הקשר HaKesher
TBT's Newsletter: The Connection
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Come be a part of our growing Reform synagogue.
All are welcome!
Temple Beth Tikvah is pleased to welcome our newest members:
Joshua Berger & Tiffany Lee Brown and son Gustav (Gusty)
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January Calendar of Events |
Events and Activities
The following Events are held via Zoom:
January 8 - 6:00 pm - Shabbat at Home
January 13 - 4:00 pm - Board Meeting
January 16 - 7:00 pm - Havdallah
January 17 -10:15 am - Tikun Olam
January 22 Friday Night Shabbat Lights:
5:45 pm - Tot Shabbat
6:00 pm - Proneg (Oneg before the service)
6:20 pm - Erev Shabbat Service
6:45 pm - Meaningful Conversations
January 29 - 7:00 pm Tu B'Shevat Shirah
CHEVRUTA
"Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed"
Weekly on Sundays 9:00 - 10:00 am - 1/3, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31
HAMSA: "FIVE CONGREGATIONS" COURSE
Jewish Environmentalism, Wednesdays 7:00 -8:00 pm- 1/13, 1/20, 1/27
ON THE HORIZON
February 26 - Purim
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President's Message
Sheila Luber
Finally, we find ourselves in the secular New Year and thankfully can kiss the past 12 months goodbye. My farewell is not fond. Perhaps like you, I detested this last year and I’m happy it’s behind us. I’m hopeful, even optimistic, that 2021 holds much promise for better times, revitalized mental and physical health, greater riches by every measure, and more kindness spread throughout the world. I’m personally setting my sights on JOY. Maybe I’m naïve to what might still happen but I’m banishing negative thoughts from my lexicon. I’m centered on family and friends and striving to make good things happen.
Towards that end, your TBT Board is working on accomplishing several important congregational goals during 2021. Hand in hand with our Membership Committee we are focused on finding more ways to engage congregants as individuals while bringing us all together through the best programming we can provide within our virtual boundaries. We are also looking at new or improved software tools to support collaboration, save time and improve productivity. In addition, we are creating guidelines and materials for leadership development to promote continuity, and updating our bylaws to reflect our changing times.
May the new year bring good health and much happiness to you and your family.
B'virkat Shalom,
Sheila
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Divrei Tikvah
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson
People used to say hindsight is 20/20 suggesting that we see choices and opportunities more clearly after the fact than we do during a given situation. This year, I am hearing people communicate relief and joy that 2020 is behind us. What a year it was! Happy 2021, friends and family!
This January ends with the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shevat, the New Year for trees. The rabbis of the Talmud say that at the time of the New Year for trees, the majority of annual rainfall has already fallen in the land of Israel, yielding a healthy, water-logged soil in which to plant new trees.
In modern times, Tu B’Shevat has become a symbol of Labor Zionism that was rooted in cultivating and working the land of Israel as well as an example of Jewish sensitivity to the environment. Early Zionist settlers in Israel began planting new trees not only to restore the ecology of ancient Israel, but as a symbol of renewed growth of the Jewish people returning to their ancestral homeland. Today some of those forests have been converted back into wetlands as Israelis better understand the ecological systems of the region.
As climate change enters our discourse and impacts choices we make in our households and communities, Jewish environmentalists increasingly experience Tu B’Shevat as an ancient and authentic Jewish “Earth Day” that educates Jews about the Jewish tradition of responsible stewardship of God’s creation, manifested in ecological activism and even an ecological approach to kashrut, kosher eating.
This month, in Temple Beth Tikvah, we will direct our attention to trees, the planet, and issues in sustainability in honor of Tu B’Shevat. Look for information in an adult learning mini-series taught by Rabbi Devorah Marcus, a founding member of Hamsa: Five Congregations Learning Together. Saturday night, January 16, our Havdallah with a Purpose Zoom gathering will invite discussion about how to advocate around climate change in our social action program and offerings. Finally, Friday night, January 29th, we will share an evening of music, poetry, and prose, around the beauty of trees and the earth in our Tu B’Shevat Shirah Zoom gathering.
Maybe you have thoughts or reflections about trees, the beauty of the planet, or sustainability you would like to share. Feel free to call, email, or text Rabbi Johanna Hershenson, Mel Siegel, adult learning coordinator, or open a conversation/share a photo on our Temple Beth Tikvah FaceBook page.
