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Celebrations
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Celebrations in July honor the following:
Birthdays:
- Scott Fingerhut July 1
- Marissa Groza July 1
- Lisa Heller July 1
- Erik Jambor July 1
- Amy Draheim July 2
- Debbie Rief-Adams July 2
- Lee S. Silverstein July 3
- Lynne Zuckerman July 5
- Fred Rafilson July 6
- Kathy Schindel July 6
- Jana Zvibleman July 6
- Naomi Chudowsky July 7
- Iris Hansen July 7
- Ian Spencer July 7
- Toby Spencer July 7
- Ginger German July 8
- Danny Boyd July 9
- Ziva Fingerhut July 10
- Gina Breslau July 13
- Gary Liberson July 14
- Bonnie Chaikind July 17
- Mike Wikler July 17
- Johanna Hershenson July 18
- Rick Casey July 19
- Janet L. Freeman-Bauer July 21
- Arielle Metz July 21
- Eden Rafilson July 25
- Noah Breslau July 27
- Randy Danto July 29
- Pati Boyd July 30
- Larry Barker July 31
Anniversaries:
- Mike & Kirsten Goldstein July 3
- Paul & Liz Levinson July 3
- Lee S. & Merilee Silverstein July 8
- Anne & Chris Arathoon July 27
- Susan & Bruce Levin July 27
- Ari Halpern & Lisa Cena July 30
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President:
Sheila Luber
Past President:
Ann Rosenfield
Vice President
Kerrie Zurovsky
Secretary:
Terry Hoogstede
Treasurer:
Mark Schindel
Members-at-Large:
Lester Dober
Jillian Frankl
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Budget & Finance
Chuck Shattuck
Membership
Terry Reynolds
Michael Rosenfield
Program Oversight
Kathy Schindel
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Adult Learning
Mel Siegel
Bikur Cholim
Suzanne Schlosberg
Evie Lerner
Linda Brant
Calendar Keeper
Kathy Schindel
Chevra Kadisha
Ralph Uri
Communications & PR
Kathy Schindel
Shiela Luber
Connections
Sheila Luber
Fundraising
TBD
Music
Julie Geveshausen
Newsletter
Eileen Katz
Onegs
Jan Freeman-Bauer
Program Coordinator
Lauralei Garrity
Religious Education
Melissa Wikler
Rituals
TBD
Social Action
TBD
Venue Logistics
Mark Schindel
Webmaster
Jeanne Freeman
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July Calendar of Events
Events and Activities
Via Zoom
July 10 - 5:45 pm - Tot Shabbat
6:00 pm - Proneg (an Oneg before Shabbat)
6:20 pm - Erev Shabbat
6:45 pm - Meaningful Conversations
July 14 - 1:00 pm - Board Meeting
July 24 - 6:00 pm - Shabbat at Home via Zoom
Rabbinic Judaism
Thursdays via Zoom 4:00 pm - 7/2, 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30
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Sheila Luber
While my co-president, Ann Rosenfield, is stepping away, I am moving forward as president of Temple Beth Tikvah. Together over the past two years, Ann and I have grappled with tough questions, made many decisions, and helped our congregation grow. It was nearly a marriage, certainly a partnership, and we had fun. But the best thing about our shared experience is that we got to know each other better and continue to be good friends. Ann, thank you and please keep your cell phone on.
Under the shadow of the coronavirus, I must confess that I wonder, "what am I thinking?" But then I remember that I love TBT and our remarkable community. Though I may be a relative newcomer of seven years, I have found that my time with you has provided riches beyond words.
The Union of Reform Judaism calls the work of rabbis and lay leaders a "sacred partnership." I could not agree more. I am honored to play my part and privileged to collaborate with Rabbi Johanna, fellow members of the board, and other lay leaders to guide our synagogue. I take every interaction with every member of our congregation as an opportunity to connect, learn and grow.
Looking back over this past year, there is so much to be proud of, from Rabbi Johanna's memorable "I Have a Dream" MLK Shabbat service to fun, multi-generational Shabbat Tish events, and interesting adult learning discussions. We have laughed hard and eaten well, including latkes, brisket and pierogis. It even came to pass that Congregation Shalom Bayit invited TBT to a luncheon reception for its new rabbi. Many of our members attended and it was beautiful.
