june 2013 bulletin - congregation beth israel, portland oregon

June 2013

There is a long-told apocryphal story about the leader of Tibetan Buddhism and the Jewish people. In 1989, so the story goes, just before being awarded the Nobel Peace prize, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama asked for a meeting with Jewish leaders at a Buddhist monastery near New York City. The spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people, who was living now in exile, wanted to learn how the Jewish people had survived nearly 2,000 years of Diaspora. The conversation continued with a delegation of eight rabbis and scholars who journeyed to Dharamsala in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India. Here the Dalai Lama and his guests pondered questions ranging from Divine Providence to the external pressures of Anti-Semitism. The Jews experienced the calm and deeply inquiring mind of the Dalai Lama, while he undoubtedly experienced some of the dynamics and diversity of Jewish inquiry.

Last month, I was privileged to participate in a program sponsored by one of the oldest Buddhist colleges in America, Maitripa College here in Portland. The president of the college, Yangsi Rinpoche, invited me to have the great honor of serving on an interfaith panel with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In a public forum at the University of Portland, before 5,000 people, we discussed “Spirituality and the Environment” from a variety of faith perspectives.

During the afternoon, I had a few moments to meet with the Dalai Lama – again, a great honor. We discussed our shared interest in the interface between religion and science.

At one point, I asked him about the story of his meeting with the Jews. True?

“Absolutely!” he exclaimed with his characteristic enthusiasm.

“So what did you learn?” I asked.

“Your secret is: family,” he said definitively.

I understand him to mean that Judaism’s genius has been to put our attention to the transmission of tradition through our home rituals. We moved from a people who brought sacrifices to the Temple on a single hilltop in Jerusalem to a people where every family table, every family meal is a center of ritual and Jewish experience. It is not the individual whom we put at the center. It is family.

This has served us remarkably through times of joy and times of difficulty in our rich history, and it continues to do so.

But “family” is a word that continues to take on new meaning. We define it in many different ways. And our homes are not always easy or sufficient places to transmit Jewish values.

This is where the synagogue comes in. It is the synagogue’s mission to support our families in all their different configurations, included those who are alone. It is the synagogue’s mission to bring Jewish experiences into our lives and keep Judaism meaningful and relevant throughout our lives. The synagogue is where we celebrate our highlights and moments of our deepest sorrow, all in a Jewish context. We learn all our lives and we experience Judaism all our lives. The synagogue is where we meet clergy who inspire and friends who share our values, connections which make our lives meaningful and are shared throughout the generations.

Together we experience and perpetuate the secret of Jewish longevity.

So says the Dalai Lama.

BulletinJune 2013Sivan-Tamuz 5773Vol. 62, No. 9

Established 1858

The Dalai Lama and the JewsBy

Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana

ON MAY 9TH, RABBI CAHANA SERVED ON AN INTERFAITH PANEL ON SPIRITUALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT WITH HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA

www.bethisrael-pdx.orgPLEASE CHECK OUT OUR NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE

2 Congregation Beth Israel

B’nei Mitzvah Education

Chloe Rose LewisChloe Rose Lewis will become Bat Mitzvah on June 1, 2013. She is the daughter of Scott Lewis and Laura Rose-Lewis, the younger sister of Zachary and Elliot, and the granddaughter of Rabbi Emanuel and Lorraine Rose, Carol Lewis, and Ken Lewis. Chloe attends Catlin Gabel School. Along with partner Logan Bye, Chloe won the

2013 U.S. Nationals Novice Ice Dance Championships this year. For her Mitzvah Project, she is working with Northwest Pilot Project, an agency that works to prevent and end homelessness for very low income and disabled seniors. NWPP uses holistic services that both stabilize vulnerable housing situations and address the root cause of homelessness. This is done with a comprehensive plan for success in housing and supportive services. Chloe and her family are participating in the Project’s annual Walkathon on May 5th, the single biggest fundraiser for the agency: www.nwpilotproject.org/walk-a-thon-news/walk-a-thon.php

Benjamin Sterling SuhlerBenjamin Suhler will become Bar Mitzvah on June 22, 2013. He is the son of Eric and Naomi Suhler, the younger brother of Kayla and older brother of Sophia. Benjamin attends Lake Oswego Junior High School. He has been working with the Portland Backpack Lunch Program for his Mitzvah Project. This agency brings food and hope

to hungry school children who need food on the weekends when school lunches are not available. Ben has organized two food drives, including one the day of his Bar Mitzvah, and in April he recruited 15 volunteers – fellow Boy Scouts and adults – to help pack the food into the donated backpacks. Together they packed 192 weekend lunch sacks, more the enough for the 164 children currently being served by the program. You can learn more about this program on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PortlandBackpackLunchProgram

Maxwell John WinthropMax Winthrop will become Bar Mitzvah on June 29, 2013. He is the son of Bob and Anna Winthrop and the older brother of Jordan. Max attends West Sylvan Middle School in Portland. He has selected to work with the Hoyt Arboretum for his Mitzvah Project. The Hoyt Arboretum is an urban refuge in Southwest Portland

with 21 trails covering 12 miles. Its collection features more than 1,000 species of trees and plants from around the world. It is both a living laboratory for preservation and research and a peaceful urban oasis enjoyed by city residents and visitors from around the world. Max lives within walking distance of the Arboretum and has come to love it, spending time hiking on its trails and appreciating nature. For his Bar Mitzvah project, he has volunteered at the Arboretum Visitor Center, providing information to visitors and performing other tasks, including cleaning. His service began with two shifts in April and will continue with two shifts in May. Max may also do a hands-on project at the Arboretum, such as trail maintenance. Learn more about this great Portland landmark: www.hoytarboretum.org

Thriving through Early Childhood Educationby Deborah KaplanEarly Childhood Education Director

Shalom families! I am amazed at how quickly this school year has passed and what huge leaps and bounds our sweet preschool has taken. This year we welcomed five new teachers who have proved to be professional,

fun, and passionate about education and always willing to go the extra mile for our students and families. All these wonderful teachers will be returning to teach in our classrooms next year, which is incredible! I am thrilled and very excited for next year.

Recently I was accepted into a Masters in Jewish Early Childhood Education program called JECELI. This acronym stands for Jewish Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute and is connected with The Jewish Theological Seminary and The Union of Reform Judaism.

This is a 22-month long program where I will earn an Administrative Masters in Jewish Early Childhood Education. This program is mainly online, but we will have workshops in New York City. I will also travel to Israel in Winter 2014! The support and education I have received so far has been immeasurable. We recently had an orientation at The Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Connecticut. Settled at the base of the Berkshires, this center is self-sustainable and very green. My cohort is comprised of professionals from all over the country. We gathered in a beige Yurt, which we called b’shert for the 3-day orientation. We were engaged in text study, Torah Treks, and getting to know one another in this pristine setting. I returned from this retreat refreshed, inspired, and with new eyes. The experience inspired me to look even more deeply into how I can best support our families, our preschool faculty, and myself in the context of Jewish Early Childhood Education. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I feel so very blessed to be supported by the clergy, our faculty, and the families as I embark on this journey.

We are currently enrolling for fall 2013. Please tell your friends and family! We have room in our 2s, 3s, 4s, and Pre-K classes, but spaces are filling up fast! Our hours are Monday through Friday 9:00am – 12:00pm for morning classes, then lunch bunch from 12:00pm – 1:00pm. We also offer enrichment classes from 1:00pm – 1:45pm and after care from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Next year we plan to extend our hours until 5:30pm! Please contact [email protected] for more information or to set up a tour.

