Saturday, May 16th

6:00 p.m.

Bend Golf & Country Club

61045 Country Club Dr.

Bend, OR  97702

Paid Reservations are required.  To make reservations, please respond to your Evite.

Your payment to TBT confirms your reservation and must be received no later than May 6 th at 
TBT, P.O. Box 7472, Bend, OR 97708 or 

Pay Online via the Link below:
http://www.bethtikvahbend.org/donations/fundraising

Festive Dress
Credit cards & checks accepted for winning items

For donations, questions, and more information: contact Beverly Adler at  [email protected].

Jeanne Freeman Chosen as TBT's Song of Miriam Honoree for 2015

Temple Beth Tikvah is proud to honor Jeanne Freeman as its 2015 Song of Miriam honoree.

 

Jeanne has contributed to our Temple community in numerous capacities. She has been our PR and Communications Committee Chair for several years,  maintaining the website, managing the PR, and overseeing all communications. Jeanne has been both a member and Chair of our Community Passover Seder Committee.

 

Jeanne served on the Temple Beth Tikvah Board of Directors for two years and could always be counted on to contribute in a manner that kept the temple's mission and vision in clear view.

 

Jeanne supports Beth Tikvah's commitment to Tikkun Olam and Gemilut Chassadim coordinating our Bethlehem Inn homeless shelter dinners and involving Temple Beth Tikvah in the Wednesday Back Door Café breakfasts served to those in need.

 

In her capacity as chair of various committees, Jeanne encourages involvement and mentors committee members to take on future leadership roles. She draws in people who might not volunteer on their own, but join because of the support and encouragement that she offers them.

 

Temple Beth Tikvah is fortunate to count Jeanne Freeman a member and we are most appreciative of her tireless efforts and contributions to our temple community.  

 

For more information about the awards and to join us at the awards Brunch, please see the Song of Miriam Awards info below in the Community News section.

 

May means Mother's Day and in deference we will celebrate women in our sacred literature and in our lives.

 

Who hasn't seen #baltimoreriotmom or #motheroftheyear video on social media? By all means, lech lecha - l'chi lach, go and see it for yourself!

 

On the evening that the riot broke out in Baltimore, a single mother saw her 16 year old son on the local news throwing rocks at police. She marched right down to all the action, pulled her son out, and shamed him for his lousy choice. Among less dignified words, she declared her boy would not go down that road.

 

I have teen aged children and I know there are days.  This woman was not graceful, but she was effective, fierce, and right. Teens are smarter and stronger than children. They have their own resources and they believe they are invincible. Mothering them is hard. In the midst of a riot, mothering a son can be warfare. Her son does not run away from her or ignore her. He wants to explain, he wants to calm her down, and he wants out of the public eye. Despite his wrongdoing he clearly has respect for his mother.

 

The Book of Proverbs refers to the Woman of Valor. She is a loving wife, a competent and gracious host and homemaker, a dedicated mother, engaged in volunteer community work...  She is truly an amazing woman. Often feminist commentators dislike her, considering her an unfair expectation of women. I think she's an early example of a powerful woman. And I think we are too easily persuaded to take shots at powerful women.

 

While it is true that the Torah and Rabbinic literature reveal patriarchal thinking, there are stories of powerful Jewish women sprinkled throughout. Egyptian midwives engage in civil disobedience in order to save the lives of Hebrew babies. Deborah is a respected prophetess and military strategist consulted regularly in the Book of Judges. Another prophetess Huldah is consulted to verify the authenticity of a "book of law" (probably Deuteronomy) in the time of the Kings of Israel. Queen Esther saves the Jewish people by exploiting her femininity. Judith, in the time of the Maccabees, seduces and then assassinates an important Greek-Syrian commander. Beruriah, in the Talmud, repeatedly outsmarts her husband, Rabbi Meir.

 

There are many women of valor in our congregation. Some are volunteers par excellence. Others are athletes. Mothers and grandmothers. Artists, writers, musicians, and event planners. Some we see and know well, others work quietly behind the scenes. 

 

This month in honor of Mother's Day, turn to a powerful, wonderful woman in your life and tell her why you respect and/or admire her. Maybe she's the mother of your children. Maybe she's a partner in a professional venture. Maybe a teacher, a server in your regular restaurant of choice, a doctor, accountant, or lawyer?  Maybe she's a community leader, a small business owner, or the go-to person when someone's sick and needs support. Just turn to her, and acknowledge her. She will feel blessed by simple, sweet recognition. Ken y'hi ratzon... May it be our will!

 

~~ 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.

Members & Friends ~

 

Religious Committee News

Religious events are pretty quiet for the month of May as we are gearing up for a busy summer of Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. The theme for May is Femininity. We start May with Munch and Torah on Saturday, May 2nd at 9:00 a.m. followed by the Torah service at 10:30 a.m. Join us for both events or just come to the one that interests you most. It is always an enjoyable morning. 

  

On Tuesday May 5th, Mike and Mickey Freundlich will be hosting adult education at 7:00 p.m. The subject will be Two Women of Valor from the Talmud. Join us for wine, dessert and an opportunity to learn from the rabbi.

  

Our two services for May will be held on Friday May 8th and Friday May 22nd. The Kaballat Shabbat service on May 8th will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Hershenson home. Our monthly Erev Shabbat service, with beautiful music provided by Lauren Olander and company, will be held on May 22nd at 7:00 p.m. The subject for the sermon will be Shavu'ot and Jewish Mothers. We hope to

see many of you at our events in May.

   

Thank you to all our members who served breakfast on Wednesday, April 15th at the Back Door Café: Jeff Adler, Vivian Freeman, Joe Jezukewicz, Neil Pyne, Bonnie Ruby, Mark Schindel, Ralph Uri, and Kathy Schindel, who managed the crew.

Our upcoming Bethlehem Inn dinner will be served by the TBT Men's Group on Thursday, May 21st - thank you to all for your participation. June 29th will be the next Bethlehem Inn dinner. If you'd like to help cook and serve, please contact Burt Litman at [email protected].

  

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

 

The TBT monthly Men's Night will usually be on the third Wednesday of each month during 2015, however, May's event is on a Thursday.  

The next TBT Men's Night will be Thursday, May 21st, when the TBT Men's group will be cooking and serving dinner for the residents of the Bethlehem Inn.  Please meet at the Bethlehem Inn at 5:30 p.m., 3705 North Highway 97 (behind Midas)  Bend, Oregon 97701. We'll continue on to a happy hour gathering, location TBA, afterward. All men of TBT are encouraged to join us. For more info, contact Lawrence, Ralph, or Fred.

 

Jewish Women's Round Table presents the

 

 23rd Annual "Song of Miriam" Awards Brunch

  

Honoring Outstanding Women Volunteers

10:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

 

Mittleman Jewish Community Center    

6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland

 

TBT's honoree this year is Jeanne Freeman!  (Read more about Jeanne above.) 

 

Tickets for the brunch are $24 if purchased before May 27th and $32 after. (Children 12 & under are $10.)  For more info, or to reserve your tickets, contact Terry Reynolds [email protected]. Come support Jeanne and have fun in Portland!

 

All TBT members are invited to Taizé - an evening of Interfaith prayerful meditation, peace, and silence. Taizé services are held the first Thursday of each month, October through May, 7:00 p.m. at St. Clare's Chapel, St. Francis Catholic Church, 2450 NE 27th St. in Bend, OR. Everyone is invited to attend and participate. Sponsored by the Sacred Art of Living Center and the Interfaith Community of Central Oregon.