Bulletin April 2014 Nisan 5774 Vol. 63, No. 7 Established 1858
Mitzvah Day 365 Sunday, May 4, 8:30 AM Blumauer Auditorium
It’s always time for a Mitzvah, that selfless, kind act we Jews believe to be a moral obligation. However you look at it (giving back, being a mensch, doing something your mother would tell her friends about), please join us on Sunday, May 4, for CBI’s annual Mitzvah Day – because every day is Mitzvah Day. The Day will begin at 8:30 AM in Blumauer Auditorium with a pancake breakfast flipped by Brotherhood, Sisterhood, and members of the Social Action Committee – all proceeds will go to tzedakah. Then what? Among other activities, this year’s schedule includes: • maintenance and beautification of the Beth Israel Cemetery • p reparation, serving, and participation in a dinner party that afternoon with residents of Northwest Tower (led by our middle schoolers) • p reparation and distribution of soup via our ongoing SoupSac project and the introduction of the FruitSac project, both distributing nourishment to individuals in need • w e will also spread the warmth, quite literally, by crafting blankets to donate to Janus House, while the women of Sisterhood return to Janus House to make their campus beautiful What’s more, the day’s feel-good activities are a chance to get to know new members and others you haven’t yet met, as well as catch up with longtime friends. “Come celebrate the good work we do all year inside our walls and beyond by making this the biggest and best Mitzvah Day yet!” says Rabbi Joseph. Mitzvah Day 365 is a win-win celebration. Connect, contribute – what’s not to love?
Do a Mitzvah with us! If a single person can make a difference through a single act, imagine what we can do together on this very special day! Mitzvah Day 365 is a wonderful, fun opportunity to be a light to the local community, so our goal is for everyone to participate. We hope you will join us on May 4, a day that promises inspiration and blessings for everyone. Let’s show the community what our congregation is capable of when we work together!
Many hands make light work - and multiply the Mitzvahs!
Please check the CBI website for registration and descriptions of activities: www.bethisrael-pdx.org/ community/social-action
B’not Mitzvah
Upcoming Events CBI Book Group
Natalie Robin Dodson Natalie Dodson will become Bat Mitzvah on April 5, 2014. She is the daughter of Jeff Dodson and Sharon Grayzel and the younger sister of Anna. Natalie attends the Catlin Gabel School and has selected to work with Ronald McDonald House for her Mitzvah Project. The Ronald McDonald House serves the families of children being treated at Portland-area hospitals. Any family who lives more than 60 miles from the hospital can stay. RMH provides a comfortable, private, homey setting plus meals and activities, all located close to the hospital so families can be near to each other. Natalie is helping to lead arts and crafts activities for siblings of the patients, and she is collecting art supplies to donate. To learn more about Ronald McDonald House, please visit their website: www.rmhcoregon.org/volunteer.
Layton Belle Rosenfeld Layton Rosenfeld will become Bat Mitzvah on April 12, 2014. She is the daughter of Eric and Tiffany Rosenfeld, younger sister of Claire, and older sister of Benjamin. Layton’s grandparents are Patricia Nemer and the late Mort Nemer and Rosemarie Rosenfeld and the late Lloyd Rosenfeld, who served as Beth Israel’s president from 1979-81. She is a 7th grader at the Catlin Gabel School. For her Mitzvah Project, Layton turned to a very personal subject: life-threatening food allergies. Diagnosed with severe food allergies as a young child, Layton has fortunately outgrown several but still remembers keenly the fear and sense of isolation that go along with the simple act of eating outside of her home. One in 13 children in the US now lives with food allergies. Through her love of science and inspiration to do research on allergies with the hope of contributing to a cure, or at least a better understanding of its causes, Layton has established the Layton Rosenfeld Allergy Research Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation. All proceeds will go toward local and national food allergy research. To donate online, visit www.ojcf.org/for-our-donors/make-a-donation.
Zoe Jordan Shulevitz Zoe Shulevitz will become Bat Mitzvah on April 26, 2014. She is the daughter of Jim and Anastasia Shulevitz and the older sister of Isaac and Simon. Zoe attends Childpeace Montessori School and has chosen to work with Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP) for her Mitzvah Project. CHAP brings the healing power of art to children in crisis through a mobile team of teaching artists working in a partnership with hospitals, community organizations, and schools. CHAP’s innovative healing arts programs reach critically ill, chronically ill, and disabled children and their loved ones with programs that strengthen, encourage, and inspire. Zoe is collecting materials needed for the art projects. Items in high demand at the hospitals are sketch books, beads, colored pencils, and canvases. Learn more about CHAP on their website: chap.name.
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Sunday, April 6, 9:00 AM Herbert & Shirley Semler Board Room Please join our book group each month for a morning of pleasant literary discussion. There is no need to sign up. April’s selection is The Wanting by Michael Lavigne. May’s selection is There Are Jews in My House by Lara Vapnyar.