L’shalom,

Deborah

3June 2013

Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award

SANNY SNELL2013 Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award

Mazel Tov to Sanny Snell, the 2013 Rabbi Rose Tikkum Olam Award recipient. Sanny is a longtime member of our congregation and is best known for being CBI’s first Preschool Director. Sanny helped start our preschool in 1982 as head teacher, which led to her quick appointment as Preschool Director in 1984. Sanny nurtured and led our preschool for 18 wonderful years.

Unbeknownst to many, Sanny has been very quietly making the world a better place for others for many years. She truly embodies the spirit of this Tikkun Olam Award.

Her list of volunteer activities is long and impressive, but this diverse list shows that helping families, children, and those needing a friend make up the majority of her volunteer resume. Her volunteer work encompasses the full spectrum of life from her help in the neonatal units at Emanuel Hospital to volunteering for No One Dies Alone (NODA), being present for those without family or friends to sit with them in the last stages of their life. Both extremes are challenging, heart-wrenching, and need the most delicate of touches. She is also a member of the Portland Chevra Kaddisha, helping to prepare bodies for burial according to Jewish tradition. This often involves the ritual cleansing and dressing for burial. It truly takes someone very special to do this mitzvah.

In between these two points in the circle of life, helping children and families is near and dear to her heart. Sanny implemented a parenting program at Columbia River Correctional Institution for inmates and their visiting children, helping families connect and come together in a very heartbreaking situation. She has volunteered at the Family Nursery, a program for abused and neglected young children and their families. She helps at the First Methodist Church’s Family Shelter and the Red Cross cold weather shelter, often spending the night away from her family. She has been an aide for children with severe disabilities at the Providence Hospital Child Center, as well as engaging in weekly play with developmentally delayed children. Sanny has also been involved with Camp Phoenix on Samish Island, WA as a counselor for children who are severe burn survivors. This outdoor experience is often the first camp experience for these children, allowing them to interact with peers and play freely without the fear of being judged or ridiculed. Additionally, Sanny has tutored adults recently released from a state mental facility and helped them to integrate into society.

Continuing with her passion for helping families, Sanny joined Global Volunteers, working with Navajo Indians on a reservation in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains and in Rock Point, AZ, as well as with Quileute Indians on a reservation in La Push, WA. She and her husband Nick

have also made their family vacations opportunities to help others, working on Habitat for Humanity projects around the United States.

Sanny’s husband Nick grew up at CBI, and they joined as a family after they were married. They raised their two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, at CBI and now their grandchildren are graduates of our preschool, making the Snells another of our four generation families.

Sanny is truly an extraordinary woman and role model, giving so generously of her time to others. Her empathy for others is remarkable. She says that she has gotten more from her giving than she gives, this is her responsibility, and she is grateful she has been able to do these many things. Sanny has made a difference and continues to make a difference in the lives of many, making this a better world for all of us. With much appreciation and gratitude, CBI awards Sanny Snell the 2013 Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award.

CBI’s fiscal year ends on June 30, 2013. All dues and religious school tuition should be paid by that date.

CBI Book Group Are you looking to fill up your summer reading list? Get started on When They Come for Us We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle to Save Soviet Jewry by Gal Beckerman. This will be our first selection in the fall.

Check back later in the summer for fall Book Group dates.

The Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award was established in 2006 to honor Rabbi Emeritus Emanuel Rose upon his retirement as senior rabbi at Beth Israel. Each recipient is selected based on his or her involvement within the realm of Social Action or Social Justice.

Rabbi Rose was the first recipient in 2006.

Previous recipients:

Dr. Jill Ginsberg

Beth Israel Never Again Committee

Tracy Oseran & Dr. Greg Coodley

Women of Reform Judaism/Beth Israel Sisterhood

What is the Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award?


Developing CBI

What does it take to become a legend?by Jenat Levison FeldmanDevelopment Director At CBI, legends are people who make an impact on others to the degree that people start talking about the difference knowing that person has made on their life. In that sense, legends are being created at CBI on a regular basis.

Janet Morgan and Mel Birge are primary examples of members who are quickly achieving legendary status. They moved to Portland just a few years ago and made the conscious decision to become community producers and not just consumers. Embracing the concept of creating House Parties to serve as both friend-raisers and fundraisers for Taste of Temple, they led by example and opened their home to an amazing New York Pizza Party for men and their kids. The turnout was spectacular - male bonding was clearly evident - with an emphasis to keep the party going by joining our CBI Brotherhood.

While all that was taking place in SE Portland, over on the southwest part of town Jill Mitchell and Sharon Feinblatt gained legendary status by proving to an excited group of women that Yes, We Can! Jill and Sharon shared their canning expertise as well as their story about how friends can be created when one person simply reaches out to another. Their can-do House Party spirit repeats again in June.

And let’s not forget the Mad Men House Party hosted by Jonathan Cohen and Jessie Burke in early March. Jessie has quickly become a legend, wowing us all with her baking prowess at her Posies Bakery. Impressive as individuals, as a couple they are a dynamic duo, engaging and affecting others. And to think all this happened since they agreed to provide a booth at last year’s Taste of Temple!

Tom and Linda Georges became legendary last year when they hosted two outstanding Scotch Tasting House Parties. Their parties were practically sold out before the doors even opened for this year’s Taste of Temple. Based on the party they hosted in May, the legend will continue.

The Spring Fling House Party hosted by Larry Lewis and Kelly Post-Lewis and David and Tiffany Goldwyn set the House Party bar quite high - and immediately earned these gracious families legendary status. Just ask any of the many families who, by purchasing a spot for this event at our Taste of Temple fundraiser, shared an absolutely fun-filled, get-connected afternoon.

Still to come: The Friedenwald-Fishmans already have legendary status for the way they throw a party. Time and again they welcome our members into their home. Their House Party features martinis and fun; if you want to get in on this action, contact Mel Birge at [email protected]. These are just some examples of how the Development Department, with YOUR involvement, is working to envision creative ways to build community. There is excitement in serving as a connector as well as getting connected; ask any of the legends mentioned above. Either way, it can be a game changer for you and for many others. Join us and become a legend.

At CBI, legends are people who make an impact on others to the degree that people start talking about the difference knowing

that person has made on their life.

5June 2013

WRJ/BI Sisterhood

100 Years and Counting!What a fabulous year it’s been for Sisterhood! We started off the year in our usual delicious way, providing all with Rosh HaShana sweets. But as you all know, we are more than just fabulous bakers! Here are a few of the highlights from 2012-2013:

We were honored to host the WRJ Pacific District Convention (two years in the making!) here in October 2012. It was a memorable three days full of learning, worship, and connection with our sisters of the Pacific District. In February, we held our Centennial Sisterhood Shabbat honoring our “unsung hero” Eve Rosenfeld. March brought us the powerful human trafficking program which raised our awareness and inspired us to help with this serious issue in our country, our state, and our communities.

Coming up in June is a very special Centennial Havdalah to honor all the past presidents of WRJ/BIS, starting with Mrs. Alexander Bernstein (z’l), Sisterhood President of 1917-1918!

