Come be a part of our growing Reform synagogue.
All are welcome!
Temple Beth Tikvah is pleased to welcome our newest members:
David Coutin
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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
All Events Are In Person Unless Otherwise Noted
June 4 - 4:30 - 6:30 pm - TBT Annual Congregational Meeting (RSVP required)
June 9 - 5:30 pm - Pop Up Shabbat
June 16 - 7 pm - Shabbat Singalong with Cantor Steve Hummel
June 17 - 10 am - B'not Mitzvah of Ellie & Gracie Zurovsky
MORAL COURAGE
A Learning and Practice Group
Via Zoom
Sundays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm - June 4 & June 18
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President's Message
Kerrie Zurovsky
As my last newsletter to our wonderful congregation as TBT President, I feel the need to be vulnerable with each of you. I am writing this letter with a whole host of emotions. I am feeling gratitude, excitement, relief, and a bit of sadness. I am grateful for the past two years as president. I have learned so much about myself, about many of you, and about our history. I have gained infinite respect for those who volunteer selflessly to make our Jewish community strong and sustainable. I have been reminded time and again how much work it takes to make TBT the great home that it is for many of us, and at the same time, I have also realized that it is the people who make up our membership who truly make us special.
I am excited about our future. I do not know what awaits us, and I do know that there are more opportunities and possibilities than we can even imagine. I have seen how integral TBT is to our members - young, old, single, married, families, and everyone in between. It may not always be the priority everyday, and yet it is woven into the fabric of each of our lives in some important way. I trust that our incoming Board will guide us and honor us as a whole. I have such immense faith in our rising leadership that I circle back to gratitude for getting to stay on the Board for another year with these amazing members.
In the spirit of full transparency, I feel relief at handing the reins over to our next President. It is a tough “job,” and two years of giving my heart and energy will allow me to step back gracefully and rest in the knowledge that I always tried my best. For the times I faltered or let someone down, I learned valuable life lessons. For the times we achieved success, I found new value in myself. There is comfort in knowing our incoming President brings a renewed energy and wisdom.
Which leads me to some small feeling of sadness. It is hard to say goodbye to something after two years. It is hard to look back and not wish for one more chance to do more. I know that reflecting on the past can be harmful if not channeled into future action. For me, I know that I will take the lessons I have learned about TBT and about myself and will carry these with me as I move forward in life and continually try to be a better human, friend, and congregant.
Two years ago, I gave a speech at a High Holy Day service about hope versus faith. Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing based on small hints, whereas hope is simply an optimistic attitude based on a desire. Over the past two years, we have accomplished so much. Our Board and lay leaders have led us to this point with determination, wisdom, and humor. Time and again they have proven their commitment to TBT, and I could not be more proud of the work we achieved. I have nothing but faith that Temple Beth Tikvah has great things in store and look forward to watching it unfold.
Shalom,
Kerrie
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Divrei Tikvah
From Rabbi Johanna Hershenson
Ten lessons learned in ten years of relationship with Temple Beth Tikvah:
1. When congregants (many of whom, older than 65) show up to unload your U Haul truck and do so in a fraction of the time it took you to load it—you can trust they are truly happy you’ve joined them…even if you also happen to notice they are noticing what you brought with you and assessing whether or not you will fit in.
2. When you’re invited to lunch after the first High Holy Days you celebrate with Temple Beth Tikvah and told, “You’re the best rabbi he’s ever heard, you’re smart, you’re with it, you understand people…Now, don’t get a big head about it,” you know you’ve found people who value not just humility but also lifelong learning. You know this is a place in which you will grow.
3. When the musicians who accompany shabbat and holy day services allow you to dub them gerot toshav/resident aliens in order to make space for them to choose to study for and celebrate becoming b’not mitzvah—you know you’re lucky to have creative partners who trust you, and with whom you can collaborate to produce precious, if fleeting, moments in ritual and ceremony.
4. When kids in the congregation ask their parents to set up a meeting with the rabbi to discuss how the holocaust could happen; when teens in the congregation convey that they are proud they saw you at a Black Lives Matters rally or a demonstration calling for action around gun violence—you feel like the role model you strive to be and you get that they are truly always watching what you do and making sense of what they see, reminding you authenticity matters most.
