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Contact Us
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Temple Beth Tikvah
P.O Box 7472
Bend, OR 97708
541-388-8826
Make a secure online donation or payment to Temple Beth Tikvah
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December Celebrations
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Celebrations in December honor the following:
Birthdays:
Lester Dober Dec. 1
Ruth Ruder Dec. 1
Howard Koff Dec. 4
Terry Reynolds Dec. 4
Joan Kuperstein Dec. 5
Ruby Peterson Dec. 8
Galen Krohn Dec. 10
Jesse Fishkin Dec. 15
Lawrence Schechter Dec. 17
Mark Schindel Dec. 18
Florence Beier Dec. 19
Susan Levin Dec. 26
Beverly Adler Dec. 28
Anniversaries:
Jan Freeman & Larry Bauer
December 4th
Dan & Laurel Fishkin
December 4th
Ron & Bonnie Ruby
December 11th
Burton Litman &
Jeanne Freeman
December 13th
Michael & Mickey Freundlich
December 23rd
Carl & Judith Schlosberg
December 25th
Leslie Conley &
Joseph Jezukewicz
December 27th
(blind spacer)
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Board Officers:
President:
Jeanne Freeman
jgfree925@gmail.com
Vice President:
Naomi Chudowsky
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Lester Dober
Members-at-Large:
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Adult Education
Mary Jane Eisenberg
Bikkur Holim
Suzanne Schlosberg
Calendar Master
Ann Rosenfield
Chevra Kadisha
Ralph Uri
Communications/PR
Ann Rosenfield
Facilities
Mark Schindel
Finance
Mark Schindel
Fundraising
- TBD -
Membership
Terry Reynolds
Religious Education
Kathy Schindel
Rituals
Ralph Uri
Social Action
Burt Litman
Website Development
Sheila Ross Luber
Youth Group
Jerry Greenbach
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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
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Step One:
Step Two:
with date, time, location, & details to have event added to the calendar.
Step Three:
If there are any changes to your event date, time, or location, email Ann so calendar can be updated ASAP.
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Special Interest Group Contacts
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Book Club
Beverly Adler
fiberartist@
bendcable.com
Cross Country Skiing
Ann Rosenfield
ann@rosenfield
online.com
Downhill Skiing
Larry Barker and
Jo Ann Ray
joannbray1940
@gmail.com
Families With Young
Children
Allison Cogen
allisoncogen@
gmail.com
Knitting & Yarn Arts
Sara Charney Cohen
sarrava@gmail.com
Mah Jongg
Jill Muinch
jmuinch@msn.com
Movie Club
Sara Charney Cohen
sarrava@gmail.com
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Quick Links
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Forward this newsletter to a Friend
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December Calendar of Events
DECEMBER EVENTS SCHEDULE
Sa Dec. 3 6:30 p.m. - Havdallah and a Movie
Su Dec. 4 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School
M Dec. 5 12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
T Dec. 6 4:00 p.m. - Hebrew School
6:30 p.m. - TBT Board Meeting
Su Dec. 11 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School
M Dec. 12 12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
T Dec. 13 4:00 p.m. - Hebrew School
6:30 p.m. - Adult Education Evening
F Dec. 16 6:00 p.m. - Tot Shabbat
7:00 p.m. - Erev Shabbat Service
Sa Dec. 17 9:00 a.m. - Adult B'nai Mitzvah Class
10:30 a.m. - Shabbat Torah Service
M Dec. 19 12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
W Dec. 21 7:30 a.m. - Back Door Cafe
Sa Dec. 24 --- Chanukah First Candle ---
M Dec. 26 12:00 p.m. - Weekly Torah Study
5:00 p.m. - Adult Hebrew Class
F Dec. 30 6:00 p.m. - Chanukah Game Night!