Music Under the Dome Thursday, April 10, 6:00 PM Temple Please join Cantor Ida Rae Cahana as she welcomes Greg Ewer and Adam LaMotte for the second in this informal concert series. These talented local musicians will play a selection from their newest CD, released on March 25 on the Naxos label. Enjoy a relaxing 45-minutes of music after a long work day. A glass of wine and brief nosh will follow. Tell your friends – this concert is free and open to the community!
Yitz and Blu Friday, April 25, 6:00 PM Temple Renowned American scholar and author Rabbi Dr. Irving (Yitz) Greenberg will be our guest speaker for the Erev Shabbat service on Friday, April 25. Rabbi Greenberg is considered one of the great postHolocaust Jewish theologians and activists and a leading figure in Jewish-Christian dialogue. He is the Founding President of CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and served as Executive Director for the President’s Commission on the Holocaust. Rabbi Greenberg and his wife, the noted author and leader Blu Greenberg, will be in Portland for a special study series, “Reshaping the World After the Holocaust: A Weekend of Learning.” The series takes place from April 25-28 and is presented by the Oregon Holocaust Resource Council. For more information, visit www.ohrconline.org.
Oregon Symphony: Classical Up Close! Wednesday, April 30, 7:30 PM Temple As part of their Classical Up Close! series, members of the Oregon Symphony will be presenting free, informal chamber music concerts around the metro area. Join us on April 30 when they perform inside our beautiful temple.
Adult Education Presents: Readers’ Theater: A Bintel Brief Monday, May 5, 7:00 PM Pollin Chapel Congregation Beth Israel will produce a staged reading of Letters from the World of our Fathers: A Bintel Brief edited by Isaac Metzker. These letters to the editor asking for advice about life in America depict a sense of what the Eastern European Jewish immigrant experiences were. Abraham Cahan, the editor of the Yiddish Forvert, now called The Jewish Daily Forward (still available in Yiddish), began responding to requests for advice in 1906. The column lasted until the 1970s. In 2007, The Forward began A Bintel Blog. Directed by CBI member Sherry Fishman and featuring local actors.
Congregation Beth Israel
Our Leadership
Passover
Poet Warrior by Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana I did not know Rabbi Harvey J. Fields, who died in January, although his name is legendary in the Reform Movement. Rabbi Fields was a poet, author, and activist who led two of the major congregations in North America: Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto and Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. He was known for his writings which remain enshrined in our movement and was one of the writers and editors of Gates of Prayer, the prayer book our congregation used for decades. Rabbi Fields has been called a “poet warrior,” but he was perhaps best known for his response to the LA riots of 1992. Wilshire Boulevard Temple found itself at the center of the looting and rioting of that time, and racial tension was at its height. Instead of hunkering down, Rabbi Fields reached out to his longtime clergy friends in the African-American community and helped to organize a demonstration of racial harmony and peace: “Hands Across Los Angeles,” a 10-mile long stretch of people, hand-inhand, showing concretely how human contact can counter conflict. Rabbi Fields grew up here at Congregation Beth Israel. His sister, Dottie Fields, who is still a member here, sent me some of the loving tributes that were written about her brother. She introduced them to me with these words: Harvey grew up at our Temple, which was his beginning love of living Jewishly.
Our Temple is a busy place with countless life-cycle events occurring – celebrations and comfort, learning and doing. We never quite know who will be affected by what moment or what thought. As we see the hundreds of children in our religious school every week, as we see all the adult learning, all those who come to our beautiful Shabbat and holiday services, it is impossible to know who will be inspired at any moment. But we know that when any of us are open to inspiration, a seed can be planted which can blossom into greatness. When our roots sink deep into the wellspring of our tradition - its wisdom and inspiration - our branches can reach to heaven. In his retirement speech, after 40 years as an active rabbi, Rabbi Fields thanked his congregation: Thank you for permitting me to play so many parts on our shared drama. At times, to be a prophet, a pest, a promoter, a planter, a producer, sometimes a poet, often a peddler, a priest, or a parent and sometimes a player, a pleader, a politician, a hard-nosed pragmatist, or a high-in-the-sky preacher pushing justice, healing, and benefits of reconciliation, love and peace. What a career it has been and continues to be. What an adventure! We are honored that this adventure which touched so many lives was inspired in our congregation. May we be privileged to inspire many more.
Rabbi Fields 1935-2014
Happy Passover! Pesach Festival Service
Yizkor Pesach
Tuesday, April 15, 10:30 AM Pollin Chapel
Monday, April 21, 10:30 AM Pollin Chapel
Please note: the CBI offices will be closed on Tuesday, April 15, and Monday, April 21.
Home for the Holidays
B’chol dor vador...In Each Generation This year, the first Seder is Monday, April 14th. To experience the power of the Passover story—our communal release from bondage—we need a community to tell the story. Are you new to our CBI community or looking to enhance your experience of the story of Passover? Do you have space at your Seder table and would like to invite a guest or guests? A Home for the Holidays is Congregation Beth Israel’s program for matching members with a Seder. Please call the CBI office at (503) 222-1069 or email Tracy at tracy@bethisraelpdx.org before April 4th so that we can do our best to match hosts with guests. All participants will be contacted on or before April 11th.