It’s been an amazing year, and I am looking forward to more of the same. I would like to encourage everyone to go to the WRJ website at www.wrj.org and read about all the programs we proudly support as Women of Reform Judaism.

Please also visit the Beth Israel Sisterhood page on CBI’s website: www.bethisrael-pdx.org/community/sisterhood. There you will learn all there is to know about your Sisterhood!

I would like to thank all my Sisters, the staff of the CBI office (we appreciate you so much!), and our wonderful clergy for all your love and support which we receive in abundance.

L’Shalom,

Linda Harrison-FintzySisterhood President

Centennial Havdalah to Honor BIS Past PresidentsSaturday, June 8, 6:30 PM

Please join us on June 8th as our centennial celebration continues with a wonderful Havdalah service written especially to mark the 100th birthday of Women of Reform Judaism.

We will gather at the home of Lana Miller, Past President of WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood, to honor and celebrate the work of presidents past and to reaffirm the WRJ/BIS commitment to our future. We are proudly “Stronger Together.” We will enjoy a dairy potluck following the service.

Please RSVP to Tracy at the CBI office (503) 222-1069 or [email protected] and also let her know what you will be bringing. We hope to see you there.

Art Work for Good Works Have you noticed some prints on display on Friday nights? Our dear friend Jeaneatta “Rusty” Sautter (z”l) left some of her art collection to our sisterhood to sell, with instructions that the proceeds be used to fund sisterhood social action and advocacy programs. If you are interested in purchasing any of the works on display, please contact Debbie Braymer at (503) 649-8043 or [email protected].

Toda Raba to All of Our Treasures in Bloom Supporters

Our annual Treasures in Bloom plant sale and bake sale was a wonderful success thanks to the many volunteers and patrons. If you bought a plant or cookie you helped to provide funding for our religious school.

Thank you to Debbie Braymer and Lynn Gelber who spearheaded the plant sale, ably assisted by David Braymer, Charlie Gelber, Katelyn Braymer, Pierce Ethier, Jane Netboy, Kate Royston, and the CBI staff.

We are especially grateful for the support of Lynne Bartenstein and Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries. They not only donated plants from the nursery for the sale but also helped customers pick out just the right plants for their gardens. Additional plants were then donated by Terra Nova to beautify the CBI Cemetery, the grounds of the CBI campus, the grounds at the Robison Jewish Health Center, and Janus House. Dan again was very helpful in choosing the right plants for each of these locations.

Thank you to Daureen Morris and Lois Urman for running the bake sale. We really appreciated the home-baked goods that allow our school children to do a mitzvah while having a snack. Our bakers (and you know who you are) are the best!

Shampoo and Conditioner NeededCan You Help a Homeless Woman?

The sisterhoods of the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver BC) are meeting in Tacoma on July 21. Each sisterhood is collecting specific toiletries. When we meet, we will combine the collections, package them, and distribute toiletry kits to a women’s shelter.

Our sisterhood is collecting shampoo and conditioner. We especially want travel size/sample size containers. If you have a stash of small bottles you’ve collected on your travels, please donate them for this worthy cause. You can also purchase small sizes at many dollar stores and discount outlets.

We have collection baskets in the Lipman Foyer and outside the Sisterhood Gift Shop in the Sherman Education Building. Thanks for helping us make it a little better for women in dire straits.


154th Year in Review By Sydney A. BaerExecutive Director

“ How good it is and how pleasant when we dwell together in unity”

Psalm 133

Oh what a year! This has been a year of celebrations and transitions, as we welcomed and installed Ida Rae Cahana as our new Senior Cantor and Rachel Joseph as our new Assistant Rabbi. We are grateful to Betty Rosenfeld for her generous gift to establish the Rosenfeld Family Assistant/Associate Rabbi Fund, which enabled us to hire Rabbi Joseph. Rabbi Joseph has been a wonderful addition to our clergy team. We also welcomed Rabbi Joseph’s husband Gabe and their adorable son Max, who just turned two, to our congregational family.

We are pleased to welcome 80 new families to our kehila kedosha, sacred community, this year. We were thrilled that so many accepted our “Opening our Doors” invitation and are finding their spiritual home beneath our dome and within our community.

And very thrilling for our congregation, Rabbi Michael Cahana was invited to be a member of an interfaith panel on spirituality and the environment with His Holiness the Dalai Lama just this past month. He continues to be a sought-after leader, resource, and speaker for our community.

This was an exciting year for fundraisers. Cantor Ida Rae Cahana offered to invite her friends for an evening of music titled “Ida Rae and Friends.” This concert under our dome was amazing; she has made some extraordinary friends and connections in her short six years in Portland! We soon learned that our concert was a “preview” of her debut at Carnegie

Hall last December. We thought of this concert as her CBI send-off party! Harold and Jane Pollin and the Sheraton Hotels generously underwrote the lavish cocktail reception. Arlene Schnitzer made a generous matching gift to kick off our Mitzvah Moment, making for a most successful evening. Taste of Temple was the ticket this year, selling out 2 weeks before the event. Over 350 people savored the delicious and innovative samples provided by our 30 vendors. And the preschool fundraiser Like Totally Temple was, like, totally awesome, as our preschool community created an opportunity for us to come together for a night of dancing to 80’s tunes.

Rabbi Rachel Joseph gave a powerful and inspiring Rosh Hashanah sermon on hunger and food insecurity to introduce this year’s Social Action’s call to action. We also welcomed Rabbi Sam Joseph, HUC professor and Rabbi Rachel Joseph’s father, to participate in her installation.

This has been a fun year of Holiday celebrations, starting with a Sukkot Open House Celebration in Rabbi and Cantor Cahana’s backyard and Consecration at Simchat Torah. As has become our custom, we unroll the Torah on Simchat Torah, but it is still such an amazing “wow” as Rabbi Cahana shows us where the 5 books begin and end, as well as some of the more recognizable parshiot. Other highlights include our festive Chanukah celebration and inspiring and memorable Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. service, with the Northwest Community Gospel Choir and CBI’s Kol Ehad and Cantor’s Chanters also participating. And a drum roll for The Book of Esther, our Purim Schpiel extravaganza – check out video from the schpiel on our website. Everyone is still humming those tunes!

Many years ago, our Annual Meeting Report chronicled our year-end committee reports. In lieu of those reports, I want to acknowledge the dedicated work of our board and committees. We appreciate the time, talent, and treasure contributed by our leaders. So…todah rabah, as succinctly as possible and in no particular order. Stuart Chestler, our current President, is the liaison to all things CBI. The Adult Education Committee kept our datebook full with a plethora of programs along the theme of Israel: A People. A Place. A Promise. under the leadership of Susan Graber. Board Member Ron Silver was chair-elect for this committee, as he assumes the chair for our upcoming year. The culmination of the year of study was Rabbi and Cantor Cahana’s leading of a congregational trip to Israel for 35 of our congregants.

The Social Action Committee, chaired by Ilene Davidson, took on the theme of hunger and food insecurity. Under Ilene’s leadership, we created our first annual day of community service on Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. She coordinated our volunteers for the community’s Good Deeds Day, gathered donations for 400 personal hygiene gift bags for the neighborhood Easter Dinner, continues to support the annual Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings served to our neighbors on Christmas Day, and further expanded our day of service for our community with Mitzvah Day.