ON THE HORIZON
Jan. 13th - Tot Shabbat + Erev Shabbat Service
Jan. 21st - Havdallah With a Maven
Feb. 4th - Havdallah and a Movie
December Torah Study
Weekly-Monday noon: 12/5, 12/12, 12/19, 12/26
December School Activities - at Shalom Bayit unless noted otherwise
Sunday School - 10:00 a.m: 12/4, 12/11
Hebrew School - Tues. 4:00 p.m: 12/6, 12/13
For more details about any TBT events, see our complete schedule of Services, School activities, and Events online:
www.bethtikvahbend.org/calendar
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Havdallah and a Movie
Trembling Before God
"Two hot-button issues - homosexuality and religion - are thrust together in this revealing documentary by Simcha Dubowski. Gay and lesbian Jews who have been cast off by their families and by religious figures are interviewed in major metropolitan areas across the globe. Even in societies where homosexuality is gaining acceptance, many of those interviewed still struggle with balancing an intolerant faith with their sexual orientation." Netflix
December 3rd, 2016
Location: First Presbyterian Church
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Snacks and Beverages are welcome!
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Adult Education Class
Who is a Jew? Jewish legal disputes among the Israeli Rabbinic Court, Orthodox Jews around the world, and non-Orthodox Jews
Tuesday, December 13th, 2016
Location: Rabbi Johanna and Mark Hershenson's home
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Snacks and Beverages are welcome!
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Chanukah Game Night!
BYO Food to share, game to play, and menorah to light!
Friday, December 30th
6:00 p.m.
Environmental Center
16 NW Kansas Avenue
Food to share
Bring a crock pot of hearty soup or chili, or freshly baked bread, beverage, or dessert to share!
Game to play
Bring a dreidel or fun board or card game to play!
Menorah to light
Bring your Chanukah menorah and eight candles! It's the seventh night!
There will be Latkes, a brief service for lighting Shabbat and Chanukah candles, and Chanukah gifts and prizes for everyone!
AND an open mic so bring a song or poem or quote to share!
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Divrei Tikvah 
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson
The short, wintry days of December put Chanukah within grasp. As Chanukah falls after the solstice this year, our menorah ritual mimics the natural laws of the season. As we light an additional candle each of the eight nights of Chanukah, the days grow just a bit longer.
The miracle of light, the day's-worth vial of oil that lasted eight days keeping the flame of the eternal light aflame, sometimes veils the historic significance of Chanukah. Surprisingly the story we know of the evil, Hellenized King Antiochus who tried to stifle Jewish worship and practice doesn't exist in the early accounts of the Maccabean war. Instead the conflict appears to have been the start of a civil war between Hellenized and traditional Jews. Hellenized Jews likely called upon Syrian Hellenized patrons for support.
Rabbi Michael Strassfeld (in A BOOK OF LIFE, 2002) asks: Is this a fight between liberals and fanatic fundamentalists or between traditionalists and self-hating assimilationists? If our recent election taught us anything, it might be how easy it is to demonize and hate our neighbor.
While the mythologized version of Chanukah's historic foundations may make for a better story, the truth teaches a more profound and pertinent lesson. We Jews have never been a monolithic people. By preserving minority opinions and calling upon them in later cases in which facts differ slightly, the Talmud reveals an evolving intellectual community that valued diversity. Disagreement keeps everybody honest; an organic system of checks and balances.
Diversity isn't easy. Sometimes we drift so far apart, we can no longer understand one another.
And yet diversity is a key ingredient for the survival of species as well as social institutions and organizations. The Maccabees won their conflict against Hellenization and still their descendants used Greek names and build a gymnasium on the Temple Mount. Victors in war or democratic process don't win unchanged by the encounter.
New ideas among our people have kept us in tact as an identifiable people for a long time. Had the ancient rabbis not revisioned Judaism to survive the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, where would we be? Had the medieval philosophers not dabbled in medicine, mathematics, and astronomy, would we have survived the Enlightenment? Had reformers not put Judaism into a box we call organized religion and moved out of the ghetto, might we have squandered the freedom of Emancipation?
