President's Message 

Cere Fingerhut

It’s that season—where our ritual bumps up against the mainstream one. Where our non-Jewish friends, in the spirit of connection, ask about Chanukah. I often get asked whether we give gifts. Do you give gifts each night or in one fell swoop (sometimes this from other Jewish parents trying to figure out the best way to do this)? It’s the time of year when Jewish parents and grandparents are invited into classrooms that boast maybe 1 or 2 Jewish kids—our kids—to share our practices.   

This year, before going into the classroom, I asked my kids what they hoped I would share with these children who know very little about what Judaism is. Our younger offered, “Chanukah is fun!” and our older, “That being Jewish these days is more about being a member of a community than it is about worshiping G-d.” As with so much of what they share, their messages speak volumes about how they are developing their Jewish identities here in Central Oregon. 

Our youngest often talks about how different she feels at this time of year. Her “Chanukah is fun!” is a defense of what our family does at this time of year as compared to her school friends’ families. I am thankful when Chanukah lands close to Christmas because the rhythms of excitement and anticipation and celebration overlap. Which is different than those years when our celebrations are nearly complete at the beginning of December. This year, she gets to answer the question, “What did you get for Chanukah?” at the same time of year her friends get to answer their question. 

Perhaps more striking though and illuminating is our eldest’s response. While my gut feels a bit…unsettled at her lack of connection to G-d, I am aware that she is learning the importance of community. To truly be in community one does need to connect with and behave from values that are consistent with our Torah teachings. By finding a way to be kind, to be patient, to be present, to share, to make space for others is what is asked of us. In this way, we are in community, connected to one another.  

Temple Beth Tikvah is about Finding Your Connection—it’s our tagline! I hear echoes of my eldest’s message throughout our Central Oregon Jewry. There is a wish to be in connection with other Jewish people. How do we do that at TBT? We do that with a robust event calendar focused on ensuring the moments of connection each of us find valuable. Each month we offer at least one Erev Shabbat service. We have a reinvigorated adult education offering with Rabbi Sara at the helm. Our widely enjoyed Havdalah line-up allows each of us opportunities to connect with one another while watching/discussing a film, hearing from an expert in their field, enjoying dessert with one another, or hearing from and supporting a local organization. We eat together, we play together, we repair the world together.

This month, we are looking forward to two Erev Shabbat services led by Rabbi Sara with musical accompaniment from our musicians. We hope to see many of you at our Chanukah party at 5 pm on Saturday, December 28th. See the invitation and announcements for more details or email us at events@bethtikvahbend.org. All our upcoming events can be found on our calendar.  

Chag Chanukah Sameach!

Shalom,

Cere

Divrei Tikvah 

From Rabbi Sara Abrams

The spirit of a person is the lamp of God” (Proverbs: 20:27)

In just a few weeks all of us will be taking out our chanukiahs and lighting them once again on some of the darkest nights of the year. On December 28th, we hope to light them together! It is in this season, when the light is reborn again. It’s no coincidence that Chanukah falls right around the Winter Solstice and celebrates the increasing light, not only of the sun and the subsequent lengthening of daylight, but of the ability of the soul to increase its light, even in the darkest season.

It is easy to feel melancholy at this time of year, and we know that many in our community are suffering with illness, uncertainty, and loss. Not only is it dark outside, we may also feel overwhelmed by the darkness within. Introspection plays a part in this time of year. We reflect on our lives in order to regenerate so that we can keep lighting the candles of our souls, year after year. At Chanukah we rededicate ourselves to life and to light, as the Jews long ago rededicated the temple after it was desecrated by the Seleucids. The Jews only needed a touch of oil to maintain the flame – that was the miracle – and we need only a touch of hope and a few matches and candles, to maintain our inner flame today.  

And wherever you are this December, whether on the slopes, in Europe or Tanzania please remember that within your soul is the flame and the kindling, the oil and the light, to be nourished and loved by you, imperfectly perfect but always able to grow into our sacred roles of being the lamposts and light for the Divine and for each other. Happy Chanukah. 

As we seek ways to kindle our own lights and the lights of others, I would like to offer a new prayer opportunity. With an interim out-of-town rabbi, TBT currently has limited worship options each month, and even with a part-time resident rabbi, services may remain scarce. However, many of you in Bend may be interested in participating in a monthly lay-led service. With your involvement, I would be excited to help nurture the growth of such a group within our community. If you are interested in attending or joining a committee to help lead these services, please reach out to me. By uniting our hearts, voices, and minds, we can strengthen the soul of our community. You can contact me at rabbisaraabrams@gmail.com.

B'virkat Shalom

Treasurer's Report

The strength of our community comes from the dedication of our members. While finances are not the foundation of our congregation, they are essential to sustaining our programs and leadership.