IDA RAE AND FRIENDS

THE BOOK OF ESTHER

MITZVAH DAY

Our Leadership

Photo credit: Steve Bilow

7June 2013

The Building and Grounds Committee, chaired by Jack Menashe and including board liaison Brad Tonkin and historic architectural consultant Henry Kunowski, have updated our campus-wide capital improvements and long-term maintenance inventory. We have just begun the first restoration project, that of three of our 18 stained glass windows in the sanctuary.

Board Member Arthur Steinhorn chaired our Education and Youth Committee, working to continue the expansion of the preschool, as well as on governance of our K-12 Religious School.

John Epstein, Treasurer, oversaw yet again another tight budget, helping us to maximize our limited resources. Miles Newmark, immediate past treasurer, remains an integral member of the Budget and Finance Committee. John worked closely with Richard Glassman, his co-chair on our Investment Committee, on the oversight of our newly invested funds at the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

Debbie Caldwell and Jill Rubinstein co-chaired our Nominating Committee and have begun to create a leadership development program for our board members, committee chairs, and congregation.

Ned Duhnkrack continues to chair the Personnel Committee and is our newly-elected Vice President Elect.

Michelle Gradow and Elizabeth Domagalski co-chaired our Membership Committee, calling our newest members, creating many welcoming events, engaging our current members, and reaching out to those who are unaffiliated and who hopefully will soon be our newest members.

Dick Solomon and Don Spiegel continue to chair our Cemetery Committee and helped oversee the Mitzvah Day program and cemetery beautification projects.

As mentioned above, our Development Committee, chaired by Linda Georges and working closely with Ted Nelson and Jeff Wolfstone, oversaw the very successful Ida Rae and Friends Concert and Taste of Temple. Ali and Judah Garfinkle and Tiffany and David Goldwyn were the event chairs for our second annual Taste of Temple. Ted Nelson also chaired our Ad-Hoc Library Task Force. Board Member Eric Friedenwald-Fishman was the creator and champion of our Every Family Initiative campaign and the tag line “CBI belongs to all of us,” modeling the importance of asking everyone to invest in CBI.

Karen Kranz and Kevin Hoover tirelessly ushered and coordinated ushering for our Shabbat, Festival, and High Holy Days Services. Linda Harrison-Fintzy is the President of WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood, and Scott Schaffer is President of our Brotherhood. Both auxiliaries are strong, thriving, and wonderful partners for all things CBI. We ended our programming year with E.J. Dionne, the Oseran Family Lecturer.

That is a very brief 154th year in review. We look forward to a very exciting 155th year with our popular Shabbats on the Plaza, Shir Shabbats, Tot Shabbats, innovative fundraisers, further expansion of our newly certified preschool, accredited religious school, a full year of Adult Education programs being planned, another truly amazing Purim Schpiel, a meaningful Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. commemoration, and Adult and Youth Choir participation, to name a few to pique your interest.

In closing, I would like to thank and acknowledge the dedication of CBI’s Board of Trustees, Committee Chairs, and members. I would also like to thank our clergy: Rabbi Cahana, Cantor Cahana, Rabbi Joseph; our senior staff: Ben Sandler, Education Director; Jen Feldman, Development Director; Jemi Kostiner Mansfield, Congregational Affairs Director; our staff: Deborah Kaplan, Director of Early Childhood Education; Mor Kenane, Education Administrator; Jim Baldwin, CPA, Finance Director; Vicki Greif, Accounting Assistant; Dara Docherty, Project Coordinator; Tracy Alifanz, Office Administrator and newest member of the administrative staff; Craig Paton, Facilities Manager; and our facilities staff: Andy Coles and Drew Christensen. We have an extraordinary and devoted team. Everyone works well and hard together to provide the most meaningful worship, experiences, and lifecycle and educational programs for our congregants and community.

IT’S LIKE, TOTALLY TEMPLE

TASTE OF TEMPLE

GOOD DEEDS DAY

6TH GRADE TORAH TREK

Year in Review


Thanks to the efforts of our dedicated clergy and staff, as well as co-chairs James Anchell, Janet Morgan, Mary Scalone, and Julia Waldinger, we enjoyed another very successful Mitzvah Day. Special thanks go to Rabbi Joseph for her leadership in bringing a new dimension to the day. We also want to thank our team leaders who brought energy and commitment to making each project a success.

With projects for every age, over 300 people brought meaning to Tikkun Olam:

@ we sang to and visited with the residents of the Robison Jewish Health Center

@ beautified the CBI Cemetery @ did a neighborhood clean-up @ gave a birthday party for the residents of the Northwest Tower and Annex @ gave blood to the American Red Cross @ donated to the Oregon Community Warehouse @ cleaned and polished at Janus House and delivered hand-made blankets @ cooked and baked for 500 guests at Potluck in the Park @ sorted, stacked, and cleaned at the ReBuilding Center @ donated food and sorted it for the Sunshine Pantry @ held a bake sale to help a child in need @ improved the library at Northwest Tower and Annex @ made placemats for Loaves and Fishes recipients @ created gardens for the guests of Ronald McDonald House @ made and distributed over 300 Soupsacs to those in need

Many of us even joined the Gift of Life Registry for bone marrow and blood stem transplants.

We hope that, by working together, we learned every day can be a Mitzvah Day and that each of us can make a positive difference in the world. As Jews, we are taught that every human is created b’tselem elohim, in God’s image. Every person is imbued with the divine spark, infinite in value and unique. Whether it’s working on a CBI project, working at one of our partner organizations, visiting a shut-in, or just smiling at someone who might otherwise feel invisible, it is both our duty and gift to respect and improve the lives of others.

The photo album of Mitzvah Day activities can be seen at http://www.bethisrael-pdx.org/cbi-media/photo-gallery/mitzvah-day-2013. The Social Action page on the CBI website has direct links to many of the organizations we worked with on Mitzvah Day.

If there is a project you would like to continue or a new one you would like to begin, please contact the CBI office at 503 222-1069 or write to us at [email protected].

An immediate project that needs your participation is Congregation Beth Israel’s tenth annual barbecue for the residents of Northwest Tower and Annex on Sunday, June 23. Volunteers are needed for set-up, cooking, serving, and clean-up on the day of the event, as well as to purchase groceries and door prizes in advance of the event.

Donations of door prizes are also welcome, especially practical items such as household supplies, kitchen utensils, towels, and socks. Children’s items are also needed for the 35 children living in the housing complex. Please call or write to us if you are able to help with this event.

Ilene Davidson, Social Action Committee Chair

Social Action

9June 2013

Where Are You? By Ida Rae CahanaSenior Cantor

If you have found yourself using the expression “stressed out” to explain your state of mind or the reason for recurring lateness or sudden outbursts of irritability, join the club! No matter where you are in your life – a young parent, a widower, a recent retiree, a bereaved daughter,

a transplant to a new city – there are times of heart-thumping, shoulder-tensing, headachy agitation! How can we, Jews of the 21st century, find more peace and appreciation in our daily lives? In a famous Bible story, our patriarch Abraham allowed himself to get worked up to a fever pitch, almost to the point of committing a heinous act which would have shattered him and altered the course of our history. However, he was able to stop himself and with focused attention and calm say, “Hineini” – “Here I am.” It was a remarkable moment of spiritual awakening. Jewish meditation is a practice which can move you towards a time when you can also pause, stop the frenetic pace, and say, “Hineini.”