B'virkat Shalom
~~ 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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Spotlight On Our Youth
Sheila Luber
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Read below and be heartened by powerful young voices in our midst. In Chase Frankl’s own words, witness their compassion shining through... |
On behalf of Central Oregon Jewish Youth (COJY) Jonah Henneberg and I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated to our REACH project and to Temple Beth Tikvah, who matched those donations.
With your incredible help, and the guidance of REACH, we were able to create nearly 500 care bags – 50 First Aid Bags, 100 Hygiene Bags for men and women, 50 Oral Hygiene Bags, 50 Emergency Kits, 25 Toilet-on-the-Go Bags, 50 Snack Packs, 50 Backpacks with supplies, and 50 Warm Sacks that we packed inside of 50 Sleeping Bags. Each bag was packed with care and included a note wishing the recipient well.
My favorite part of this project was seeing how far we could stretch your donations to make as big of an impact as possible, and I think we really succeeded. Completing the bags and dropping them off to be donated (they more than filled our truck, requiring two trips – how amazing is that?!) was also an incredible feeling.
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With everything going on in the world, I feel like it is more important to find ways to help others now than ever before. I am very proud to be part of a community that makes giving a priority.
With So Much Appreciation,
Chase Frankl
Thank you Chase and Jonah for your incredible work! Your delight gives us impetus to forge ahead, laying a solid foundation on which you and others like you can eventually lead and serve the Jewish community of Central Oregon.
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Shabbat@Home
Friday, January 8
6:00-8:00
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On Friday night, January 8, we will hold our beloved Shabbat@Home virtually.
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@Home events, each host will have a discussion prompt or fun activity to share in addition to good, old fashioned, organic conversation. Rabbi Johanna Hershenson will share a poem by Zelda, an early Hebrew poet, “Each of us has a Name”.
Look for the Zoom connection in the Weekly Happenings
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January’s Hamsa Mini-Course
Jewish Environmentalism with Rabbi Devorah Marcus
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM January 13, 20, 27
Zoom
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Each month, Hamsa: Five Congregations Learning Together puts on a unique mini-course, open to any TBT member who wishes to participate.
Come join this timely discussion. Watch the Weekly Happenings for the Zoom link and more details.
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Tikkun Olam -Do the Work
Sunday, January 17
10:15 am- 11:45 am
Zoom
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Temple Beth Tikvah’s Tikkun Olam Group is growing, but there is still room to join!
Tikkun Olam means “repairing the world,” and Jewish tradition teaches us that in order to truly repair the world, we must begin with ourselves. The Tikkun Olam Do-the-Work Group offers a brave space for TBT members to engage with one another on some pretty challenging topics. As a course, a study group, and a support group all in one, the Tikkun Olam Group explores race, gender, ethnicity, and identity, from the perspective of Jewish wisdom and teaching.
Facilitators Rabbi Johanna Hershenson and Lauralei Garrity welcome TBT members of all ages and backgrounds to join the on-going conversation.
If you are interested in joining the group or if you have questions, please email program coordinator Lauralei Garrity at lauralei.garrity@gmail.com.
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Tu B’Shevat Shirah
Friday, January 29
Live on Zoom
7:00 PM
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Every year we look forward to celebrating the artistry of our Temple Beth Tikvah musicians on Shabbat Shirah.
This year, in celebration of Tu B’Shevat, the New Year for Trees, join Rabbi Johanna Hershenson, Julie Geveshausen, Jo Booser, Eileen Heaton, and your TBT family via Zoom for a Tu B’Shevat Shirah evening of music, poetry, and prose in celebration of trees and the earth that sustains us.
Watch the Weekly Happenings for the Zoom link and further details.
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TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting: January 13, 4:00 to 6:00 pm.
Due to COVID-19, all board meetings are being held via Zoom. If you would like to attend, contact Lauralei Garrity at lauralei.garrity@gmail.com.
If you would like to read minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary, Terry Hoogstede tahoogstede@bendcable.com .
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Ritual Team News
Cleaning your Chanukah Menorah
Steve Katz
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Well Chanukah is over-eight nights and now your beautiful menorah is covered from top to bottom with wax. Before you put it away promising yourself that you will clean it next year before Chanukah, here is a solution for you (this only works with metal menorahs-don’t try this with a plastic one).