5. When you go on a vacation to Europe and leave the kids home alone because they’re old enough, aren’t they? And one of them manages to get her car stuck deep in the forest and members of the congregation with whom you’ve become friends rescue her and after that drive her to Sunriver to make good on a babysitting gig while her car is being repaired and you only learn about it after its all gone down—you remember the adage it takes a village to raise children and you thank your lucky stars you have one.
6. When you have cancer and the leaders in the congregation allow you to work as if you did not have chemo brain; when a member-friend takes charge of your diet and arranges a meal train to feed you as well as your family; when your ritual partner the lead musician brings her harp to the infusion room on your chemo days and sounds music and vibration that lifts you from your body while the oncologist poisons it—you discover what it means to be loved and accepted in sickness and in health.
7. When you encounter rabbinic colleagues and non-fundamentalist Christian colleagues who pay attention to one another, check in periodically with each other, and lend support when needed—you develop gratitude you’re not alone in a place as a clergy person.
8. When your husband continues to support your professional aspirations, takes care of you so you can spend time giving pastoral and clinical attention to others, and never lets you get too big a head—you realize you could never do what you do without such a partner in life and you recommit yourself to cherishing and loving him in a new and profound way.
9. When your daughters blossom into women and seem to appreciate you and choose to live near you and invite you to get to know the men in their lives and you notice even though you worked hard to not raise “rabbis kids” they each have their own sense of what it means to be Jewish—you feel a sense of accomplishment for a split second then it quickly morphs into profound awe, and ultimately gratitude, because you get to observe and support them in the next chapters of their lives, when they take what they learned from you and improve upon it and do better.
10. When the congregation you serve celebrates ten years of relationship with you and members shower you with accounts of their encounters with you—you commit yourself to continued service because you just can’t imagine being a rabbi anywhere else or with anyone else.
Thank you, Temple Beth Tikvah. I no longer wonder why I do what I do. L’chayim—I raise my glass to the next chapter in our relationship and our congregation’s continuing growth and maturation.
B'virkat Shalom
Rabbi's office hours are by appointment.
Click here to schedule a Zoom meeting.
Click here to schedule an in-person meeting at "Chemple" at FPC.
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Celebrating Rabbi Johanna's (First) Decade of Service with TBT! |
Photo by Stephen Katz
On May 20 we gathered for a very special Havdallah Service at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes to celebrate Rabbi Johanna Hershenson's (first) 10 years of service with TBT. Heavy downpours in the afternoon certainly didn't dampen the spirit in the room that was filled with hugs, touching tributes, a lovely video, and a beautiful service led by Rabbi Sam Joseph with TBT musicians Samantha Winter, Julie Geveshausen, and Jo Booser. Thank you to Kerrie Zurovsky for planning this wonderful night and - of course - thank you to Rabbi Johanna for 10 years of service!
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A big thank you to Market of Choice for donating challah bread every month for us to enjoy at our monthly Shabbat Lights service. |
TBT Board Notes
Next Board Meeting: June 13 at 7 pm
All board meetings are being held in person. Contact Kerrie Zurovsky if you want to attend. Kerriefayez@icloud.com
If you would like to read minutes of previous board meetings, you can request a copy from Board Secretary, Lester Dober at les36dob@gmail.com
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TBT has a Bikur Cholim committee or “The Care and Feeding of our Jewish Community.”
Historically, committee members have organized Meal Trains for those recovering from illness or surgery or following the birth of a new baby. Meals have been delivered to Hospice House for families with loved ones in Hospice care. Rides to medical appointments and physical therapy have been provided.
The committee has added some new members and reorganized to help our growing TBT community. If you, or someone you know, need help following surgery or due to an illness, please contact Suzanne Schlosberg, schlos1@gmail.com, Evie Lerner, evielerner60@gmail.com, or Ari Halpern, aridhalpern@yahoo.com. An email will be sent to TBT members requesting meals, transportation or visits based on individual needs.
Linda Brant, lindybrant@aol.com is in charge of needs for a single day such as a ride to a medical test or appointment. She is in the process of establishing a list of volunteers willing to help out. If interested in helping, please reach out to Linda.
Micah Slate, micahaslate@gmail.com is our first teen member of the committee. If you have a teen who would be interested in helping Micah, please let him know.
And, please, if you need assistance from our community, do not hesitate to ask.
