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June 2016
Temple Beth Tikvah News
 
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June Celebrations
TBT Board Members
Board Officers:

 President:
   Mark Schindel
   [email protected]

 Vice President:
   Fred Rafilson
 Secretary:
   Naomi Chudowsky
 Treasurer:
   Lester Dober
Members-at-Large:

   Marti Fields Johnson
   martifieldsjohnson@
   gmail.com

   Joe Jezukewicz

   Marijane Krohn
   [email protected]       
   
TBT Commitee Chairs
 Adult Education
   Burt Litman

 Bikkur Holim
   Suzanne Schlosberg
            -and-
   Evie Lerner
 
 Calendar Master
   Ann Rosenfield
 Cemetery
   Ralph Uri
 
 Communications/PR
   Jeanne Freeman
 
 Facilities
   Mark Schindel
            -and-
   Ralph Uri
 
 Fundraising
         --- TBA---
   Contact Mark if interested 
 
 Music
   Lauren Olander
 
 Membership
   Terry Reynolds
 
 Religious Education
   Kathy Schindel
 Rituals
   Marijane Krohn
            -and-
   Mark Schindel
 
 Social Action
   Jeanne Freeman

Bend Jewish Library
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Type in Bend Jewish Library to enter.

An asterisk "*" in the search field will bring up a full list of titles.
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TBT Event Planning
Quick Guide
Special Interest Group Contacts
Quick Links
June Calendar of Events 

JUNE EVENTS SCHEDULE 
   June  3     7:00 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Service @FPC
   June  6   12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study @Evie's
   June  7     4:15 p.m. - Hebrew School
   June 12          --- First Day of Shavuot ---
                  4:00 p.m. - TBT Year End Social Gathering
   June 13  12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study @Evie's
   June 14    4:15 p.m. - Hebrew School
   June 17    5:30 p.m. - Kabbalat Shabbat
   June 18    9:00 a.m. - Shabbat Torah Study
                 10:30 a.m. - Shabbat Torah Service
   June 20   12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study @Evie's
   June 26    6:30 p.m. - TBT Board Meeting @Stonebriar
   June 27   12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study @Evie's
   June 30     5:30 p.m. - Men's Club @Bethlehem Inn

ON THE HORIZON
   July 1st - Family Kitchen
   July 8th - Shabbat in the Park
 
JUNE School Activities
All activities at Shalom Bayit unless otherwise noted.
Hebrew School 4:15 p.m: - 6/7, 6/14

JUNE Torah Study
Weekly-Monday noon @ Evie's: 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27
Monthly-Saturday 9:00 a.m. at FPC Library: 6/18

For more details about any TBT events, see our complete schedule of Services, School activities, and Events online:
www.bethtikvahbend.org/calendar
   AnnualMeet 

TBT Highlights
TBT's Year-End Social Gathering and Annual Meeting
 

 

Sunday, June 12th 
4:00 PM - 6:00 Pm 
 

 

Annual Meetings have a reputation for being boring, so we turned ours into a fun social gathering - childcare provided!

Come and schmooze with the TBT members you know and meet our newcomers! Find out what's going on with your temple.

Highlights of our gathering include:
*Appetizers and dessert from Kebaba - BYOB!
*TBT's first annual Volunteer Awards presentation
*A beautiful location: Cascades Academy campus, with a playground area for children
*A special surprise that you won't want to miss!

For TBT Members. Evites were sent on May 30th. Please RSVP to your Evite- including regrets - by Friday, June 3rd!

Please arrive by 4:30 p.m. for our TBT Board election and budget approval.
      
Never Had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?

Torah w/star (color) If you're an adult interested in doing a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, and would like to be part of an Adult B'nei Mitzvah class, email Rabbi Johanna at [email protected], and look for more details coming soon!
 
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Divrei Tikvah  RJohannaHeadShot
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson

The excitement of summer is palpable even though the month of June has just come upon us.

I love this time of year. The imminence of summer vacation presents us with a mini-Rosh Hashanah energy. One Temple Beth Tikvah board's sun is setting while the next board's sun is just sending its rays to the horizon.

What was great about this year? How can we do better next year? What did I offer the congregation vis a vis my time and mental energy? Where do I want to invest my time and mental energy in the year to come?

I look forward to our end-of- year gathering, annual meeting, and celebration of volunteer efforts our members make. Our June 12th event is the time to talk about the past year and soak in some inspiration about how we might choose to be involved next year.

