TBT News - March 2017 

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March Celebrations
TBT Board Members
Board Officers:

 President:
   Jeanne Freeman
   [email protected]

 Vice President:
   Naomi Chudowsky
  Secretary:
   Marijane Krohn
   [email protected] 
 
 Treasurer:
   Lester Dober
   [email protected]

 Past President:    
   Mark Schindel
   [email protected]
 

 Members-at-Large:

    
   Marilynn Jacobs
   mkjsend2bend@
   bendbroadband.com

   Chuck Shattuck
   [email protected] 
   
TBT Commitee Chairs
 Adult Education
   Mary Jane Eisenberg 
   maryjanee112
   @yahoo.com  

 Bikkur Holim
   Suzanne Schlosberg
 
 Calendar Master
   Ann Rosenfield
 Chevra Kadisha 
   Ralph Uri
 
 Communications/PR
   Ann Rosenfield 
 
 Facilities
   Mark Schindel

 Finance
   Mark Schindel
   [email protected]                   
 Fundraising 
   - TBD - 

 Library
   Beverly Adler
   [email protected]

 Membership Engagement
   Terry Reynolds
            -and-
   Marilynn Jacobs
   bendbroadband.com

 Men's Group
   Joe Jezukewicz
   [email protected]

 Music
   Lauren Olander
 
 Onegs
   Tully Ellsberg
   [email protected]
            -and-
   Jan Freeman Bauer
   janetlynnfreeman
   [email protected]
            -and-
   MJ Krohn
   [email protected] 
 
 Religious Education
   Kathy Schindel
 Rituals
   Ralph Uri 
             
 Social Action
   Burt Litman 

 Website Development
   Sheila Ross Luber

 Youth Group 
   Naomi Chudowsky

Bend Jewish Library
Bend Jewish Library logo

Newsletter Sponsors

Tully's Yoga Ad
 



TBT Event Planning
Quick Guide
Special Interest Group Contacts
Quick Links
March Calendar of Events 

MARCH EVENTS SCHEDULE 
Mar.  5  10:00 a.m. - Sunday School
Mar.  6  12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
             5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
Mar.  7   3:30 p.m. -   TBT Board Meeting
             4:00 p.m. - Hebrew School
Mar. 10   6:00 p.m. - Family Purim Celebration
Mar. 12        ---  PURIM  ---
Mar. 13  12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
              5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
Mar. 14    4:00 p.m. - Hebrew School
              6:00 p.m. - Adult Education Program
Mar. 15    7:30 a.m. - Back Door Cafe
Mar. 17       TBA      - Tot Shabbat
Mar. 18    9:30 a.m.- Special Event w/Guest Elad Vazana 
              6:30 p.m. - Havdallah With a Maven:
                               Mel Siegel-Ethics of Driverless Cars
Mar. 19  10:00 a.m. - Sunday School
Mar. 20  12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
              5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
Mar. 21    4:00 p.m. - Hebrew School
Mar. 24    7:00 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Service
                                w/JNF Presentation
Mar. 25    9:00 a.m. - Adult B'nai Mitzvah Judaica Class
             10:30 a.m. - Shabbat Torah Service
Mar. 27  12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
              5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class  


ON THE HORIZON
   Apr. 10th - TBT Passover Seder
   Apr. 22nd - Bat Mitzvah of Eliana Cañas Katz
   Apr. 24th - Holocaust Remembrance Day Program
   May 27th - Bat Mitzvah of Camille Smith

March Torah Study
Weekly-Monday noon: 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27

March School Activities - at Shalom Bayit unless noted otherwise
Sunday School - 10:00 a.m:  3/5, 3/19
Hebrew School - Tues. 4:00 p.m:  3/7, 3/14, 3/21

For more details about any TBT events, see our complete schedule of Services, School activities, and Events online:
www.bethtikvahbend.org/calendar
  
Purim
TBT Highlights
TBT's Super Fun (Catered!) Purim Celebration - March 10th

Friday, March 10th 

6:00 p.m. 