Let's give thanks for our growing community. For the wonderful families of TBT. Let's give thanks to our members who volunteer for committees and teams as participants and leaders. Your time and talents are invaluable to our temple's success. Let's give thanks to our members who accomplish one task or many; you are a constant source of energy that makes our congregation function. We are deeply grateful for you all.
As we enter the new fiscal year, let's also give thanks to our dedicated board members. We want to acknowledge Paul Jacobs, who is stepping down, and thank him for being a wise and grounding voice during many conversations these past two years. In turn, we welcome our newest board member, Jillian Frankl.
Thank you to the members of our board continuing on for another year, ensuring that we remain strong and productive: Kerrie Zurovsky, our talented vice president, willing to run meetings when the president is unavailable; Mark Schindel, our steadfast treasurer; Terry Hoogstede, our meticulous secretary; Lester Dober, able doer of many things; and Ann, our experienced past co-president.
As president, I am committed to moving our congregation gracefully forward through these challenging times. Our board, Rabbi Johanna, and other lay leaders are focused on finding opportunities to bridge the gaps this pandemic is forcing between us. Our recent In-Person Readiness Survey was a step toward understanding what members think regarding the if, when, and how of potential physical gatherings. It was time to hear more than anecdotal comments by collecting concrete information from all of our members. Good sense and CDC guidelines will rule the day no matter the feedback because your health safety is our highest priority. The results of the survey will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, Temple Beth Tikvah is here for you. If you are feeling sad or stressed or strapped financially, please talk in confidence with Rabbi Johanna or reach out to our treasurer, Mark Schindel. Or give me a call. Though we may be apart physically we can come together when we communicate our thoughts, concerns and even suggestions, with honesty and candor.
We are a congregation filled with wonderful people, a village of families, a tribe united. We are an amazing community with unique individuals sharing lots of love, kindness, support and compassion. Nothing, not even COVID-19 is going to change this.
L'Shalom,
Sheila
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Divrei Tikvah 
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson
School's out for summer!
Remember when those words meant something? Remember when summer meant backyard bbq's, camping and hiking and kayaking, picnics and pool parties? I hope we all remember...that was just last year! Before COVID-19 emerged... Ah, those were the days!
At Temple Beth Tikvah July means a new fiscal year and a new program year. While I hope we are beginning to socialize with physical distancing in one another's back yards or front porches, Temple Beth Tikvah will continue to gather on Zoom and YouTube and FaceTime. We hope that in early August we will begin dipping our toes in the water of community life as we remember it, likely in the form of small picnic gatherings in parks around town.
While it has been fun to meet weekly for Kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming Shabbat) Zooms, this July Temple Beth Tikvah returns to its pattern of two monthly Friday night celebrations of Shabbat. Our "Erev Shabbat" monthly sanctuary service will look different in an effort to reach out to our younger households and hopefully allow for some cross pollination with our more mature households.
Like you, what I miss the most is casual, naturally occurring human interaction. I miss running into people unexpectedly at local cafes, stores, and parks. I miss quick catch-up chats at Oneg. And, I miss seeing you come to the bima to be honored with a blessing or to read a service part.
As our hard-working board collects and understands data you provided by answering our survey questions about how and when to gather in person again, we all hope that August will allow us safely and responsibly to try harder to get together.
Until then, please be smart and safe. Remember simple summer pleasures: like walks in the park and floats on the river, reading books, eating popsicles and ice cream cones and watermelon, playing board games, gardening, journaling and photography... Summer is the season of playful adventures and good, old-fashioned fun. Partake.
May the warm sun, joy, and laughter heal our hearts and remind us what is important: loving our family and friends, participating in our community and its values, and appreciating what is our lot. The Talmud teaches, "Who in the world is truly happy if not the one satisfied with his or her lot."
~~ 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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Julie, Jo, Eileen
Julie Geveshausen
Lead Musician
This is the third in a series of bi-monthly spotlights on our musicians. Eileen Katz, Newsletter Ed.
Julie Geveshausen feels like she can almost claim the title of Local Bendite. She moved to Bend in the Fall of 1992 after driving through Central Oregon to ski for a few days. She thought it would be a great place to retire. Eight months later, she transferred her day job as a letter carrier to Bend.
