue can be reserved, we need you to RSVP to Lawrence Schechter by October 8th.

We are able to offer so many different programs that appeal to the diversity of our congregation, mainly because we have such an amazing group of members committed to the care, support, and success of our Jewish Community.  In addition, we are now blessed with a resident Rabbi.  With the unique experience, knowledge, and strength of Rabbi Johanna Hershenson, we have an unprecedented opportunity for growth and development that we could only hope for just a year ago.  However, to better take advantage of the extensive expertise and talents that Rabbi Hershenson can bring to our community, it is really a matter of funding.  

All our members should have received a letter outlining our plan to address this funding issue with a special 2-year supportive contribution commitment.  We understand that each person's financial situation is different.  So, we only ask that you commit to what you feel is right for your circumstance.  But, collectively, we can make a big difference in the types of programs and opportunities we can provide for our congregation and community in the future.  We thank you for your consideration and generosity that will allow even greater benefits for all of us.

B'Shalom,

Mark Schindel

Are you celebrating a special event such as a birthday, anniversary, bar or bat mitzvah, or something else special? 

Hosting an Oneg Shabbat is an easy and lovely way to do a mitzvah while sharing your special event.  Hosting is easy, with only a few refreshments needed, and more than one person or family can host on the same weekend. Co-hosting makes it even easier! Just contact us, and we'll let you know exactly what to do.  Also appreciated are volunteers to help set up and/or clean up after the Oneg.  

Many dates are still open and in need of Oneg hosts. Please contact Vivian or Lorraine ASAP so that we can schedule and organize the onegs. 

Vivian Freeman nanaviv@bendbroadband.com 

It is that time of year again - High Holy Days, the start of religious school, and the feel of Fall in the air.  On September 8th, our Community Religious School had a Meet & Greet for religious school families at Farewell Bend Park.  We had a great turnout of families, delicious snacks, beautiful weather, and all three of our Central Oregon resident rabbis in attendance.  What a wonderful way to kick off the start of a new school year!

Our first regular Sunday school session was on September 22nd.  Families met first in the Sukkah for some singing and learning led by Rabbi Hershenson and Rabbi Shupack.  Students then went to their respective classes for the remainder of the session.  This year, we will start each session with an all-school gathering for T'filah, which will include a short service and learning, led by either Rabbi Hershenson or Rabbi Shupack. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to attend T'filah at the start of Sunday School with their children.

We have four Sunday school classes again this year, with 44 students in attendance.  We also have a class of six girls who are preparing for Bat Mitzvah or have recently become Bat Mitzvah.  These young ladies will be focusing on social action/community service, a learning component, and a social component.

Hebrew school meets weekly and this year we have four different classes/levels that include 18 students.

Thank you to our dedicated teachers and our wonderful families for their support.  If you ever have questions or concerns, please let me know.  We greatly appreciate input from all of you.

September has been a very busy month with all the activities that took place during the High Holidays, followed by celebrations for Sukkot and Simchat Torah.  It was a busy but wonderful month and we appreciate all the work that Rabbi Hershenson, Cantor Nicholson, Lauren, and the musicians and singers put into creating such beautiful services. Also, we want to thank the High Holiday committee who did an amazing job of orchestrating such a complicated series of events.

October religious events begin on Friday, October 11th, with a family Shabbat service at 6:00 p.m. followed by a potluck.  Rabbi Hershenson will discuss "Setting Out On A Journey."  Munch and Torah Study and Service will be held on Saturday, October 19th at 9:00 a.m.  It is worth coming out on Saturday morning as you can enjoy breakfast while learning something interesting from the Torah.  On Tuesday, October 22nd, adult education will be  held at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Leslie Conley and Joe Jezukewicz, and the topic should be very interesting - "The Kosher Sutra; Love And Sex In Judaism."  The final Shabbat Service for the month will be held on Friday, October 25th, at 7:00 p.m.  The Rabbi's topic for her sermon will be "First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Love?"