This year, CBI member Laurence Baker and I have been leading meditation once or twice a month. Additionally, every couple of months, I have conducted healing services with the musical assistance of our members. All of these hours of reflection, chant, and guided meditation have significantly contributed to the spiritual life of our community. There are misconceptions about Jewish meditation, because we tend to equate meditation with a trancelike state, a blissful isolation from the world and its cares. Jewish meditation has the ability to be transformative, bringing a person to a state of joy and inner freedom. But because Judaism does not derive from a monastic tradition, we insist on participation in the world. Jews know that interacting with the world is a component of

experiencing the Divine. We pray with a minyan, a quorum of ten. In the company of friends and neighbors and family, we read and sing and also find silence. Praying is not always fulfilling or easy; sometimes the words trip us up or our worries of the week interfere. That’s why the Hebrew word for prayer is “avodah,” which means “work.” As with anything worthwhile, prayer and meditation take practice. Early this June, there will be a unique opportunity to work at it together, incorporating meditative techniques into our services for a very special weekend.

I invite you to join us on June 7th and 8th with a gifted teacher and practitioner of meditation, Rabbi Margie Jacobs, who will co-lead Friday evening and Saturday morning services. Then stay with us for a Kiddush luncheon and meditative experience. Rabbi Jacobs served as Regional Director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, Rabbi of Temple Beth Hillel in Richmond, CA, and Rabbi-Educator at Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley. She is a teacher of mindfulness meditation and Jewish spirituality, life coach, ritual facilitator, Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor, and Vice President of the Northern California Board of Rabbis. She lives in Berkeley with her husband and two daughters, ages 3 and 5.

Looking forward to seeing you! Yours l’shalom (in peace),

Cantor Ida Rae Cahana

Lunch and MeditationSaturday, June 8

Please RSVP for this event to Tracy in the CBI office at (503) 222-1069. While there is no cost for this event, registration is limited to the first 50 people. Rabbi Margie Jacobs

Congregation Beth Israel Community Tzedakah Box

Starting May 5, Mitzvah Day, we have a new community tzedakah box! The money collected in the tzedakah box will be donated to local organizations that feed the hungry in Portland. Please look for the tzedakah box every week at religious school drop off and pick up.

How did this come to be, you ask? At the first Social Action Committee meeting in Fall 2012, Rabbi Joseph initiated a dialogue about hunger and food security. One suggestion was that congregants and their children bring

canned food whenever they come to temple. An additional idea was raised: a CBI community tzedakah box. After discussions with Ilene Davidson, chair of the Social Action Committee, Sydney Baer, and Ben Sandler, it was decided that a tzedakah box would be created and decorated by Chaya Bogorad’s art students in the religious school.

Why a community tzedakah box? Adults in our community make monetary donations to the temple as well as to other organizations

they support: schools, art groups, political parties, etc. Children generally do not see these good deeds because the parents write a check and send it off. A tzedakah box at the entrance to religious school allows the children to see their parents donate money and provides the parents with an opportunity to talk about why they give money (mitzvot and tikkun olam) and how money benefits the hunger organizations. We hope that when these children grow up, they too will financially support their temples and other organzations. L’dor v’dor - from generation to generation.

The tzedakah box is mobile (i.e., on wheels) so it can be moved, and it also has handles so it can be carried. It gives the children a way to interact with the box each week by pushing it or carrying it. It is made from a recycled wooden box that was originally used to store potatoes and onions and reuses a Scrabble board and tiles. It is truly unique - an “outside the box” box. The religious school students wrote Hebrew and English text about tzedakah and mitzvot, and Chaya then affixed the text to the box and finished it with hamsa hands, which symbolize the hands of G-d. The students decided the inside of the box should have a celestial and planetary motif.

We are so lucky that Rabbi Joseph inspired the Social Action Committee to tackle the important issue of hunger in our community. We hope that the Congregation welcomes this tzedakah box and feeds it with donations so that we can feed the hungry in Portland.

Our Leadership


Mazel Tov to our Confirmation and Graduation Classes of 2013/5773

10th grade Confirmation held during Erev Shavuot services on Tuesday, May 14.

High School Graduation service held on the closing night of Midrasha, Wednesday, May 8.

11June 2013

L’Dor V’Dor From Generation to Generation Chaverweb

Mazel Tov to Bill Royston on his induction into the Oregon Jazz Hall of Fame for his founding of the Portland Jazz Festival and for being presented with the Jazz Journalist Association’s Jazz Hero Award for being nominated as Jazz Producer of the Year both in 2007 and 2008.

Adam Ruben on being selected as a reserve player for Team USA’s Elite Golf Team participating in the 19th Maccabiah, being held July 10-31 in Israel. Adam is the son of Danny and Lisa Ruben and the grandson of Louise Ruben.

Miriam Kohn, member of Grant High School’s Constitution Team. Grant placed first in the 26th Annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals.

Alan Rosenfeld, who was honored on May 8 by Portland Meals on Wheels with the prestigious “Compassion for Seniors” award, at a luncheon with 1,000 people present. He was honored for his 28 years of volunteer service.

Callie Souther on her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles on May 19. Callie is the daughter of Adrienne and Stan Geffen and Calvin Souther, Jr.

We extend a further mazel tov to Adrienne and Stan Geffen and Calvin Souther, Jr. on the May 26th marriage of their daughter, Callie Souther, to Matthew Schulman. The wedding was held in the Temple and officiated by Rabbis Cahana and Rose and Cantors Cahana and Schiff. Matthew is the son of Michael and Cheryl Schulman from Oak Park, California.

Robin McAlpine and G. Chip Kosboth on their May 26th marriage.

Daphna Stadig, on receiving the Song of Miriam award presented by the Jewish Women’s Round Table on Sunday, June 2. Daphna was honored as Beth Israel Sisterhood’s outstanding volunteer for 2013.

Rachel Hall and Kyle Busacker on the birth of their son, Judah B. Busacker, on May 3. Judah was named on May 10.

Barbara and Stuart Lang on the birth of their granddaughter, Sasha Bina. Sasha is the daughter of Abbey and Bob Ornstein and joins big sister Celia (1).

May they grow in wisdom and be a source of strengthto their families and all humankind.

Condolences toIrina and Leonid Koshevoy on the death of their son, Igal Koshevoy, on April 9.

Leslie and Robert Peltz and family on the death of her mother, Ida Kleinrock, on April 19.

Mark and Helene Hutchinson and family on the death of her father, Harris Lavine, on April 28 in San Rafael, CA.

Jill Slansky and family on the death of her uncle, Sidney Garfield, on April 14.

Bernard Caplan, Barry and Barbara Caplan, and Bob Caplan and families on the death of their cousin, Ruth Kraminsky, on May 12 in Calgary, Alberta.

Eric Kellner and family on the death of his wife, Angela Kellner, on May 15.

Chaverweb: New Online DirectoryWe are excited to let you know about our new online directory for our members. About one year ago, we transitioned to a synagogue-specific software to organize and process our congregants’ information and payments. Its newest feature is an online member tool called ChaverWeb. This will be an “opt-in” member directory, so we will need your permission to include your primary contact information in this directory.

You can access Chaverweb from the Congregation Beth Israel website. Once logged in to the site, you will be able to update your contact information as well as look up contact information for any of your fellow members who have also opted in. By choosing to opt in, you will also have the opportunity to access your account information online, register for classes, and make donations by credit card.

Please know that this new site is secure, password-protected, and for members only.