Our nominees for the incoming board have already received information from our membership about what people find important and fulfilling. Committees are regenerating and reaching out for greater participation.

Our board, other lay leaders, and I have worked together to identify this year's priorities for growing programmatic offerings.
  • Membership Engagement is increasing its attention to greater communication and social networking among our members.
  • A youth committee is forming to facilitate engaging our post-B'nai Mitzvah in Jewish life.
  • Parents of elementary school children are organizing a committee to exercise greater influence on our religious school program.
  • Our Adult Learning and Rituals committees are enthusiastically initiating a second Adult B'nai Mitzvah experience in our congregation.

 

The time is now to think about next year. As we return from summer vacations, we'll all get to work. Temple Beth Tikvah is a special congregation because of the people who make up its membership.

I truly believe that our happiness with the organizations with which we affiliate correlates with our personal involvement and attachment to one another within the organization. Temple Beth Tikvah is no different.

Our shared values connect us. Our diversity makes life interesting and keeps us in a state of curiosity and learning. I hope every single member of Temple Beth Tikvah decides to pay attention to his or her own involvement.

Do what's right for you, what works with your life situation, and what feeds your soul. We are a synagogue, after all. Our experiences together should promote solidity and continuity as well as personal fulfillment and nourishment. It all depends on what we choose to bring to the table.

 

~~ Rabbi Hershenson's office hours are by appointment. If you would like to set up an appointment, please contact her by email at: [email protected], or by phone at 541-213-9880.
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Mark Schindel photo President's Message
From TBT President Mark Schindel 

Members & Friends ~

We are coming to the conclusion of another wonderful year for our Temple Beth Tikvah community. So, let's celebrate with a party. Members should have received an Evite for our end-of- the-year social gathering and annual congregational meeting to be held on June 12th . Please RSVP to let us know if you will be able to make it or not. It will be a great time to get to schmooze with each other, enjoy some great snacks from Kebaba, take care of a little business, recognize the outstanding work of some of our volunteers, and have a special surprise at the end. You won't want to miss it.

As we are wrapping up our eighth year of Temple Beth Tikvah, it is hard to imagine that I have been the President for half of that time. It has certainly been my privilege and honor to lead this congregation during these past four years.

I do believe that two consecutive terms is enough now, and it is good for the congregation to experience different leadership ideas and perspectives to help it grow and thrive. Per our Bylaws, I will remain on the Board as the Past President for another year to provide guidance and support for the new leadership group coming in.

Of course, I do not plan to fade into the background. I remain as committed as ever to helping Temple Beth Tikvah continue to live up to its mission and strive to reach its vision. Age and wisdom has allowed me to better appreciate the value and opportunity of being part of a vibrant Jewish community. So, I will find some way to contribute my knowledge, experience, talent, and skills to various committees or projects, as well as to simply enjoy our amazing activities and events, while still helping with some of the more mundane things like set-up and clean-up.

Looking back over the past four years, I have been most fortunate to have had the strong support of leaders and volunteers that have achieved many great accomplishments we can be proud of. We have a treasured resident Rabbi. We have expanded our relationships to include the First Presbyterian Church with its beautiful sanctuary for our Erev Shabbat services and some other events. We have a renewed sense of Audacious Hospitality and Member Engagement. We have increased our membership by about 30%. Our Membership Support Contributions have increased almost 50%. Our Restricted Funds value has increased by about 70%. And our Special Projects Fund and reserves have increased over 70%. By many measures, we have been quite successful.

However, measuring our success and living up to our high expectations goes beyond the simple counting of heads and dollars. What is equally important for Temple Beth Tikvah's long term health is how well we meet the needs of our members, how we help them feel supported and engaged, how committed are our members in volunteering, how we make sure our youth feel proud of their Jewish heritage, how we can be there for each other in times of joy and sorrow.

Ultimately, we all have a part in making TBT a warm and welcoming congregation. It may not be easily measured, but we definitely know it when we see and feel it. And we can sense when it isn't fully there. So, I would ask that when you have those exceptional moments from a TBT experience, don't hesitate to share your appreciation with whomever made it happen for you, and share your story with others. Equally, if you have a time when you feel TBT did not meet your needs, please feel free to let me or a Board member know where we came up short and how we could have done better. Although not as objective as quantifiable numbers, subjective feedback from our members is just as important in knowing when we are on the right track or not.