Currently, 45 out of 135 member families have not yet made their membership contribution pledge nor reached out to discuss their plans for pledging member contributions. While we have met our projected membership pledges, in June the TBT board presented at our annual meeting a projected $20,000 deficit due to our recently signed interim rabbi contract. Thanks to a generous matching gift from an anonymous donor, you have helped us address this immediate need. Looking to next year, our Rabbi Search Committee has posted a position for a part-time settled rabbi, and the TBT board is working hard to secure the funds needed for a competitive 3-year contract for a part-time rabbi who we hope will become a local resident and member of our community. We remain cautiously optimistic that our budgeted salary will attract a rabbi to accept the position.

To achieve this goal, we need your help. If you haven’t yet made your pledge, please do so. Visitors and friends are encouraged to join us as members and help strengthen our community.



We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the generosity of our members through yahrzeit, High Holy Days giving, membership contributions and other donations. Together, we can ensure a bright future for Temple Beth Tikvah.

Thank you for your support,

Dave Liedman

Temple Beth Tikvah Treasurer

Havdalah with a Purpose

Dec 7, 6:30 pm

Join us to welcome Central Oregon Veterans Outreach (COVO) on Pearl Harbor Day, Saturday, December 7th at 6:30 pm. We’ll learn about this great organization and what they are doing to help the men and women who have served our country in the military and are now themselves in need of services.

COVO needs our help to continue to serve our veterans and to continue their outreach to those in need of food, shelter and other support assistance. 

We are accepting donations for COVO to support OPERATION: WARM, FED & DRY. Warm socks, winter gloves and hats, backpacks, toiletries and so much more is needed. For a list of donation necessities click here. 

COVO also welcomes donations of used clothing, so if you’re cleaning out in preparation for winter, please consider bringing items to Havdalah. Of course, checks made payable to COVO are also greatly appreciated. If you'd like to contribute and will be unable to attend, please send an email to events@bethtikvahbend.org and we will make arrangements.  

We look forward to seeing you at our Havdalah with a Purpose on December 7th. Please let us know you can join us at events@bethtikvahbend.org. 

Havdalah with a Movie

To Be Or Not to Be  

What: "To Be Or Not To Be", 1983, Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft

When: Sat Dec 14 @ 6:30 PM

Where: See the weekly Happenings for venue

TL;DR: Havdalah With A Movie: Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft in "To Be Or Not To Be", discussion afterwards.

Long Story: Great comedy: corny live theatre group in Nazi-occupied Warsaw escape to England by stealing Hitler's personal airplane. Discussion afterwards. If you have some goodies to share bring them, but don't let not having any goodies to share stop you from coming. To minimize food waste, please take home anything that you bring that isn't consumed.

Running time 1 hour 40 minutes - and save some energy for an after-discussion.



Join us for a joyful Chanukah celebration on Saturday, December 28, 2024, from 5 PM to 7 PM!

Adults and children are invited to celebrate with Rabbi Sara Abrams and Musician Kim Schneiderman. Enjoy a festive evening filled with music, community, and delicious food.

Look for an email invitation where you can RSVP, select a shareable dish to bring—latkes, stews, salads, or jelly donuts—and sign up to volunteer. Together, we’ll create a warm and welcoming event to celebrate Chanukah with our Jewish community. Don’t miss this special evening of connection and light!

A Successful Youthful Gathering!

On Friday, November 8 a wildly successful Shabbat Happy Hour kicked off for young adults at the home of TBT board member Laura Fritz. A total of 28 young adults in their 20s & 30s gathered to share Shabbat, schmooze and eat! The purpose of the TBT-sponsored event was to help young Jewish adults in Central Oregon connect with one another and build community. A huge thank you goes out to new TBT member Ilana Brandstetter for her organizing and outreach efforts. Many of the attendees are choosing to stay connected to the ever-growing young Jewish community in Central Oregon through a WhatsApp group where additional social events and activities will be planned.

Social Action

TBT‘s Social Action committee is busy planning events for community engagement in the coming year.

Our first Social Action event is Havdalah with a Purpose where we gather for a brief Havdalah ceremony, have a nosh, and learn about one of the social advocacy groups in the area. On Saturday December 7, our Havdalah will introduce you to COVO — Central Oregon Veterans Outreach. See the article in this newsletter to learn more about this event and how we can assist this incredible organization. We hope to see you there.

We are connecting with a variety of social service agencies to coordinate on future programs. Based on member feedback, we are selecting groups that work with kids and teens, the environment, housing, and hunger. Two additional Havdalah with a Purpose events are scheduled for this year – save the dates for January 25 and again on April 26. For the spring we are working on a TBT family mitzvah day that will include projects for kids of all ages and adults as well.

And on the second Wednesday of every month, we continue to volunteer at Family Kitchen. If you’d like to be on the signup sheet to work the Kitchen, email Jeanne Freeman at jgfree925@gmail.com

If you would like to participate with our social action committee, email Jeanne Freeman at jgfree925@gmail.com.