To opt in, please call Tracy in the CBI office at (503) 222-1069.


Allison B. Cohen MadrichiM TrAining And religious sChool sCholArship FundIn Memory of

Stanley SamuelisJack and Celia LazarusThe Goldstein Family

In Honor ofEleanore Rubinstein

(100th Birthday)David and Sally Swire & Family

AlTAr Flowers And oneg shABBATIn Memory of

Fanny KowittArdis and Sandy KowittPauline Bercovitz WrightJerry Bercovitz & Victoria PullmanCharlene WeinsteinJacob Leo KraneSue and Joel KraneSue HalupowskiSue and Jay AlbertIrving KrosnerJean Krosner

In Honor ofDorothy Durkheimer

(Mother’s Day)Mary Kinspel (Mother’s Day)Leah Durkheimer (Mother’s Day)Julie Durkheimer (Mother’s Day)Barbara Durkheimer

Amy r. goldsmiTh liBrAryIn Memory of

Irv TrachtenbergLouis M. RosencrantzSue and Jay Albert


(100th Birthday)Sue and Jay Albert

CemeTery BeAuTiFiCATionIn Memory of

Bonita WeinsteinElaine SavinarLeonard and Babette SchnitzerTom and Mardi SpitzerRose RosencrantzDavid and Diane RosencrantzHenry BlauerGerel BlauerHelen MittlemanThe Abrams Family (Howard, Stuart,

Michelle, Bruce, Julie, and David)Henry H. KavittBenita Shlesinger & FamilyBetty and Randy Rubenstein &

Family

rABBi CAhAnA disCreTionAryIn Memory of

Dr. William L. UngerKeren, Kevin, and Ryan HooverMildred SidellEvelyn and Gerald LeshgoldMelvin (Mel) H. FeinsteinMarian OvitzJudith K. Feinstein & FamilyDorothy MorgensternNathan FeldmanSheri and Lee CordovaPhyllis ShapiroBarbara Gilbert and Miles Newmark

In AppreciationRabbi Cahana, Cantor Cahana,

and Rabbi Joseph (Ben Mansfield’s Bar Mitzvah)

The Mansfield FamilyRabbi Cahana (Lauren and David

Elkanich’s wedding)Joseph and Rochelle StilwellRabbi Cahana

(Leading Israel trip)Ralph and Bobbi LondonJim and Ilene DavidsonMorrie and Gerry Jackson

Rabbi Cahana (Josh Muir’s Bar Mitzvah)

The Muir FamilyGeneral Contribution

Given ByJohn and Sarah Epstein

CAnTor CAhAnA disCreTionAryIn Memory of

Abe WexlerEldon and Carolyn WexlerAnna RichmanJim and Michael RichmanDorothy MorgensternMartha and Les Soltesz

In AppreciationCantor Cahana

(Leading Israel trip)Ralph and Bobbi LondonJim and Ilene DavidsonMorrie and Gerry JacksonCantor Cahana

(Josh Muir’s Bar Mitzvah)The Muir Family

General ContributionGiven ByJohn and Sarah Epstein

rABBi Joseph disCreTionAryIn Honor of

Max Joseph (2nd Birthday)Rabbi Sam and Dori Joseph

In AppreciationRabbi Joseph

(Josh Muir’s Bar Mitzvah)The Muir Family

CAnTor sChiFF disCreTionAryIn Memory of

Sydelle LevineJan and Howard LevineJack J. KarlinAlice and Michael Powell

rABBi rose disCreTionAryIn Memory of

Laila AarnasNorm and Betty Rickles

generAl AdminisTrATiveIn Memory of

Vivian Wilson CohenBarbara BloomTom GeorgesMaurice GeorgesPaul GeorgesErnie Bonyhadi and Shirley

GittelsohnIrving TrachtenbergLeonore WestonNeal and Lisa RosenSamuel RussellPearl RussellJacob Leo KraneJeff and Sherri WeinsteinGussie B. SeresJoel and Sandra SeresSue HalupowskiJim and Rhonda KennedyHyman VeltmanMargo SercuJack HirschKim and Debra Burchiel

Jill newmAn slAnsky eArly Childhood leAder FundIn Memory of

Sidney GarfieldJill Ann Slansky

oserAn FAmily leCTureIn Memory of

Clara RothPhilip and Dorothy Reiter

In Honor ofStanley Loeb (Birthday)Alan and Janet ZellIlaine Cohen

Very Thoughtful People

Check out our newly updated website!With a new year comes a new look. We are thrilled to let you know we have launched our newly redesigned website. Many thanks to Robyn Barbon and behind-the-scenes web builder Patrick Doyle. Take a browse and let us know what you think.

Our URL remains the same:

www.bethisrael-pdx.orgPlease keep checking back for the latest information about services, programs, and how to stay connected.

13June 2013

Herbert Newmark (Birthday)Alan and Janet ZellGail Geiger (Birthday)Ilaine Cohen

rosenFeld FAmily AssisTAnT/AssoCiATe rABBi FundIn Memory of

Judith DreierWilliam Hill-ParksWilliam Lawrence KleinMollie Paulowitz KleinTammy Kramer


(100th Birthday)Margery Cohn and Marvin

Richmond

ruTh semler youTh ACTiviTiesIn Memory of

Sue HalupowskiIrving TrachtenbergStan SamuelisGerel BlauerGertrude SemlerLarry SemlerAlison Senders LangStuart Lang


(100th Birthday)Rose and Mike Baskin

sAlly vidgoFF CAmp kAlsmAn sCholArshipIn Honor of

Stan Loeb (Birthday)Barbara and Stuart Lang

sAnny snell presChool sCholArshipIn Memory of

Helen SvidlowGilbert Olman

soCiAl ACTion (generAl)In Memory of

Irving TrachtenbergSally Rosenfeld and Andy FrankWilliam GittelsohnShirley Gittelsohn and Ernie

BonyhadiDavid LightRay and Dorothy PackouzMarlene JacobyGail JacobySue HalupowskiDavid and Anita AugustLoree and Ken SakaiIda KleinrockDavid and Anita AugustJim and Michael RichmanJim and Ilene DavidsonMarion Press BesenStephen Press


(100th Birthday)Bunny and Jerry SadisErnest Bonyhadi and Shirley

Gittelsohn

Chloe Rose Lewis (Bat Mitzvah)Jill and Rick RubinsteinElaine and Sandy WeinsteinBarbara Durkheimer and Gary

LarsenEllen L. and Marty JacobsBarbara Wolfe (Birthday)Stuart Lang (Birthday)Barbara Durkheimer and Gary

LarsenRobin Marcus (80th Birthday)Ardis and Sandy KowittCallie Souther (Rabbinic Ordination)Elaine and Sandy Weinstein

General ContributionGiven ByLynn BonnerJohn and Sarah Epstein

FoodIn Memory of

Bette Jean LonderBarbara and Howard CohnSue MillerStanley SamuelisDavia and Ted RubensteinMaurie JacobsJulius ZellMilton ZellBeverly and Marty Zell & FamilyBetty EdelmanThe Edelman FamilyHenrietta MargulisDavid and Dolorosa MargulisDorothy DurkheimerEloise SpiegelLeo KatzkyArthur KatzkyMargaret Katzky HassonRoslyn MaizelsSteve, Natalie, and Harry MaizelsBabette SchnitzerLeonard SchnitzerGayle and Paul RomainJeanne and Herb NewmarkLois SchnitzerHelen MittlemanGayle and Paul RomainJeanne and Herb NewmarkHarry MittlemanGayle and Paul RomainBertrand ConstantineEtta ConstantineGloria LonderAlbert KantorJoseph ConstantineSteve and Elaine KantorArthur TarlowSharon TarlowAlec L. BlackHerb BlackIrving TrachtenbergAudre and Les EstrinHarriet SchatzNaomi and Dave StraussDavid LightSally LightVic NudelmanJacqueline R. SpivakJames SpivakLarry DucklerStan and Joyce Loeb