Crossing Over: A Musical Haggadah Saturday, April 5, 7:30 PM & Sunday, April 6, 2:00 PM Portland State University, College of the Arts Lincoln Performance Hall , 1620 SW Park Avenue Music by: Michael Allen Harrison; Book and Lyrics by: Alan Berg; Narrated by: Rabbi Emanuel Rose; Soloists: Julianne R. Johnson, Cantor Ida Rae Cahana, Kirk Mouser. Accompanied by members of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. Come see Cantor Ida Rae Cahana and Rabbi Emanuel Rose participate in this annual fundraiser for the Oregon Area Jewish Committee. Tickets are available through Portland State University: portlandstate.universitytickets.com.
April 2014
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Developing CBI Release a Better World to the Future by Ted Nelson Development Committee Chair The work of the Development Committee includes implementing the important vision of building an endowment base to support CBI. Much of this endowment will be built through legacy giving by you who appreciate the work of our predecessors and want to help ensure that the impact we make on the lives of others continues into perpetuity. Two months ago, the Committee and staff completed a case statement for CBI. It includes a description of our organization that is a strong and clear synopsis of CBI’s history in our community: Congregation Beth Israel, also known as Temple Beth Israel, was established before Oregon became a state and is the oldest synagogue west of the Mississippi and north of San Francisco. The Congregation is a charter member of the Union of Reform Judaism (formerly Union of American Hebrew Congregations). We stand as a powerful symbol of the early struggles and eventual triumphs of the Jews in Oregon. Since our founding by some of Portland’s most respected and visionary civic leaders and merchants, the Congregation has served as a pillar in the Portland community. When viewing our 155-year-old institution, all of us see ourselves through the lens of history. The artifacts of the past that are still in place today include our magnificent sanctuary, our historic Torah scrolls, and the blue fringes on our Talit. These artifacts are not quaint references to a bygone era; they serve as reference points on the continuum of our past, present, and future.
Reflecting culture changes and demographic shifts over the years, CBI’s programs and values continually evolve, yet within these changes our past is relevant and highly visible. We continue to reach back into our past because our foundation was built by people who in their time worked to make the world better. Each generation makes its small contribution to improve the lives of the next. In my lifetime, I have experienced significant shifts in the tides of justice in Oregon and in the United States. These positive changes emerge out of our ancestors’ work. Each of us has an opportunity to recognize and honor the work of the people who came before us. Each of us can view their efforts as inspiration you can put into action today. CBI builds Jewish souls, and through our shared work and financial support, we create a people who continue the important work of repairing the world. Consider a legacy gift and help endow our future. Your legacy gift is a powerful statement of your passion for CBI and the future of the Jewish people. Work to protect our past, drive change in the present, and release a better world to the future. Ted Nelson Development Chair
All of us, regardless of age and wealth, have the ability to leave a legacy. Your legacy gift of any size can be customized and structured to fit your dreams, lifestyle, family, and financial needs. To continue the discussion, please contact CBI Development Director Jen Feldman at (503) 222-1069 or jen@bethisrael-pdx.org.
Taste of Temple and House Parties Update Taste of Temple We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at Taste of Temple on April 13th! If you haven’t bought your ticket yet, it’s not too late! Go online now to register: www.bethisrael-pdx.org. For those of you with children, remember we are partnering with WeVillage in the Pearl to host our children while the adults enjoy a night out. If you plan to use this option for childcare, please note that space is limited. We recommend you register online for Taste of Temple then call Tracy in the office at (503) 222-1069 to sign up for childcare. Once space is filled, we will begin a waiting list. For CBI members, childcare will be offered for $18 for the first child and for $10 for each additional child (ages 0-12). See the website for more details.
House Parties TOT House Parties are a way to stay connected throughout the year. There is something for every age and interest. Learn to play Mahjong, enjoy the Brotherhood Pizza Party, participate in The Shikker Club Martini Party, and much more. Go online now to learn more about the House Parties and to register: www.bethisrael-pdx.org.
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Congregation Beth Israel
Education Israel Through the Lens of Early Childhood Education by Deborah Kaplan Early Childhood Education Director I have returned from the Holy Land renewed and inspired! This trip focused on traveling throughout Israel through the lens of Early Childhood Education. I traveled with my cohort of JECELI (Jewish Early Childhood Educator Leadership Institute) ECE Directors and Educators. My trip began just 40 miles south of Beersheba on Kibbutz Mashabei Sade (sa-DE). In the 1960s a small group of teenagers just walked into the desert and decided to build this Kibbutz that is now run by the great-grandchildren of those initial settlers. The Kibbutz is thriving and very profitable. Our main focus on this part of our trip was to explore the preschools on the Kibbutz.