Shabbat@Home - Jan 10 at 6 pm

Mark your calendar as Shabbat@Home returns to TBT. We are excited to resume this popular Shabbat social event where we welcome Shabbat and enjoy dinner together in member homes. If you would like to host a group or want more information about hosting, please contact Marilyn Shattuck, mpshattuck@gmail.com. We will need 3 to 4 host homes. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialize with TBT members you may not yet know. Watch for more information coming soon.

Intro to Jewish Mysticism Class

Discover the profound depths of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) with Rabbi Sara in this engaging course, "Intro to Jewish Mysticism." Join us as we embark on a transformative journey to uncover the soul and explore the secrets of our rich Jewish theology. Through a mystical lens, we will delve into the meaning of life, examine philosophical and metaphysical concepts, historical developments, and a few of the mystical ideas that have shaped Jewish thought.

Rabbi Sara teaches this class through humor, personal experience, and her own unique vantage point all the while giving you insight into key mystical concepts such as the nature of God, the universe, and the human soul. We will explore texts from the Kabbalah,Torah, and other sources and learn how to apply some of these principles into daily life. All levels welcome!

Book:  Kabbalah for Dummies, Arthur Kurzweil

Dates:

Zoom 7:00-8:30 pm

Thursday, December 5

Thursday, December 19

Thursday, January 9

If you're interested in Rabbi Sara's Intro to Jewish Mysticism class, please RSVP to events@bethtikvahbend.org.

Let's Get Together!

Let's Knit!

Ricci Stephenson is starting a new Knitting/Crocheting group. It doesn’t matter if you are a veteran knitter/crocheter or a beginner. All are welcome. The more experienced knitters can get you started and help you learn. 

We will meet every two weeks, depending on needs and desires; more or less. Location to be determined.

Knitting/crocheting/or any hand work is so healing for mental health, helping to alleviate anxiety, depression or stress. Groups develop friendships and camaraderie like no other. 

If you are interested in this wonderful hobby please contact Ricci Stephenson socialworker1234@icloud.com or at (916)947-1160

Vindaloo with the Jews Dec 15

What's better than kibitzing over curry or schmoozing over saag? Nothing! Join us monthly for our Vindaloo with the Jews at Taj Palace December 15 at 12:30 pm. No reservations needed and all are welcome! Great conversation, friendship and food.

Contact evielerner60@gmail.com for questions. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Games Club

Dec 8

Games Club will be held Sunday, December 8 at 2 - 4 pm.

If you are not currently on the Games Club Evite list, please email Suzanne Schlosberg: schlos1@gmail.com. Also, if you would like to be removed from the Evite list, let Suzanne know as well. (She will not be insulted).

Come have fun with the Games Club!

MOC Thanks

Thank you Market of Choice for your monthly donations for Challah -- and for making sure there were plenty on the shelves over the High Holidays.

TBT Board Notes

Next Board Meeting: December 16 at 9 am

All board meetings are being held in person. Contact Cere Fingerhut if you want to attend. cere@bethtikvahbend.org

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

If you would like to read minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary, Kathy Schindel at kathy@bethtikvahbend.org

Just for Fun - Your Holiday Favorite!

There's no question that potato latkes are an important part of most Jewish Families' Chanukah celebrations. But how they are prepared - we'll that's up for debate. Take this short just-for-fun survey about your preferences and we'll report back in December.

Your favorite Chanukah flavors missing from the survey? Email sharon_maier@yahoo.com to share!

Fundraising

This year on #GivingTuesday, please consider a gift to TBT's General Operating Fund. Click here to make a donation.

January Newsletter Deadline: Dec 22nd 

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 Sharon Maier-Kennelly sharon_maier@yahoo.com for the following month's publication. 

Taizé Service

The theme for November 7 is "End of Life."

We will recite Kaddish at our service this month for:

• Rafi Berger                              
• Robert Bonder
• Gizela Freundlich
• Brennan Gibson
• Minnie Gold
• Herb Hochstetter
• Edith Katz
• Sidney Lebewohl
• Vance Morris
• Dick Pick
• Helen Reynolds
• Dr Rubin Salant
• Robert Siegel
• Annie Solomon
• Sheila Strauss

Temple Beth Tikvah gratefully acknowledges the following contributions:

In Memory of JoAnn Barker, Sarah Waldman

By: Larry Barker

In Memory of Bernard Fertig

By: Gary & Cheryl Fertig & Family

In Memory of Dara Boyd

By: Pati & Danny Boyd

In Memory of Mildred Held

By: Gary and Anne Held

In Memory of David M. German

By: Ginger & Jeff German

In Memory of Dina Lewinter

By: Terry Reynolds

In Memory of Sandra Shattuck

By: Chuck & Merilyn Shattuck

In Memory of Leon Schindel

By: Mark & Kathy Schindel



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
• Rabbi Hershenson Anniversary Fund
• Gary Reynolds Memorial Fund
• Youth Education Fund
• Music Fund   
• Special Projects Fund
• TBT's Goodwill Fund
• Social Action/Tzedakah Fund