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees.
Line the bottom of a cookie sheet or other baking tray with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Put two layers of paper towels on top of the foil. Then lay the menorah on its side on top of the paper towels. Put the tray in the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of accumulated wax. Carefully remove the hot tray from the oven and use a fresh paper towel or soft cloth to wipe off the top side of the menorah. Repeat for the other side with fresh paper towels. Then stand the menorah up and finish wiping clean.
You are now ready for next year!
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Social Action Update-Secret Santa
Beverly Adler
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THANK YOU to the 21 TBT members who helped 34 senior citizens in need have a wonderful holiday season. Assistance League and I are incredibly grateful for our congregation’s participation in this worthy project for the third year in a row.
This was such an easy way to Tikkun Olam (heal the world) and show Gemilut Chassidim (acts of loving kindness). Know that your small gifts will be treasured by people who have so little.
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Chevruta: Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed
Sundays at 9:00 - 10:00 am
January 3, 2021 - February 28, 2021
Zoom
What is a Chevruta? Chevruta (pronounced chev-roo-ta) is a group of adults committed to lifelong Jewish learning together, where camaraderie and friendships are cultivated through discourse. A fitting name for TBT’s adult education group!
The current Chevruta topic, Mishnas and Gemaras, ended on Sunday, December 27 and we are now transitioning into a new area of study. Starting Sunday, January 3, Rabbi Johanna Hershenson will lead our exploration of Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed.
As the ancient rabbis were deeply influenced by Greek logic and letters, Maimonides (aka, the RaMBaM) was equally influenced by Greek philosophic inquiry as it translated through the Arab Golden Age in Spain and North Africa. Maimonides wrote the definitive commentary to the Talmud called the Mishnah Torah. He also wrote The Guide for the Perplexed to apply Aristotelian and neo-Platonic ideas about how the universe came into being, how God permeates the universe, where knowledge and wisdom come from, and how all the aforementioned applied to the language of the Torah renders it a philosophical work in contemplative practice.
During our Chevruta sessions we will explore excerpts from Maimonides’ The Guide for the Perplexed seeking clues for how his ideas opened the door for both Jewish rationalism and Jewish mysticism.
Let's study together!
If you are interested in joining this group, please contact Lauralei Garrity, lauralei.garrity@gmail.com and she will send you the Zoom link.
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February Newsletter Deadline: January 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: eileentam@aol.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,
Eileen
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Temple Beth Tikvah gratefully acknowledges the following contributions:
- Larry Barker In Memory of Celia May Barker
- Rudy Gold In Memory of Muriel Gold
- Susie Richman In Memory of Max E Richman
- Marilyn & Chuck Shattuck In Memory of Dick Pick
- Cathy & Michael Wynschenk In Memory of Joann Ray
- Cathy & Michael Wynschenk In Memory of Mark’s Father, Leon Schindel
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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Temple Beth Tikvah
P.O Box 7472
Bend, OR 97708
541-388-8826
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Your secure online donation to
Temple Beth Tikvah
is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your generosity.
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Celebrations in January honor the following:
Birthdays:
- Eloise Danto January 3
- Jo Booser January 4
- Paul Spencer January 4
- Kerrie Zurovsky January 4
- Cere Fingerhut January 5
- Sidney Garon January 6
- Ralph Uri January 6
- Zoe Arathoon January 12
- Martin Meinig January 14
- Seana Jollo January 19
- Hershel Savelle January 22
- Kirsten Goldstein January 23
- Rose Jackman January 29
- Zoe Hershenson January 30
- Brian Zuckerman January 30
Anniversaries:
- Michael & Ann Rosenfield January 28
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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
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
Sheila Luber
Music
Julie Geveshausen
Newsletter
Eileen Katz
Onegs
Jan Freeman-Bauer
Program Coordinator
Lauralei Garrity
Religious Education
Melissa Wikler
Social Action
TBD
Venue Logistics
Mark Schindel
Webmaster
Jeanne Freeman
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Your secure online donation to
Temple Beth Tikvah
is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your generosity.
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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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PO Box 7472
Bend, OR 97708
(541) 388-8826
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