Sadie KaufmanNate ShapiroSusy, Marci, and Katrina HammelLester SeinfeldSylvia SeinfeldDick and Deanne RubinsteinSasha DrutterSusan GersonIda KleinrockMimi and Roland Richman


(100th Birthday)Davia and Ted RubensteinJoyce and Stan LoebSharon TarlowHerb BlackNaomi and Dave StraussSharon Weil (Birthday)Herb BlackLarry Semler (Recovery)James SpivakChloe Rose Lewis (Bat Mitzvah)Davia and Ted RubensteinAlan Rosenfeld (90th Birthday)Carol and David BakerDavia and Ted RubensteinAlvin Rackner (Recovery)Stan and Joyce LoebAnita August & Dana Schwartz

(Organizing Over 50 Dinner)Lynn Bonner

General ContributionGiven ByHarriet SchatzJohn and Sarah Epstein

i hAve A dreAmIn Memory of

Sue HalupowskiStan and Joyce Loeb


(100th Birthday)Howard and Tamra Feuerstein

Temple resTorATionIn Memory of

Leonard SchnitzerDina Schnitzer Meier

urmAn FAmily College CommuniCATionIn Memory of

Edis CohenMarvin and Lois Urman

In Honor ofOur GrandchildrenMarvin and Lois Urman

General ContributionGiven ByJohn and Sarah Epstein

esTelle direCTor sholkoFF Jewish eduCATors sCholoArshipIn Memory of

Henry SholkoffRichard Dobrow, Rachel Dobrow

Stone, and Shasa Dobrow

lloyd B. rosenFeld youTh leAdership FundIn Memory of

Karl S. FreyRosemarie Rosenfeld

In Honor ofLauryn Wilk (Bat Mitzvah)Rohn Goldman & Family

mAy georges sTudy in isrAel sCholArshipIn Memory of

Tom Georges IILinda and Tom GeorgesMay GeorgesLinda and Tom GeorgesRichard Dobrow, Rachel Dobrow

Stone, and Shasa Dobrow

neTTie direCTor liBrAry Book endowmenT In Memory of

Dorothy DurkheimerMark Dohrman and Julie

DurkheimerLillian Lisa WaxMark, Roberta, Blair, and Stephani

Wax

simon & helen direCTor endowmenTIn Memory of

Harold SchnitzerThe Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE

Foundation

WrJ/Beth israel sisterhood Funds

Bikkur holim - hope in liFeIn Memory of

Sue HalupowskiJim and Ilene DavidsonVera Hoffman FineWilma Jane Balick

prAyer BookIn Memory of

Irving AilLouise Ruben & Family

sisTerhood progrAmming, leAdership & enriChmenTIn Memory of

Stanley SamuelisJim and Ilene DavidsonSally Rosenfeld and Andy FrankSue HalupowskiSally Rosenfeld and Andy FrankBert and Laurie Rogoway

In Honor ofEve RosenfeldEleanore RubinsteinLoree and Ken Sakai

Very Thoughtful People


June 7 & 8Laila AarnasIsaac AdlerAdrienne Levin ArnsbergHenry S. BlauerChristopher Glen BrooksEsta BrownJerry CantonPhill CohnEsther DanielJack L. DavisSimon DirectorJudith DreierHedy FarkasDov FeuerAlbert G. GilbertIsadore L. GolbyCharles GreenblattMarlene JacobyJack J. KarlinArthur KatzkySadie Shapiro KaufmanSu KawamotoDelphine LevensonEmmanuel LevinElizabeth LipmanEdith Lok-SchwartzRoslyn MaizelsIsabel MartinMartha Beatrice MartinRoger Seller MeierBenjamin OseranSylvia PaleyMark PlatmanSusan PlattRose PopickMarion Press BesenRobert RaddingMarvin RosenbergMax RubensteinLeonard E. SchnitzerJack B. SchwartzLester SeinfeldNathan ShapiroArthur TarlowMoe M. TonkonWilliam L. UngerBonita WeinsteinIrving David Wilson

Heddy WintermanRobert Stephen WolfBecky ZeldinRichard Zimmerman

June 14 & 15Irving I. AilAmelia BackmanTed BalmforthBenjamin BeckerAlec L. BlackArthur CohenEdis CohenRobert CohenDorothy DurkheimerIra FlitterKarl S. FreyGertrude N. GenecovLeslie G. GilbertElizabeth GoldfadenSamuel GoldmanGeorge M. GoldsteinMorris A. GoldsteinFlorence M. KaneMaurice KaplanLeo KatzkyHenry KavittMaurice KrassSydelle LevineDavid LightHerman A. LowenJames M. MarksHelen MittlemanBelle MorrisonSusan OverbeckShirley RobinowitzDavid RubinHy SamuelsRoseanne SaundersJoachim J. Jack SchneiderBabette SchnitzerBertha SendersJack SheininJoseph ShemanskiEdward T. SigellHattie Sonnenfeld SimonRose SobelmanLillian Lisa WaxJoshua Weiner

Pauline Bercovitz WrightLeah ZavinHannah Zell

June 21 & 22Elinor AdlerKathleen AndrianoffFlora Fleischner BerkowitzIda BrennerTillie DriesenJoseph EdelsteinMelvin FeinsteinVera Hoffman FineMarjorie FrankLeo GoldCharlotte GreenbergClaire GrossmanRobert HartzmanWilliam Hill-ParksJack HirschSylvia HolzmanFlora Velt KirkJacob Leo KraneHelen LautersteinIrvin LaytonDiana Van Straaten LevyGus LowengartHenrietta MargulisVictor A. NudelmanAbe PuzissFlorence RobinsonClara RothFred SchlesingerLeon SemlerGussie SeresBruce Lyle SheininHenry SholkoffRubin B. ShulmanMildred Leshgold SidellRose L. SigellIrving E. SklareJamie StadigLillian SussmanDoris Hahn TreuhaftStanley H. Wald

June 28 & 29Jean AdlerRhoda Aiken

Sara ArnsbergEdith Prensky AshrowEdward K. BergEsther BermanDorothy CohnMary CollinsSasha DrutterSylvia Canton EdelmanWilliam GittelsohnBertha GraberHarry B. HarrisonCaro Wolf JacobsGloria JohnRose KaufmanMax M. KeyserMollie Paulowitz KleinWilliam Lawrence KleinFanny E. KowittBinnie KramerIrving KrosnerCharles Irving KwartlerCelia LazarusAlex E. MillerDorothy MorgensternMarian OvitzAnna RichmanSidney RosenAlex RubinJerome SalomonEvelyn S. SavinarIris Rita ShermanPaul SonnesBabette StraussHelen SvidlowNathan WeilAlan WeinerEleanor WishengradSimon Wolfe