  
Bring your family and friends to TBT's Super Fun Purim Celebration! 

No need for tsuris over what food to bring because . . . Taco Del Mar is catering, and ALL KIDS EAT FREE! Adults just $9.

Put your effort into entering our Most Creative Hamentashen Contest - "fruit" and "non-fruit" categories.

Also on the agenda: a Most Creative Costume Contest - "kid" and "non-kid" categories - and fun games.

Bring a grogger, kazoo, or any other noisemaker (we'll have extras if you forget) for Suzanne Schlosberg's rendition of the Megilla! 

What are you waiting for? RSVP right away! All are welcome!

Questions? Contact Suzanne Schlosberg or Evie Lerner.
  
      AdultEd                                                                        Back to Top
The Search for Meaning:  Psychological Aggadot, Mysticism, and Mussar


Adult Education Class


Date:  March 14th, 2017

Time:  6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Location:  The Brooks Room at
Deschutes Public Library Downtown, Downtown Bend

RSVP to Mary Jane Eisenberg at [email protected] or 415-572-1741.

Please do not bring snacks - Due to Library Policy we will not have food.
  
    Elad                                                                          Back to Top
TBT Community Special Event with 
Guest Speaker Elad Vazana

Saturday, March 18th 
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
First Prebyterian Church


Please RSVP to save your seat at our special TBT community event with guest speaker Elad Vazana, a former Israel Defense Forces tank commander turned tour guide, peace builder and dialogue facilitator. Elad will tell his remarkable life story and lead us through an inspiring presentation, Our Stories: The Bridge Between Humans. 

Elad was born in the southern development town of Ofakim in Israel. As a young adult, he spent years in the Israel Defense Forces as a tank commander. Today he is an artist, educator, tour guide, skilled mediator and change agent, cultivating human interactions that promote peace and understanding. Elad has facilitated dialogue meetings between Israeli and Palestinian youth and is also a manager of the Sulha Peace Project, where Jews and Arabs meet and build mutual trust.

Congregation Beth Israel in Portland engaged Elad to speak in February, and they described his presentation as powerful and touching. He is an enlightened man whose courage to share his story is deep and transformative. Elad is bringing his family from Portland to combine work and play in beautiful Bend. Don't miss this!

To learn more about Elad, visit his website, www.tour4change.com.

TBT members only, post B'nai Mitzvah and older.

RSVP to Marilyn Shattuck: [email protected] or call 847-951-6598. Please reply by March 15th with your name, and number in party. 

Light snacks and drinks provided. 

Presented as part of Finding Your Connection, a TBT program initiative.
 
  Havdallah                                                                              Back to Top
Havdallah with a Maven 

Mel Siegel presents 
"The Ethics of Robotics and Driver-less Cars"

Date:  Saturday, March 18th, 2017

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Location: 
First Presbyterian Church
Health and Wellness Room



Mel Siegel will outline the technical and human performance issues that underlie self-driving cars and the artificial intelligence (AI) programs that empower them to operate in human-centered environments. With this background, he will introduce some ethical issues that the technology raises, e.g., anticipating an unavoidable crash, should the AI maximize the survivability of the car's occupants or the throng of pedestrians outside? 

Mel's hope is that after this introduction the group will engage in lively discussion, under Rabbi Hershenson's guidance, of what Talmudic teaching says about these scenarios, especially in comparison with what secular legal thinking says about them. 

Mel is a faculty member in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, a position from which he is now thinking seriously about retiring so he can begin spending full time with Mj and Bella in Bend.

We are very excited about this program and hope that you will attend!

Please RSVP to Mary Jane Eisenberg at [email protected] or 415-572-1741.

Appetizers, desserts, and beverages are welcome!
  