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Social Action Update
Jeanne Freeman
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TBT’s social action program helping Family Kitchen to prepare and serve a small portion of the 3,000 meals they serve weekly is going strong. We’ve split the shifts at Family Kitchen and it is working exceptionally well.
The first shift works from 8:30-11:00 AM making sandwiches and salads, and preparing the condiments and dessert table.
The second shift works from 10:15 am-1:00 pm making the to-go boxes for 2nd Street and Stepping Stone Shelters, serving meals from the kitchen, serving desserts, and staying for cleanup.
We need a minimum of 6 people for each shift, but extra hands are always welcome. Our next scheduled shift is Wednesday June 14th.
If you’re available for June 14th – or interested in being on the monthly “call for volunteers” email – and would like to join the crew, email jgfree925@gmail.com.
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Learn a new game or play an old favorite! Join us occasionally or every month.
The member games club meets monthly on Sunday afternoons at a private home
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July Newsletter Deadline: June 23th
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. As always, you will continue to receive "e-minders" before important events take place.
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Temple Beth Tikvah gratefully acknowledges the following contributions:
- From Stephen & Eileen Katz, in Memory of Harris Katz (Yahrzeit).
- From Anne & Gary Held, in Memory of Alan Held, John Cron & Jeanne Cron (Yahrzeits)
- From Vivian Freeman, in Memory of Arthur C Freeman (Yahrzeit)
- From Vivian Freeman, in Celebration of the birth of grandson Finn Casey to Andrea & Rick Casey
- From Burt Litman & Jeanne Freeman, in Memory of Samuel Litman (Yahrzeit)
- From Larry Barker, in Memory of Dina Goberg & Harold Barker (Yahrzeits)
- From Jan Freeman-Bauer & Larry Bauer, in Memory of Ruth & Lewis Freeman (Yahrzeits)
- From Pati & Danny Boyd, in Support of Jeanne & Burt’s Social Action work
- From Mark & Kathy Schindel, in Memory of Roger Lerman & Aaron Jack Schindel (Yahrzeits)
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
- Rabbi Hershenson Anniversary Fund
- Gary Reynolds Memorial Fund
- Youth Education Fund
- Music Fund
- Special Projects Fund
- TBT's Goodwill Fund
- Social Action/Tzedakah Fund
- 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 June honor the following:
Birthdays:
June 1
- Laurel Fishkin
- Greg Warren
June 2
June 6
June 10
June 11
June 14
- Tim Casinelli
- Maggie Hardwick
June 20
- Levi Friedman
- Yardena Taylor
June 21
June 27
June 29
Anniversaries:
June 1
- Marijane (MJ) Krohn and Mel Siegel
June 5
- Terry & Andreas Hoogstede
June 7
- George & Linda Brant
- Lee & Joseph Henson
June 8
June 10
- Victor & Naomi Chudowsky
- Fred & Joyce Hershenson
- Melissa (Missie) & Mike Wikler
June 11
June 14
- Alex & Sara Charney Cohen
June 15
- Glenn Cantor & Inge Eriks
June 16
- Robin Salant & Erik Jambor
June 20
June 21
June 24
- Mark & Johanna Hershenson
June 26
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President:
Kerrie Zurovsky
Vice President
Cere Fingerhut
Secretary:
Lester Dober
Treasurer:
Mark Schindel
Members-at-Large:
Michelle Mahony
Paul Spencer
Richard Lazarus
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Budget & Finance
Mark Schindel
Program Oversight
Kathy Schindel
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Adult Learning
Mel Siegel
Bikur Cholim
Linda Brant
Ari Halpern
Evie Lerner
Suzanne Schlosberg
Micah Slate
Calendar Keeper
Kathy Schindel
Communications & Public Relations
Kathy Schindel
Games Club
Evie Lerner
Suzanne Schlosberg
Member Engagement
Terry Reynolds
Suzanne Schlosberg
Perla Taylor
Moral Courage
Lauralei Garrity
Music
Julie Geveshausen
Newsletter
Sharon Maier-Kennelly
Onegs
Jan Freeman-Bauer
Social Action
Jeanne Freeman
Venue Logistics
Mark Schindel
Webmaster
Jeanne Freeman
Jewish Community Religious School of Central Oregon
School Director and Youth Group Leader
Noah Chemtov
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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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