We met with teachers and visited the preschools which serve families of children between the ages of 3 months to 5 years. Each classroom is spacious and completely geared towards children. The playgrounds are called “junkyard playgrounds” where the children explore all types of materials from old keyboards to an abandoned car that is set in the dirt. The children are responsible for taking care of their play space. On Fridays, the children sort, organize, and clean the playground to prepare for Shabbat. It was inspiring to see the children managing themselves with little help from the teachers. We left the Kibbutz after 3 days and traveled to Tel Aviv, where we visited Gan Shalom, a Reggio-inspired preschool. We also visited Beit Hamikira (Bible Story House). Here we observed Gan children experiencing a Bible story at an early childhood enrichment center devoted to Bible stories. We also visited a nature preserve and traveled to Neot Kedumim (ancient pastures), the Biblical Landscape Reserve.
The most profound experience of my trip was when we visited a Bedouin woman named Salima in her tent in the middle of the desert. She only speaks Hebrew and Arabic. She welcomed us in her huge tent lined with ornate tapestries, pillows, and rugs. She served us delicious tea out of a huge metal teapot and beautiful cups. She told us her story. Women are not respected at all in her community and never in the history of Bedouin culture have they been respected. She is considered a rebel in her community, because she has an education, drives a car, and stands up for her rights. She has five children, two boys and three girls. Her youngest daughter was with us in the tent during our visit. She wants her daughter to be able to get married (when she is of age) and fears that her daughter will be rejected because she has a mother who is a rebel. Something incredible happed between us in that tent. As she told her story we locked eyes and somehow connected on a deep level. I was visibly moved by her words. After she finished, she came to me and outstretched her hand, and we stood there speaking through a translator. She wanted to know if I was Jewish because my hair looked blonde to her. It is difficult to put into words our connection, but we hugged and cried and hugged some more. I am forever changed by this experience and think about her daily. Life can be challenging and stressful, but I do not live in fear for my life on a daily basis like Salima does. All the people in my cohort collected money for Salima to purchase books for her daughters. It’s with the help of the community that Salima can feel supported and honored. The community does not support her views. My cohort, however, supports her; to me, that is a start. Bringing these experiences home, I think about how I can best support my friends, the families in our preschool community, and beyond. Israelis take action and care for one another on a daily basis without batting an eye. This is something I pray for our community. To TRULY connect with one another and care for each other, especially in times of need. To create a sense of community and support that we all strive for but struggle with how to make happen. It starts with an outstretched arm, a hug, and the desire to be there for one another, no matter what.
We left Tel Aviv and made our way to Jerusalem, where we immediately went to the Kotel. It was sunset and a very powerful and moving experience. I was able to pray there and deliver to the wall the prayers my family and the preschool families had given me. I experienced such waves of emotion and gratefulness for my blessed life. We explored the Old City of Jerusalem in the context of aliyah laregel (pilgrimage) and the centrality of the Beit HaMikdash (the Temple). We even toured the Kotel tunnels underneath the Western Wall that were recently opened! It was incredible, and all the Jewish history lessons that I learned as a child at my Jewish day school in Los Angeles came flooding back. It was profound, and all began to make sense.
April 2014
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Brotherhood
L’Dor V’Dor From Generation to Generation Mazel Tov to Robin and Erik Skarstad on the birth of their son, Holden, on March 6. Holden joins big brothers Anderson (7) and Sam (4).
Brotherhood Annual Meeting Tuesday, April 8, 6:30 PM Henry’s 12th Street Tavern (10 NW 12th Avenue) Join us for the Brotherhood Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 8th. Please bring $5.00 to help defray the cost of the scheduled Bacchanalia, which includes both food and spirits. Brother Mel, who has a thing about getting proper head counts, has promised to buy a whiskey for anyone who RSVPs to melbirge@cbibros.org. It’s such a good deal that many of us have already confirmed our reservation several times.
Welcome New Members
CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL WARMLY WELCOMES LAST MONTH’S NEW (AND RETURNING!) MEMBERS Ben Hartman, Ava Schoen, and daughters Mathilda and Faye Schoen Hartman were drawn to Congregation Beth Israel by their desire to connect to a strong Jewish community for their family. They are particularly looking forward to our many events that are geared toward young children and to involvement in our Social Action efforts. Ben and Ava grew up in Texas and New Jersey, respectively, and met in New York. Both are lawyers, Ava with Tonkon Torp and Ben in the Office of the General Counsel for the USDA. They enjoy travelling, both abroad (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Scotland have been favorite destinations) and locally (to Mt. Hood, Hood River, and the Oregon Coast). Ava sits on the board of the Third Rail Repertory Theater and enjoys exploring farmers markets and Chinatowns in different cities. Ben is an avid soccer fan and wishes he made it up to the mountains to snowboard more regularly. Their daughters, Mathilda (5) and Faye (2 ½), enjoy books, exploring, swimming, and other beach adventures. Mathilda loves to do embroidery, and Faye has great fun making collages. Ilya Karpov, Martha Isla, and their daughters Emma, Anna, and Inna Karpov describe their family as “a little bag of colorful beans.” The family has roots in Mexico (Martha) and Russia (Ilya) and is excited to have their girls enrolled in our Religious School, where Education Administrator Mor Kenane reports that Inna plans to be a giraffe when she grows up. An imaginative child, Inna (4) has been known to create narratives and personalities from everyday objects, such as toothbrushes and forks. Five year old Anna enjoys school and is very artistic, regularly reporting having “a beautiful day” at school. She very much admires big sister Emma (10), who in turn helps her sisters pick their clothes, does their hair, and coaches them in swimming. Emma is herself an accomplished swimmer. A member of the Hillsboro Swim Team, she has qualified numerous times for the State Championships and has placed second and third in the 200 yard IM.