Diversity isn't easy but it is essential. Many of us feel frightened or anxious by the divisive nature of our recent election. How will we ever get along again? Perhaps the underlying truth of the story of Chanukah is that light illuminates the deepest dark? By observing our ancestors in their less-than-holy moments we can generate a little more patience and a little more optimism in the chaos of our less-than-holy moments.
Drastic gaps in understanding bring about drastic moments in history. But those drastic moments are followed by periods of self-correction. What seems insurmountable, with a shift in perspective can suddenly be within reach. The challenge is to see the way forward, to move along a lit path.
As we increase light this winter through our menorah-lighting ritual, I hope we choose to seek light through compassionate listening to one another and courageous heart-opening. After their war, the Maccabees rededicated the Temple, their sacred space, for communal gathering. May their deeds inspire us in our communal space as Jews and as Americans. May knowledge and experience AND mercy and love feed the flames of our Chanukah menorah and lead us gently from election to inauguration and mutually respectful social engagement.
~~ Rabbi Hershenson's office hours are by appointment. If you would like to set up an appointment, please contact her by email at:
johannahershenson@gmail.com
, or by phone at 541-213-9880.
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 President's Message
From TBT President Jeanne Freeman
The turkey soup is simmering on the stove and we've eaten the last piece of pie. Visiting family has departed and the linens changed.
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Partly for the food, I admit, and also for the reminder to be thankful. And there is much to be grateful for this year.
Family and friends have blended beautifully. Without immediate family living nearby, our friends from Temple Beth Tikvah have become our family - the people we know that we can rely on in good times and bad.
It is especially good to be reminded to be thankful this year, when the presidential election has divided the country and our community. I have spoken with friends who I know voted differently than I. We did not speak about the election specifically, instead we affirmed our friendship and made plans to do things together.
It's not that I won't discuss the election with them; it is that I know that nerves are still raw and I don't want anything to inadvertently harm good friendships. These are the same people that I enjoyed prior to the election. Why should the election change our relationship?
I hear from the conservative right that they want change. I hear from the liberal left that they fear hatred will take over. I personally hope that those who voted for change will be rewarded and that positive changes will be made for all of us, and by all of us. Because the change we want to see doesn't begin at the top with some vast government, but at the bottom with the individual - with me and with you.
I believe that to heal the rift that has emerged in this country is to first heal as an individual and unite as a community. Because if we do not, then we perpetuate what we are afraid of - a community divided by the erosion of civility and the uptick of hatred, which overtakes our Jewish values and those guaranteed in our Declaration of Independence. No matter which side of the political fence we fall on, if we want change, it is up to each of us to make it happen. And that means that we bridge the gap between us to engage each other with openness, civility and respect.
I would love us to really talk with each other in small groups without judgment to understand what it is that each of us wants and to determine how we can achieve that end together. To help us get started... a reprint of a recent article, "How to Disagree Like Hillel and Shammai," is included in this newsletter in our "Meet Your URJ" column. (Rabbi Hershenson also shared this at a recent TBT Board meeting.) Watch for more information coming soon.
I look forward to seeing each of you at our Erev Shabbat service on Friday, December 16th, and hope that our plane will touch down in time to try our hand in a game of Mexican Train at our Hanukkah/Shabbat Game Night on December 30th. Please join us.
Shalom,
Jeanne
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How to Disagree Like Hillel and Shammai
BY Rabbi Leora Kaye, 11/18/2016
Now that the U.S. election with its stunning outcome is behind us, and we're once again preparing to gather with family and friends during the holidays, it may be prudent to revisit these rabbis' most salient points.
- Because it will be nearly impossible for any of us to steer clear of politics, we should take pains to abide by the Jewish tradition of machloket l'shem shamayim (argument for the sake of heaven), which demands profound respect for other human beings, even if their viewpoints are fundamentally and unequivocally the polar-opposite of our own.