    JNF                                                                          Back to Top
JNF Presentation - March 24th

TBT has been collecting and donating funds through JNF "blue" boxes. Though people are more familiar with planting trees in Israel, we have instead been dedicating these funds to more urgent  water source projects

On Friday, March 24th, Roland Roth, Director of the Pacific Northwest region for Jewish National Fund, will join us at our  7 p.m.  Erev Shabbat service and talk to us about JNF and the vital projects our donations support. 

(This event was originally scheduled in January, but was postponed due to weather.)
  
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Tot Shabbat - March 17th

This is a Shabbat experience for families with young children, including music and a Potluck dinner. Please contact Jessica Hammerman: [email protected] for details. 
          Seder                                                                    Back to Top
Passover's Coming! Please Save the Date and Sign Up to Help

TBT's Member & Guest Passover Seder - 1st Night of Passover,  
Monday, April 10th

Join Temple Beth Tikvah for this year's Passover Seder. Come for  an inter-generational event with learning and discussion for  adults, performance by the kids, music and song for all, a taste  of the Seder plate and a delicious buffet dinner. And it's all being  held at the Mt. Bachelor Village conference center.

Rabbi Hershenson will lead our annual Passover Community Seder on Monday, April 10th . The event is open to members and their guests. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and the Seder begins promptly at 5:45 p.m. Don't miss out; RSVP today. Reservations close on Friday, March 31st.

The meal includes all the tastes of Passover - hard-boiled eggs, haroset, matzo ball soup, horseradish and a very special treat of the Rabbi's homemade gefilte fish. Dinner buffet includes your choice of salmon, chicken, or a vegetarian entree.

The Seder is open to TBT members and their guests at a cost of $32 for adults, $15 for children 6 - 12, and no charge for children age 5 and under.

Wine for the dinner table is available from Mt. Bachelor for $22/bottle, or you're welcome to bring your own bottle for a $15 corkage fee.

Questions? Contact Liz Levinson at 541-318-4640 or [email protected].

For more information about the Seder:
To make your reservations, follow the link:



The Butcher, the Baker, the Haroset Maker

The best part of any meal is dessert!! This is especially true when the desserts come from the kitchens of our fabulous bakers. For the most delicious of Passover desserts, we are again asking our members to please bake for us. Please contact Janet Lichtenberg at [email protected] to let her know what you can bring. We need finger-food goodies, such as Passover macaroons, bars and cookies.

Janet is also coordinating the haroset makers. Please let her know if you'd like to make a batch at [email protected].

      Eliana                                                                        Back to Top
Bat Mitzvah of Eliana Cañas Katz

Please join Stephen and Eileen Katz

in celebration of the
Bat Mitzvah
of their granddaughter

Eliana Cañas

Saturday, April 22nd
10:00 a.m.

All  TBT  members are welcome.
Kiddush luncheon following service. 

RSVP for luncheon needed by April 12th.
Reply to [email protected].
   
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Divrei Tikvah  RJohannaHeadShot
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson

During the months of March and April I will be exploring the theme of creating meaning and  purpose in my work with Temple Beth Tikvah. I honestly believe we are a synagogue and not a  Jewish social club because we seek meaning and purpose both in Jewish tradition and in our  lives.

The B'nai Mitzvah class in our Sunday school has been discussing the difference (if there is any) between rituals and practices. We've determined that a ritual may or may not be a practice. What we mean by that is that we can fulfill a Jewish ritual or any other ritual without it really affecting us or changing us in any way. OR we can transform the symbolic act into a practice that improves our way of being in the world. Transforming rituals and habits into practices requires thought and consideration. Being affected or changed by Jewish wisdom is a choice we make.

Enjoy our students' re-working of a piece of Jewish wisdom we all too often take for granted, the Ten Commandments. We consider them the bare minimum of decent conduct while we actually violate the principles beneath them when we behave mindlessly. The first step in creating meaning and purpose is owning the heritage given us and translating it into our own language.