Teri and Andy DeHaan on the birth of their granddaughter, Makaleigh Eleanore DeHaan, on March 8. Proud parents are Alex and Lauren DeHaan. Maternal grandparents are Karen & Wayne Tomei (Santa Rosa, CA), paternal great-grandparents are CBI members Dick & Deanne Rubinstein, and paternal greatgreat-grandmother is CBI member Eleanore Rubinstein. May they grow in health and wisdom and be a source of strength to their family and all humankind. The 2014 inductees for the Oregon Jewish Sports Hall of Fame: Ruben Menashe (football), Jeanne & Phyllis Newmark (synchronized swimming), Roberta Weinstein (gymnastics and dragon boat racing), and Sandy Weinstein (racquetball); and to Brandon Edelson on being named a Harry Glickman Scholar Athlete Award winner. All were recognized at the MJCC Friends of the Center Dinner on February 23. John and Marti Rosenthal on the engagement of their son Scott Rosenthal to Sarah Molinoff, daughter of Dr. Arthur and Kati Molinoff of Ashtabula, Ohio. Proud grandmothers of Scott are Ann Rosenthal of Ithaca, New York, and CBI member Marge Cohn. Both Sarah and Scott are students at New York University School of Law.
Condolences to Madeleine and Jack Menashe & family on the death of her mother, Doris Krys, on February 13. Muriel Berman on the death of her brother and Leslie, Joseph, Lily, and Marjorie Berman on the death of Leslie’s uncle, Don Safran, on February 19. The family of Erma Delman Ferrera, who died on February 22. The family of Janice Orloff, who died on March 2. Janice Isenberg and family on the death of her husband, Benjamin Isenberg, on March 3.
We are also thrilled to welcome returning member Ruth Menashe, as well as new members Kenny and Susan Jacobs and daughters Olivia and Tess, who are students at Portland Jewish Academy.
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Congregation Beth Israel
Sisterhood President’s Report: Sisterhood Has Been Busy! I am always so happy to report on the things that WRJ/BI Sisterhood has been doing and even more pleased that our sisters give me so much to be pleased about! So please, read on:
The Many Faces of Dementia Sunday, April 6 10:15 AM – 12:00 noon Pollin Chapel On April 6, Sisterhood will host a forum to discuss “The Many Faces of Dementia.” Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms can also include changes in personality, mood, and behavior. Dementia develops when the parts of the brain that are involved with learning, memory, decision-making, and language are affected by one or more of a variety of infections or diseases. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, but there are as many as 50 other known causes. Our guest speakers are David Douglas, MD, an expert on dementia with board certifications in psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry, who has worked in the field for the last 20 years; and Shelly Edwards, Outreach and Program Director, Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association®. We will also be joined by Cantor Ida Rae Cahana. There will be time for questions and answers as well, so please come and explore the “many faces of dementia”. This program is free and open to the public.
On Wednesday, February 19th, Beth Israel Sisterhood sponsored a program presented by Girls Inc. during Midrasha. Girls Inc.’s mission statement is “Inspiring Girls to be Smart, Strong, and Bold.” The program was presented to all the middle and high school students beginning with a media presentation in Pollin Chapel with clips from the award-winning documentary Miss Representation, followed by discussions in smaller groups with representatives from Girls Inc., Education Director Ben Sandler, Rabbi Cahana, and Rabbi Joseph. Miss Representation is a film written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom that exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. It also exposes the media’s blatant physical misrepresentation and objectification of women. The program was well-received, and the kids were very engaged and tuned in to what the evening was all about. Next up we had our annual Theater Night on February 20th. A group of approximately 18 theatergoers got together to see Triangle Productions’ MEDICARE-fully Fabulous! - conceived, written, and acted by CBI and Sisterhood member Wendy Westerwelle. After the performance guests were invited to stay for a post-performance reception and Q&A with Wendy. This has become one of our favorite night out events year after year! Thank you to Lynn Gelber and Debbie Braymer for organizing a terrific evening! Friday, February 28th was our annual Sisterhood Shabbat. Rachel Halupowski, our Religious Programming chair, put together a beautiful service led by members of Beth Israel Sisterhood. It was followed by a wine and cheese oneg sponsored by our membership and was coordinated by membership co-chair Shelly Levy, with assistance from Lynn Gelber, Debbie Braymer, and Stephanie Siegel.