Julie was raised in Long Beach, CA in a very Lutheran home. Her dad worked all day and her mom only worked part time, so mom was on hand to see that her little girl learned how to play the piano. Julie was mostly obedient, but eventually wanted to focus on her horse and sports. Mom won, but that meant that Julie could continue to enjoy her horse and sports, but still play the piano.
Middle School presented many opportunities in music and sports. Julie was able to sing in the choir and accompany the choir on the piano. Suddenly, there was a reason to play the piano! Accompanying was so much more fun than just practicing by herself! Singing was also fun, but always accompanying at the piano meant that there had to be another opportunity to sing, so Julie joined the church choir, likely the only person under 50. Julie was exposed to the pipe organ and the masterful playing of the organist. She convinced her mother that she needed to learn how to play the organ and her mother made it so. Three years later, the organist moved and the search was on for the new organist. After months of auditioning and interviewing, the church hired Julie, who had not even applied for the position as she was only 16 at the time. Julie continued to play the organ for churches including several denominations.
The desire for cleaner air, greener trees and wanting to be closer to her small family produced a move to the Seattle area. Her parents moved back to Hawaii in 1992 and Julie felt it might be a good time to find a smaller community with more open space. Julie was quickly hired by First Lutheran Church in Bend. A call to play for Taize services around 1998 was the introduction to Eileen Heaton, bringing many years of sacred services and performances. Jo Booser has been a part of Julie's musical experiences since 1994.
Julie was referred to TBT through Ann Hand, formerly of the Methodist congregation where TBT was meeting for services. Julie had been the organist at the Methodist Church, but had moved to another congregation at that time. Lauren Olander, the TBT music director, called Julie to play for a January 2010 service led by a cantor from Portland. Lauren kept calling Julie to play for services, and soon, Jo Booser was added. We had an ensemble.
Julie is enjoying her 11th year with TBT that includes the richness of the beautiful music and the collaboration with Rabbi Johanna, Eileen Heaton, Jo Booser, Kathi Copans and Janet Gesme.
Julie wishes to express her appreciation to everyone involved with TBT as they are also part of what makes every service special.
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High Holy Days 2020
Rising to a Whole New Level
Sheila Luber
To make virtual lemonade in the midst of a global pandemic, we are crafting a cinematic experience for our upcoming 2020 High Holy Days (HHD) services.
Without a doubt, this year's services will be different from prior celebrations thanks to the creativity of Rabbi Johanna; HHD chair, Kathy Schindel; and program coordinator, Lauralei Garrity. They have reimagined HHD services as a series of six episodes filled with all the ritual elements we expect in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Each 45-minute video set for streaming features music, prayers, member readings, sermons, and speeches edited to mirror the liturgical flow of the service. We will also hear the voices of lay leaders and special community members we love and cherish shared in snippets from pre-recorded interviews.
While we don't know what September will bring in terms of COVID-19, we may be open to gathering outdoors in small groups for Tashlich and perhaps Breaking the Fast. With minimal planning required, a decision could be made within a week or so of the dates based on prevailing CDC guidelines and local regulations. If we proceed, we will require physical distancing, mask-wearing and hand hygiene at minimum because your health safety is our highest priority.
Preparing High Holy Days services can be complicated and lengthy. To be ready in time, we had to pick our course early and stick to it. The grant money TBT received from the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland enables us to employ first-rate software tools and equipment that rachet up our production quality and elevate our digital creations above the typical Zoom session we've come to know. With mavens of our own, including Mark Hershenson and Ginger German, we are primed for a new level of HHD ritual expression. We are planning to film portions of each service during July and August.
Though we are not assembling in the sanctuary to worship together, we can look forward to seeing each other and being touched by the meaning and nuance of the High Holy Days. You'll see-it's going to be special and like nothing we've done before. After services are streamed on the appropriate days and times, we'll post the videos on YouTube so you can watch them to your heart's content.
Stay tuned for the HHD trailer coming to your inbox late summer!
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Welcome Lauralei Garrity!
Sheila Luber
TBT is pleased to welcome Lauralei Garrity, now working for us part time as Program Coordinator. Lauralei's role will evolve but she is here to support programming decisions and the people who make them.
Welcome Lauralei!