The Ten Commandments Reworked 
B'nai Mitzvah Class 2016-2017

1. We follow only GOD because GOD liberated us from Egypt.

2. We do not confine GOD to an image or engraving or sculpture.

3. We do not invoke GOD's name unnecessarily.

4. We abstain from fixing the world one day each week; and give others space to do so as well.

5. We value the previous generation and what they give us by way of love and wisdom from their experience.

6. We respect life and every life form's natural right to exist.

7. We value the sacred in each other and treat each other accordingly.

8. We don't take what is not ours, including credit.

9. We don't generate or broadcast fake news.

10. We keep our wants and desires in check.


Many of us will struggle with the first three commandments. What does it mean to follow GOD? Do I even believe in GOD? OK. Fair enough.

The remaining seven contain guidelines for real human decency. Given the vulgarity and poor state of civil discourse in our country as of late, these so called commandments, reworked, become practices that can lead us to better behavior. What good is the wisdom of our ancestors if we can't put it to use today? Finding meaning and purpose or creating it...the opportunity is always there. Are we courageous enough and industrious enough to take advantage and refine ourselves further?


~~ 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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President's Message
From TBT President Jeanne Freeman  

During the last few months, I have shared the vision and value of connection for everyone at  Temple Beth Tikvah.

I invited you to say "yes" to participate in programs, services and activities. And that's what you've done; connecting with each other at so many events - Shabbats, Adult Eds, Havdallahs and our holiday parties with happy kids and adults eating traditional dishes made with love. Coming together to prepare and serve meals at the Family Kitchen and Back Door Café. And finally, with our teens in both high school and middle school discovering their voices in their own BBYO and COJY groups.

There are two new initiatives at TBT that I want to share with you.

The first has been in progress since August and is coming to completion within the week. We needed to upgrade our website platform and took that opportunity to speak with members, listen to your perspectives and understand your hopes for TBT. We looked at how you use the current website and made it easier to navigate. We made it mobile friendly. We reviewed the annual survey to appreciate what you value. We did all of this so we could create a new website that reflects who we are now. That looks, feels and reads like it is for a community, our community, that is - Connected. Friendly. Supportive. Active. Giving. Inclusive. And for all ages.

We created a new logo that supports both our full temple name and TBT, which we use so often. We added a tagline - find your connection - because that's what we do through our TBT community. And we modernized the typeface and the Jewish star to appeal to all, from seniors to young families. And the original artwork is a gift from an artist, Julie Wohl, whose website we will link to.

My gratitude to Sheila Luber for her talent, creativity, energy and the countless hours that she has given to interviewing and capturing the voice of our community and to designing the website. My thanks to Mark Schindel who has added more skills to his resumé, as he helped to build the site.

The second initiative will be launched by a special event on March 18th. We hope that "Finding Your Connection" will help us build stronger, trusting relationships in our community through authentic communication and deep listening.

Now, more than ever, we want this community and everyone embraced by it to share our thoughts and feelings. We need to give each other space for grace as we truly listen to one another, because there is so much more to each of us. We each have stories that can resonate with the other. And we hope that telling our stories, sharing who we are, might bridge our differences and build on what we have in common.

To kick off our initiative we are holding an event for our community on Saturday morning, March 18th. We are bringing Elad Vazana, an Israeli whose work over the last 17 years is in connecting communities. He has a wonderful approach and is a kind, interesting man who understands how stories help us connect to each other. This program is open to all of our adult TBT members, which in Jewish tradition includes our post b'nai mitzvah teens who I hope will join us.

All of our members should have received an invitation. If you didn't receive it, please contact Marilyn Shattuck at [email protected]. Learn more about the program in the newsletter article. I hope to see you there.
 
  Board                                                                          Back to Top
Board and Committee News
TBT Board Notes 
 
Next Board Meeting:  Tue. March 7th, 3:30 p.m. 
Location:  Stonebriar Apartments Clubhouse

Your TBT Board meets on the first Tuesday of each month 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 Marijane Krohn:  [email protected].
 