Treasures in Bloom 2014 Sunday, April 27 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Blumauer Auditorium Spring is in the air and Treasures in Bloom is back, bigger and better than ever. This is Beth Israel Sisterhood’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Come by the Sherman Education Center on Sunday, April 27, to support our religious school and get a sweet start on Spring: • • • •
urchase on-site plants. P Pick up goodies from our Bake Sale. Stop by the Gift Shop to take advantage of 25% off most items. Pick up pre-ordered plants.
Gift Shop Committee If you are interested in joining with others to figure out the future direction of our gift shop, please let us know. We are in the process of rethinking the shop and want your input. Just send a note to wrj.bis@gmail.com, with the heading “Gift Shop.” Your participation is important.
Next was our annual Sisterhood-sponsored Tot Shabbat on March 1st. The craft theme was of course Purim! The kids were all able to pick out a mask or crown (or 2 or 3) to decorate and take home. There were lots of glitter stickers and jewels, as well as bagels, shmears, fruit, and juice for all to enjoy. Thanks once again to Debbie Braymer for help in coordinating and playing with me and all the tots! Last (but certainly not least), we started the Purim celebrations off right with the Sisterhood Purim Happy Hour at the Hotel deLuxe on March 10th. All of the ladies had a great time. Thanks again to the Membership team for such a fun get-together. Be sure to check out what’s coming up and watch your CBI/ Sisterhood Nus blasts for new events and programming this spring and summer. L’Shalom, Linda Harrison President, WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood
April 2014
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Very Thoughtful People
Allison B. Cohen Madrichim Training and Religious School Scholarship Fund
In Memory of Doris Krys Bev and Stan Eastern Francine Fejes Rhonda, Kenny, and Andrew Cohen
Adult Education Fund In Memory of Hannah Baruh Marcus Horenstein Bernard Kaye Lily Karansky Sivia Kaye
Altar Flowers and Oneg Shabbat In Memory of Anita J. Gevurtz John and Myra Gevurtz Bernice Bloom Lance and Mary Steinberg Ron Tonkin Ruth Philip The Abrams Family
Amy R. Goldsmith Library
In Memory of Isaac N. Trachtenberg John and Barbara Trachtenberg Annette Goldschmidt Amy Goldsmith Neil and Diana Goldschmidt Charlotte Galton Claire and Zanley Galton
Cemetery Beautification
In Memory of Suzanne Miller Marcy Tonkin Joy Alkalay Diane and David Rosencrantz Gerson Neuberger Patricia Neuberger Mildred and Morris Schnitzer Susan Schnitzer and Greg Goodman Dori Schnitzer and Mark Brown Jeanne and Lenny Marks
Rabbi Cahana Discretionary In Memory of James R. Lilienthal Frani Lilienthal
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Jay Albert Miriam Labovitz Sue Halupowski Lynn Rose Fagin Smith Mildred “Mickey� Fagin Rachel Halupowski Ben Isenberg Lisa and Harvey Newman Florence Caplan Berman Janice and Brad Berman Deborah Arron Judith K. Feinstein In Honor of Rebecca Friedenwald-Fishman (Birthday) Bill and Marie McMillen Sydney Von Arx (Bat Mitzvah) Ed and Mona Goldman In Appreciation Janice and Ben Isenberg The Anne K. Wald Family
Joy Alkalay Nick and Sanny Snell Sally Rosenfeld and Andy Frank Bert Neuberger R. C. Neuberger Nathan Brodat Joseph C. Seres Joel and Sandra Seres Richard Machacek Betty Raskin Karen Hirsch John Hirsch Samuel Moment Roger Moment Helen Lachman Eve and Alan Rosenfeld Gerson Neuberger Rosalyn Neuberger General Contribution Given By Bobbie Goldstein & Sue Katz
Cantor Cahana Discretionary
Holiday Celebrations
In Memory of James R. Lilienthal Frani Lilienthal Mollie Lertzman Alan and Lynn Lertzman In Appreciation Janice and Ben Isenberg The Anne K. Wald Family
Rabbi Joseph Discretionary In Memory of Max Kaffesieder Bernie Caplan & Family In Appreciation Sally Swire & Family Tony and Bianca Urdes
In Memory of Joy Alkalay Priscilla and Tony Kostiner
Jill Newman Slansky Early Childhood Leader Fund In Memory of Sidney Garfield Jill Ann Slansky