Congregational input so far has been extremely positive about the schedule of events and having a resident rabbi.  We hope you are enjoying having the activities spread out throughout the month rather than having one busy weekend.  Things may be different as Rabbi Hershenson adds her own touch. 

Please let Jill and Ann know how you feel about the religious events and any suggestions or comments you have.  It is only through receiving feedback from all of you that we can create the best schedule possible for our religious activities and services.  We hope we will see most of you at one or more events in October.

The High Holy Days services this year were once again beautiful and inspiring.  There were many people working together so that we all could enjoy meaningful services and events.  First of all, a big thank you goes to Rabbi Hershenson for leading our services and for delivering such thought-provoking sermons.  They certainly give us lots to contemplate over the coming year.

My High Holy Days Committee Co-Chair, Jerry Greenbach and I could not have managed without all of the work of our committee members.  A huge thank you goes out to Lauren Olander for engaging Cantor Nicholson and coordinating with all the musicians.  Thanks to Jo, Julie, Audrey, and Mason, and to Janet Gesme for enriching our services with your beautiful music!

Thank you to Beverly Adler and Cathy Wynschenk for coordinating our delicious Rosh Hashanah Oneg, and thanks to all those who baked, and those who helped with set-up and clean-up.  Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

We are appreciative for the generosity of Phyllis and Jerry Greenbach for sponsoring our wonderful Tashlich picnic at Pioneer Park.  This has become a much anticipated annual event with delicious food and fun for all ages.  This year we were threatened with storms, but in the end the skies cleared and we enjoyed the beautiful afternoon together.  Thank you to Phyllis, Jerry and their helpers.

Once again we enjoyed a delicious Break-the-Fast meal at the conclusion of Yom Kippur services.  This event was coordinated by Laurel Fishkin, and Vivian Freeman, Liz Levinson, Naomi Chudowsky, and Mark Hershenson.  The committee members prepared much of the food, set-up and decorated the tables, and of course cleaned up.  There was also set-up help from Sophie Chudowsky, Abi and Zoe Hershenson, and Jesse Fishkin. Approximately 80 people enjoyed this wonderful community gathering.  Thank you to all who helped!

Thank you to Burt Litman and Jeanne Freeman for organizing our High Holy Day Tzedakah Project.  Giving back to our community is an important part of High Holy Days and Tzedakah and Tikun Olam are key components of who we are as a TBT family.

Thank you to Terry Reynolds and her crew for staffing the sign-in tables and arranging for the greeters to welcome attendees as they arrived. 

Thank you to JoAnne Shapiro for publicizing our HHD events to the state and local Jewish community.  And an enormous thank you goes out to Jeanne Freeman for all of her work with PR for the High Holy Days.  She made sure all information was on our website and in the Bend Bulletin.

A huge thank you goes to Beverly and Jeff Adler for their hospitality in housing Cantor Nicholson during her two week stay for High Holy Days.  Also thank you to Harriet and David Dietz for their generosity in lending a car to Cantor Nicholson during her stay.

Finally, thank you so much to all of those who participated in the services.  Your contributions were greatly appreciated and added much to our services.

High Holy Days at Temple Beth Tikvah are truly a community effort.  Thank you all for your efforts which resulted in such meaningful services and events.

Cathy W. and Beverly A. want to thank our wonderful members for their gourmet baking for the Rosh Hashanah Oneg. Kudos to Linda Brant, Audrey Ellen Cook, Lynne Connelley, Marcia Garon, Ron Jollo, Marilyn Lebowitz, Liz Levinson, Jo-Ann Ray, Bonnie Ruby, Suzanne Schlosberg and Marcia Uri.

Extra gratitude is extended to Cathy's Mother and Aunt, Nancy Brody and Susan Horenstein, for bringing homemade apple strudel and assisting with set-up and clean-up.

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 sarrava@gmail.com 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 

info@bethtikvahbend.org for more information.