Ritual Committee News     
Ralph Uri, Committee Chair colorful star

Our annual Shabbat Shira took place on February 10th at FPC.  What a beautiful and uplifting service that was well attended. Thanks are due to Lauren Olander, Julie Geveshausen, Jo Booser and Eileen Heaton, whose collective talents made this a truly memorable and spiritual event. Thanks are also due to Lester and Diane Dober for helping to organize the tribute to our wonderful musicians and cantorial soloist.

On the 20th, we celebrated our monthly Torah Service at FPC. This was followed by our second Shabbat at Home on Friday, the 24th. I want to thank our hosts Marilyn and Chuck Shattuck, Linda and George Brant, and Lynne and Ed Connelley for graciously opening up their homes.

This month, we will celebrate the festival of Purim on Friday, March 10th, at Cascade Academy.  Thank you Marti Fields Johnson for arranging this outstanding venue, and to Evie Lerner and Suzanne Schlosberg for planning the event. Come and hear the whole "Megillah!"
  
On  Saturday, March 25th,  we will have our monthly Torah Service at FPC. This will be followed by our monthly Erev Shabbat held at FPC on  Friday, March 24th .
      
Shalom Teva Youth Group News    
    
On February 10th, Rachel Uri and Sid Rafilson presented our youth group, Shalom Teva, to those attending our most recent Shabbat service. We explained the purpose of our BBYO chapter in more detail, and we asked for donations to aid event funding and transportation. The funds will mostly be used to help us attend regional BBYO conventions where we bond with many other Jewish teens. We are pleased to announce that we are more than halfway to our goal of five thousand dollars! 

If you are interested in donating, we would greatly appreciate it. We have set up a restricted fund specifically for this purpose. To those who have already donated, we cannot begin to express our gratitude. If you would like to donate, please write your checks out to Temple Beth Tikvah, P.O. Box 7472, Bend, OR, 97708. (Be sure to indicate that they are for the Youth Group fund!)

Thanks!
Sophie, Sid, and Rachel


APRIL Newsletter Deadline:  March 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
    
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Community News
Hamantash Baking - March 5th


Adult Hamantash Bake

Roll. Shape. Fill. Pinch. Bake. 
Make your own delicious Hamantashen
Hamantash Baking & Gourmet Hamantash Tasting

An evening out for Women and Men 

SUNDAY, MARCH 5 @ 7:00PM
THE RIVER CANYON ESTATES CLUBHOUSE
19535 HOLLYGRAPE STREET

$12 Suggested Donation
Help Sponsor: $72

RSVP:   [email protected]  or  

    Denial                                                                        Back to Top
Holocaust Remembrance Day 
April 24th at COCC
    


Holocaust Remembrance Day
 
April 24th, 4:00 p.m.  
Hitchcock auditorium at COCC.

This year we will be screening "Denial," 
a film about the Holocaust on Trial. 
Following the film, Dr Jessica Hammerman 
will lead a discussion about history, memory,
 and the importance of factual evidence. 

RSVP to  [email protected]

 
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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,
   - the Youth Group 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, in memory of Philip Freeman.
  • From  Tully Ellsberg, in memory of Cana Ivy.
  • From  Fred Rafilson, in memory of Sidney Rafilson.
  • From  Fred Rafilson, in memory of Evelyn Rafilson.
  • From  Lester and Diane Dober, in memory of Goldie Dober.
  • From  Mark and Kathy Schindel, in memory of Nathan Bernstein.
  • From  Mark and Kathy Schindel, congratulations on the Rabbi's successful surgery and best wishes on her recovery.
  • From  Gary and Terry Reynolds, sending healing thoughts & prayers to Rabbi Johanna.
  • From  Gary and Terry Reynolds, wishing a speedy recovery to Lorraine Schechter.
     

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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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