Landau Chapel
Cantor Schiff Discretionary
In Memory of Sam Menashe Ruben and Elizabeth Menashe Sonia and Dr. Harry Labby Bob and Lore Labby
In Memory of Ted H. Blank Barbara Mills Sandee Blank Stuart D. Karlin Alice and Michael Powell
Oseran Family Lecture
Rabbi Rose Discretionary
Preschool
In Memory of Joy Alkalay Myra Enkelis
General Administrative In Memory of Pearl Russell Jeff and Sherri Weinstein
In Memory of Anne Goldman Rich and Sue Garber Harriet Bodner George Bodner
In Memory of Howard Fenton Scott and Carol Fenton David Strauss Joy Alkalay Robert Blank Mort Nemer Diane Nemer Patti Nemer
Congregation Beth Israel
Rosenfeld Family Assistant/ Associate Rabbi Fund In Memory of Louis Tobin Philip Caplan Tillie Caplan Tammy Kramer Edward Cohn, Jr. Marge Cohn Stuart Peltz Ida Kleinrock Roslyn Rosen Leslie and Robert Peltz
Ruth Semler Youth Activities In Memory of Jacqueline R. Spivak Clarice Lilly Joseph Epstein James Spivak & Family Jerome Katzky Margaret Katzky Hasson Ruth Semler Larry Semler & Family Philip Caplan and Tillie Caplan Barry and Barbara Caplan Doris Krys Bunny and Jerry Sadis
Sally Vidgoff Camp Kalsman Scholarship In Memory of Mildred Friendly Barry and Brent Menashe Abe Vidgoff Joy Alkalay Ron Tonkin Bob and Robin Mesher Benjamin Isenberg Rabbi David Fine
Social Action (General)
In Memory of Elisabeth W. Solomon Mary Willer Dick Solomon Ron Tonkin Pamela and Scott Sidell David Rosenfeld Sally Rosenfeld and Andy Frank The Langfelds Marion Rabiner David and Liz Lippoff Morris Silver Norm and Norma Silver Ben Isenberg Dan Heims and Lynne Bartenstein
Very Thoughtful People Maurice J. Creamer Marian and Neale Creamer In Honor of Sarah Greenblatt (Birth) Evelyn and Gerald Leshgold
Food
In Memory of Ruth Philip Davia and Ted Rubenstein Bunny and Jerry Sadis Bunny Edelson Joy Alkalay Rose Rustin Howard Wolfe Rose Rustin Elaine and Sandy Weinstein Rachel Rubin Pamela and Scott Sidell Flora Freidenrich Esther Flaxman Jane Flaxman Ron Tonkin Beverly and Marty Zell & Family Dr. Harry and Gertrude Semler Jacqueline R. Spivak Ruth Semler Henry Spivak James Spivak & Family Bernice Bloom Wendy and Bob Steinberg Conny Frisch LouAnn Frisch Irving Trachtenberg Pearl Trachtenberg Mark Saul Davia and Ted Rubenstein Jerome Stolzoff Bunny Edelson Augusta Jaffe Elaine Savinar Morris Saffron Ruth Gassner Marie and Paul Lamfrom Sonia and Harry Labby Arnold and Eva Labby Johan, Isidore, and Rebecka Segalowicz Susan Gerson Dr. David Ellner Janet La Rossa Charlotte Friend Lynne Bartenstein and Dan Heims Abraham Bergstein Len and Betsy Bergstein
Marion Bischoff Milton Margulis Nettie Margulis Sue Friedman Gene Strauss Naomi Strauss In Honor of Dana Hunt (Speedy recovery) Beverly and Marty Zell & Family Shirley Rackner (Birthday) Dr. William and Beverly Galen General Contribution Given By Harriet Schatz Ben and Janice Isenberg
Lloyd B. Rosenfeld Youth Leadership Fund
I Have A Dream
In Memory of Dr. Elmer Hoffman Dr. William and Beverly Galen
In Memory of Jacqueline R. Spivak Henry Spivak Ruth Semler James Spivak & Family Essie Matin Ronald Matin Mr. and Mrs. Harry Glickman Larry Winthrop Paul and Sherry Puziss Hana E. Lewis Kathleen Lewis In Honor of Ron Blumenthal (Birthday) Barbara and Barry Caplan
In Memory of Morton Nemer Diane Nemer Doris Krys Eric, Tiffany, Claire, Layton, and Ben Rosenfeld In Honor of Eric Berniker (Bar Mitzvah) Natalie Dodson (Bat Mitzvah) Layton Rosenfeld
May Georges Study in Israel Scholarship
Nettie Director Library Book Endowment In Memory of Sam Shaia Director Stuart and Nikki Director In Honor of Gloria Olds (Recovery) Shirley Rackner (80th Birthday) Stuart and Nikki Director
Simon & Helen Director Endowment
Temple Improvement
In Memory of Manuel Schnitzer The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
In Memory of Clara Heilner Rosalyn Neuberger
Temple Endowment
Urman Family College Communication
In Honor of David Lipman (Speedy recovery) John and Marti Rosenthal
Heims Family Youth Activities Endowment