In closing, I want to express my sincere appreciation for all the support and dedication I received from the Rabbi, Board, and congregation that made my Presidency such a rewarding and memorable experience. Thank You.

B'Shalom,
 Mark Schindel
   Board
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TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting:  June 26th, 6:30 p.m. 
Location:  Stonebriar Apartments Clubhouse

Your TBT Board meets monthly and everyone is invited to attend. Dates and times of Board meetings are on the TBT calendar at:  bethtikvahbend.org/calendar

If you would like to read minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary Naomi Chudowsky:  [email protected].
 
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Committee News
Social Action Updatetikkun olam earth
Jeanne Freeman, Social Action Chair

Now that we are serving breakfast at The Back Door Caf� as well as dinner at Family Kitchen, we've found that Temple Beth Tikvah has garnered a reputation for our good cooking amongst the population in need. At a recent Family Kitchen dinner we were asked by one of the guests which Wednesday we'd be cooking at Back Door; our eggs are apparently the best in town and he didn't want to miss our service!!

Thank you to the marvelous May crew who cooked, served and cleaned: Beverly and Jeff Adler, Jan Freeman Bauer and Larry Bauer, Liz and Paul Levinson, Jill and Kim Muinch, Kathy and Mark Schindel, Marilyn and Chuck Shattuck, and Jeanne Freeman and Burt Litman.

Our May breakfast served around 70 meals. Thanks to our crew: Jeff Adler, Jerry and Phyllis Greenbach, Neil Pyne, Ann Rosenfield, Bonnie Ruby, Kathy and Mark Schindel, and Marilyn and Chuck Shattuck. The next breakfast is scheduled for June 15th .

Our next Family Kitchen dinner is Friday, July 1st. We're hoping for an intergenerational crew to work that night. Watch for more information coming soon.

If you'd like to participate in any of our Social Action projects, or if you have ideas for new projects, please contact Social Action chair, Burt Litman at [email protected].
  

JULY Newsletter Deadline:  June 24th 

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 Sara: [email protected] by the 24th of each month for the following month's publication.  As always, you will continue to receive "e-minders" before important events take place.

Shalom,
Sara Charney Cohen
   MensClub 
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TBT Men's Club - Thur. June 30th  
bethlehem inn logo
The Men's Club will be meeting on Thursday, June 30th at 5:30 p.m. to volunteer at the Bethlehem Inn.  Please contact Mark Hershenson or Ralph Uri if you would like to volunteer.

After the volunteers are finished working at Bethlehem Inn, the whole group will meet up at Wubba's BBQ Shack, 63055 Layton Ave, Bend OR 97701, 541-213-2121. All men of TBT are invited to attend.


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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 Music Fund - including Adopt-a-Musician, 
   - the Library Fund, 
   - the Rabbi Fund, 
   - the Rabbi's Caring Fund, 
   - the Social Action Fund, 
   - the Corrie Grudin Memorial 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 Jeanne Freeman and Burt Litman, to the Social Action Fund, in memory of Samuel Litman, father of Burt Litman.
  • From Larry Barker and Jo Ann Ray, in memory of Dinah Siven Goberg.
  • From Larry Barker and Jo Ann Ray, in memory of Harold Barker.
  • From Vivian Freeman, to the Music Fund, in memory of JoAnne Shapiro.
  • From Jan Freeman Bauer and Larry Bauer, to the Music Fund, in memory of Ruth Ellen Brenner Freeman.
  • From Mark and Kathy Schindel, in memory of Aaron Jack Schindel.
  • From Liz and Paul Levinson, in memory of Harry Solomon.
  • From Gary and Terry Reynolds, in memory of JoAnne Shapiro.
  • From Gary and Terry Reynolds, in sympathy to Lorraine Schechter on loss of her sister, JoAnne Shapiro.
  • From Gary and Terry Reynolds, congratulating Sara Charney Cohen as TBT Song of Miriam honoree.
  • From Gary and Terry Reynolds, congratulating Charly Charney Cohen on her graduation from USC.
  •  From Tully Ellsberg, to the Rabbi's Caring Fund, "Thank you so much for coming and doing my house blessing.  You are very appreciated."
     
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About Temple Beth Tikvah

Temple Beth Tikvah is a growing Jewish congregation based in Bend, Oregon. We are affiliated 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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