- Each of us was created b'tzelem Elohim (in the Divine image). Even if you disagree with others' opinions or conclusions, keep in mind that they have tried - like you - to arrive at them in an intelligent and thoughtful way.
- Kavod (respect) is a lynchpin in every disagreement. Especially when differences of opinion occur, remember that you and others have put yourselves in a vulnerable place. Here, in such a place, more than elsewhere, respect is paramount.
- Countless times in Jewish liturgy we pray for peace. The word "shalom" (peace) is related to the word "shalem" (wholeness). We cannot attain peace - and thus wholeness - without acknowledging differences of opinion. Learning to incorporate disparate views into our understanding of peace and wholeness enables us to be pursuers of peace.
- If you must argue, do so not only with respect, but also with anavah (humility). Use "I believe" and "I feel" statements, and don't presume to tell other people what they are thinking. You can't possibly know that until they tell you. When they do, recognize that you may need to ponder their view to clarify your own. Hearing divergent viewpoints presented in a constructive way can help everyone learn and grow.
Although the two leading first-century sages and their disciples in the House of Hillel and the House of Shammai no longer exist, we Jews continue to question, to disagree, and to differ in our opinions. During the holidays - and always - remember to do so respectfully, civilly, and with care for your opponents.
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TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting: Tue. Dec. 6th, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Stonebriar Apartments Clubhouse
Your TBT Board meets on the first Tuesday of each month (please note that this is a change from previous) 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:
mak11@pitt.edu.
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Ritual Committee News 
Ralph Uri, Ritual Committee Chair
Our monthly
Saturday
morning Torah service was held on Nov. 5th, followed by our Erev Shabbat service on Nov. 11th. Our first of three Shabbat@Home events occured on Nov. 18th and was well attended. Many thanks are due to our three hosts for the evening: Beverly and Jeff Adler Adler, Florence Beier, and Ruth and Phillip Ruder. Thank you very much for opening your homes and welcoming our members. For those that did not attend, our next Shabbat@Home will be in February, 2017.
Our Erev Shabbat service for December will be held on
Dec. 16th, followed by our monthly
Saturday morning Torah service on
Dec. 17th. Please save the date of
Friday Dec. 30th. We will have our Chanukah celebration at the Environmental Center that night. It will be a pot luck event on the seventh night of the holiday and will feature Menorah lighting as well as games and prizes. This will be a joyous, fun-filled event for both young and old, and should not be missed. Look for details in TBT Happenings, as well as an evite for the event.
Winter is here.
Stay warm, be safe and support TBT functions.
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Social Action Update 
Burt Litman, Social Action Chair
This month TBT members provided dinner at Family Kitchen for ~ 100 people. Participating in preparation and serving were Ann and Michael Rosenfield, Bev and Jeff Adler, Burt Litman, Chuck Shattuck, Davis Adler, Jana Zvibleman, Jeanne Freeman, Kathy and Mark Schindel, Linda and George Brant, Lynne and Ed Connelley, Marcy Edwards, and Susan Richman.
We also provided a nutritious breakfast for over 100 people in November at Back Door Cafe. We thank Gail Fridstein, Kathy and Mark Schindel, Karen Higgins, Jeff Adler, Joe Jezukewicz, Neil Pyne, and Ralph Uri for preparing and serving at Back Door Cafe. For those of us participating in BDC, Stacey Witte will be doing a volunteer orientation to the services provided by the First United Methodist Church in the near future. The dates will be announced in the newsletter.
If you have an interest in participating in Social Action activities, please contact Burt Litman at bjlitman@gmail.com.
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JANUARY Newsletter Deadline: December 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:
sarrava@gmail.com 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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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:
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From Burt Litman and Jeanne Freeman, in memory of Elaine Freeman Litman.
- From Paul and Liz Levinson, in memory of Michael J. Levinson.
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From Paul and Liz Levinson in memory of Steven B. Solomon.
- From Jo Ann B. Ray, in memory of Sarah Waldman.
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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.
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