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Shabbat at Home
Johanna Hershenson
On Friday night, July 24th, we will revisit our beloved Shabbat at Home, only virtually.
Look for an invitation coming soon.
Rather than meet in each other's homes, we will use "break out rooms" in Zoom. Everyone will need to prepare their own dinner to eat with 6-8 others in each virtual gathering.
Like traditional Shabbat at Home gatherings, each host will have a discussion prompt or fun activity to share in addition to good, old fashioned, organic conversation.
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TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting: July 14
1:00 to
3:00 p.m.
Due to COVID-19, all board meetings are being held via Zoom. If you would like to attend, contact Lauralei Garrity at [email protected].
Dates and times of Board meetings are on the TBT calendar at: https://bethtikvahbend.org/events/
If you would like to read minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary, Terry Hoogstede [email protected] .
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Education Report 
Sara Jo Slate
As many of you know, this month marks my last month as Religious School Administrator. I am so pleased to welcome Melissa Wikler, a TBT member, Religious School parent, and Bend-La Pine teacher, to the position. Missie brings thirteen years of experience as an educator and over five years' experience in educational leadership to the role. Your children's Jewish learning is in excellent hands!
Missie is ready to lead our school through the challenges that September may bring. Our school will follow the guidelines set forth by the state and follow the lead of our local school district. Although we don't know what that will look like yet, Missie will work with congregational leadership, families, and staff to make sure that our school is as safe and engaging as possible.
As I get ready to move on, I want to express my gratitude to our teachers and families who helped make the transition to online classes smooth. Despite our physical distance, students were able to celebrate holidays together, process our new reality together, and even create video mitzvah projects for nursing home residents and their caregivers. Technology allowed students to listen to stories read aloud by Rabbi Johanna, sing along with our song leader Gabe Shapiro, bake along with Morah Mimi, and stay engaged in their weekly Hebrew lessons. I loved seeing the smiling faces of my second grade students live from their living rooms on Religious School mornings and will miss them over the summer!
If you had children in Hebrew School or Religious School this year, please help us plan for 2020-2021 by pre-registering (link in your email). Pre-registration, which is not binding, allows us to plan for staff and supplies so we can hit the ground running in September. If you have children who will be newly starting this year (kindergarten for Religious School or grade 3 for Hebrew), please contact me at [email protected] so that I can make sure you receive registration materials later this summer.
In this time of social distancing and cultural reckoning, it is more important than ever to engage our children in meaningful experiences that ground them in Jewish values and history. Thank you again for the honor of directing the school for the past two years. Even though my own children have "graduated" from our school, I hope to stay involved as a teacher for many years to come.
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August Newsletter Deadline: July 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 Eileen Katz:
[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,
Eileen
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Temple Beth Tikvah gratefully acknowledges the following contributions:
- Lee & Merilee Silverstein In Memory of Fania Silverstein
- Bonnie Chaikind In Memory of Emory Chaikind
- Jerry & Phyllis Greenbach In Memory of Eva Greenbach
Donations listed above were made to the Temple's general fund unless otherwise specified.
You may honor the lives and achievements of friends and relatives via a tribute with a donation to TBT. You can do this online by
clicking here, 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:
- General Fund
- Gary Reynolds Memorial Fund
- Youth Education Fund
- Music Fund
- TBT's Goodwill Fund
- Social Action/Tzedakah Fund
- or the Corrie Grudin Memorial Fund
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About Temple Beth Tikvah
For Jewish families, retirees and singles at every level of faith in Central Oregon, Temple Beth Tikvah provides a comforting embrace for the soul of your DNA. We are a dynamic Reform Jewish congregation with friendly, giving, active people drawn to Bend and Central Oregon because of the active lifestyle we find here.
We come together in different ways, inspired and informed by our common thread of Jewishness. Whether you were born Jewish, love someone who is Jewish or choose to be Jewish. Practice Judaism a little, a lot or not at all. TBT can serve as the heart of your vibrant, connected life.
We can be your primary source of friendship, purpose, spiritual and intellectual pursuit. Or a side note adding flavor and dimension how and when you want. Whichever you choose, TBT offers an inclusive, communal foundation on which to build your relationships, experiences and practice. From social activities to social action, worship to study, participation to leadership. It's your choice, in this community of yours.
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