In Remembrance

Senior RabbiMichael Z. [email protected]

Senior CantorIda Rae [email protected]

Assistant RabbiRachel L. [email protected]

Rabbi EmeritusEmanuel Rose, D.H.L., [email protected]

Cantor EmeritaJudith Blanc Schiff [email protected]

Education Department

Education DirectorBen Sandler, M. Ed. [email protected]

Early Childhood Education DirectorDeborah [email protected]

Education AdministratorMor [email protected]

Member Services

Executive DirectorSydney A. [email protected]

Development DirectorJen [email protected]

Congregational Affairs DirectorJemi Kostiner Mansfield [email protected]

Finance DirectorJim Baldwin, [email protected]

Accounting AssistantVicki [email protected]

Project CoordinatorDara [email protected]

Office AdministratorTracy [email protected]

Facilities ManagerCraig [email protected]

Facilities StaffAndy ColesDrew Christensen

Catering Panel

Alfresco Catering by Sheraton503-335-2858Shellie Postlewait

Art of Catering503-231-8185Larry Grimes

Food in Bloom503-223-6819Catherine Hernandez

Century Catering503-849-2605Allen Levin

Devil’s Food Catering503-233-9288Charles Stilwell

Culinary Artistry503-232-4675Jenn Louis

CBI Team

15Congregation Beth Israel

Sara ArnsbergEdith Prensky AshrowEdward K. BergEsther BermanDorothy CohnMary CollinsSasha DrutterSylvia Canton EdelmanWilliam GittelsohnBertha GraberHarry B. HarrisonCaro Wolf JacobsGloria JohnRose KaufmanMax M. KeyserMollie Paulowitz KleinWilliam Lawrence KleinFanny E. KowittBinnie KramerIrving KrosnerCharles Irving KwartlerCelia LazarusAlex E. MillerDorothy MorgensternMarian OvitzAnna RichmanSidney RosenAlex RubinJerome SalomonEvelyn S. SavinarIris Rita ShermanPaul SonnesBabette StraussHelen SvidlowNathan WeilAlan WeinerEleanor WishengradSimon Wolfe

June 2013 Sivan-Tamuz 5773

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 Sivan 23 Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR

Tot Shabbat Service 9:30 AM PC

Shabbat Service:Bat Mitzvah of Chloe Rose Lewis 10:30 AM Temple

2 Sivan 24

Song of Miriam Awards 10:00 AM MJCC

CBI Honoree Daphna Stadig

3 Sivan 25 4 Sivan 26

5 Sivan 27

6 Sivan 28 Membership Committee5:00 PM SBR

WRJ/BIS Board Meeting6:00 PM SBR

7 Sivan 29

Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR

Shabbat Service with Rabbi Margie Jacobs 6:00 PM PC

JND Service7:30 PM PC

JND Potluck Dinner8:30 PM GH

8 Sivan 30

Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR

Meditation Shabbat with Rabbi Margie Jacobs 10:30 AM PC

Meditation Group Lunch/Seudah 12:00 PM GH

WRJ Centennial Havdalah6:30 PM Lana Miller’s home

9 Tamuz 1 10 Tamuz 2 11 Tamuz 3 12 Tamuz 4 13 Tamuz 5

Meditation Group6:00 PM SC

Social Action Committee7:00 PM SBR

14 Tamuz 6

Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR

Closing Day Preschool Picnic12:00 PM Temple Lawn

Shabbat on the Plaza 6:00 PM Temple Lawn

15 Tamuz 7

Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR Shabbat Service10:30 AM PC

16 Tamuz 8 17 Tamuz 9

Camp Omanoot9:00 AM - 2:00 PM SEC

18 Tamuz 10


19 Tamuz 11


Knit-a-Mitzvah 10:00 AM SBR

20 Tamuz 12 Camp Omanoot9:00 AM - 2:00 PM SEC

Board of Trustees Meeting6:00 PM SBR

21 Tamuz 13 Camp Omanoot9:00 AM - 2:00 PM SEC

Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR Friends over 50 pre-neg5:30 PM LF

Shabbat Service 6:00 PM PC

22 Tamuz 14 Torah Study 9:00 am SBR Shabbat Service:Bar Mitzvah of Benjamin Suhler10:30 AM Temple

23 Tamuz 15 24 Tamuz 16


25 Tamuz 17


26 Tamuz 18


27 Tamuz 19


28 Tamuz 20


Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR Shabbat on the Plaza 6:00 PM Temple Lawn

29 Tamuz 21 Torah Study 9:00 am SBR Shabbat Service:Bar Mitzvah of Maxwell Winthrop10:30 AM Temple

30 Tamuz 22

CBI’s fiscal year ends on June 30, 2013. All dues and religious school tuition should be paid by today.

Location Key

HH = Harris Hall BA = Blumauer Auditorium GH = Goodman Hall LB = Library LF = Lipman Foyer MR = Miller Room PC = Pollin Chapel

SBR = Shirley & Herbert Semler Board Room SC = Shemanski Chapel SEC = Sherman Education Center SFC = Schnitzer Family Center

AdministrationOffices & Clergy 503-222-1069Education Department & Preschool 503-222-2037Fax Machine 503-274-1400WRJ/BI Sisterhood Judaica Gift Shop 503-222-1069Beth Israel Cemetery 503-222-1069426 SW Taylors Ferry Road

View our online calendar at

www.bethisrael-pdx.org

Art of Catering503-231-8185Larry Grimes

Food in Bloom503-223-6819Catherine Hernandez

Century Catering503-849-2605Allen Levin

Devil’s Food Catering503-233-9288Charles Stilwell

Culinary Artistry503-232-4675Jenn Louis


Congregation Beth Israel1972 NW Flanders StreetPortland, OR 97209-2097

Congregation Beth Israel Bulletin (USPS 0128-660)1972 NW Flanders Street Portland, Oregon 97209-2097

Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OregonPublished Monthly except Bi-Monthly in July/August

by Congregation Beth IsraelPOSTMASTER: Send address changes to

CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL1972 NW Flanders St. Portland, Oregon 97209-2097

A D D R E S S S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism since 1879

Board of Trustees 2012/2013

Stuart Chestler President

Ned Duhnkrack VP/President Elect

Ilene DavidsonVice President

Elizabeth DomagalskiVice President

Brad Tonkin Vice President

Ted Nelson Secretary

John Epstein Treasurer

Jonathan BargDeborah CaldwellEric Friedenwald-Fishman Ali GarfinkleSharon MeieranJoAnne Van Ness MenasheMark PetermanMarney PikeRon SilverArthur SteinhornJane Vereschagin

TrusteesOfficers

AuxiliariesLinda Harrison-Fintzy - WRJ/BI Sisterhood PresidentScott Schaffer - Brotherhood President

Save the Date!

Summer iS coming! Mark your calendars and plan to join us on the Temple Lawn as we welcome Shabbat under the Portland summer sky. We’ll move the services inside if it happens to rain, but if it’s dry, we’ll be outside; please bring a jacket if you think it might be chilly. Bring your family and friends along with a blanket and your own picnic supper - chairs and umbrellas (for shading from the sun) will be available as well.

Services begin at 6:00 PM.

June 14June 28July 12July 26

August 9August 23

Shabbaton thePlaza

june 2013 bulletin - congregation beth israel, portland oregon

Documents

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dalai lama

jewish values

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tibetan people

secret of jewish longevity