In Memory of Joy Alkalay Bunny and Jerry Sadis Edith Maizels Richard and Harriet Maizels Ben Isenberg Alan and Lana Miller
WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood Funds
Bikkur Holim - Hope in Life
In Memory of Samuel T. Mayer Wilma Jane Mayer Balick Wilma Jane Perlman Mary Perlman Eugene Bartenstein Lynne Bartenstein and Dan Heims
Prayer Book
In Memory of Joy Alkalay Rachel Halupowski Sybil Samuels Ilaine Cohen Stuart Cohen & Family Stacie and Mike Jolly Philip and Tillie Caplan Bernie Caplan & Family Ben Isenberg Lisa and Harvey Newman Frank and Bonnie Nusser Miriam Cohen Margulies Joyce and Stan Loeb & Family
Service to the Blind
In Memory of Gladys G. Trachtenberg John and Barbara Trachtenberg Regina Light Sally Light Molly Handelman Irv Handelman
Sisterhood Programming, Leadership & Enrichment In Memory of Howard Wolfe Doris Woolley Sally Rosenfeld and Andy Frank Genevieve Himelstein David and Shawn Looney
In Memory of Earl Heims Celia Heims Dan Heims and Lynne Bartenstein Charlotte Stern Rick and Kay Stern
CBI Team Senior Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana rabbicahana@bethisrael-pdx.org Senior Cantor Ida Rae Cahana cantorcahana@bethisrael-pdx.org Assistant Rabbi Rachel L. Joseph rabbijoseph@bethisrael-pdx.org Rabbi Emeritus Emanuel Rose, D.H.L., D.D. rabbirose@bethisrael-pdx.org Cantor Emerita Judith Blanc Schiff cantor@bethisrael-pdx.org
Education Department Education Director Ben Sandler, M. Ed. ben@bethisrael-pdx.org Early Childhood Education Director Deborah Kaplan deborah@bethisrael-pdx.org Education Administrator Mor Kenane mor@bethisrael-pdx.org Member Services Executive Director Sydney A. Baer sydney@bethisrael-pdx.org
Development Director Jen Feldman jen@bethisrael-pdx.org
Office Administrator Tracy Alifanz tracy@bethisrael-pdx.org
Art of Catering 503-231-8185 Larry Grimes
Congregational Affairs Director Jemi Kostiner Mansfield jemi@bethisrael-pdx.org
Facilities Manager Craig Paton craig@bethisrael-pdx.org
Food in Bloom 503-223-6819 Catherine Hernandez
Finance Director Jim Baldwin, CPA jim@bethisrael-pdx.org
Facilities Staff Andy Coles Drew Christensen
Century Catering 503-849-2605 Allen Levin
Accounting Assistant Vicki Greif vicki@bethisrael-pdx.org
Catering Panel
Devil’s Food Catering 503-233-9288 Charles Stilwell
Project Coordinator Dara Docherty dara@bethisrael-pdx.org
April 2014
Alfresco Catering by Sheraton 503-335-2858 Shellie Postlewait
Culinary Artistry 503-232-4675 Jenn Louis
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In Remembrance ~ May their memory be for a blessing. April 4 & 5 William Barde* Eugene Bartenstein Abraham Bergstein Frances Bick Marion Bischoff Anita Bogorad Louis Braunstein* Robert Canter Philip Caplan Tillie Caplan Maurice J. Creamer Samuel B. Dobrow Virginia East David Ellner Richard Enkelis Mollie S. Epstein Milton Falbel Magarete Feibelman Max Goldberg Esther F. Goldsmith* Morton J. Goodman Sue Halupowski* Irene Harris Celia Heims Karen Hirsch Clara Hochfeld Augusta Jaffe* Max Kaffesieder* Phillip Kaplan Lily Karansky Stuart D. Karlin Jerome Katzky Jerome M. Kutner Harry Labby Sonia Labby Milton Margulis* Nettie Margulis Asher Melzer Sam Menashe Albert Oziel Morris Paley Hugh M. Patinkin Stuart Peltz Ben Pelz Donald Post Adrian Rabau Fanny Restein Betty Rosenfeld Sybil Samuels* Mark Saul Abraham Shapiro Lynne Rose Fagin Smith Alice R. Stenger* Harold Stern Sophie Posner Tenzer Irving Trachtenberg Belle Treuhaft
Rose Leveton Unkeles Philip Weinstein* Rosella Werlin Joel Irwin Wolff April 11 & 12 Edith Alexander Theodore C. Andrianoff Robert Bath Yetta Beck* Eleanor Payne Bergman Florence Caplan Berman Lena Rosenblatt Bromberg Shelby Clark Vivian Wilson Cohen Fannie Eisenberg George Epstein Mildred Fagin Marc Feidelson Francine Fejes Rose Fischback Sue B. Friedman Mildred Friendly Cindy Gadye Molly Handelman Judy Rogel Hickox Israel Klein Igal L. Koshevoy Helen Lachman Leah Gerst Lowengart* Harry Maizels Ronald Matin Sam Menashe Mose M. Mesher* Arnold Meyer Harry Reingold* Roslyn Rosen Leah Rosenbaum Johan, Isidor and Rebecka Segalowicz* Ruth Ellen Semler* Joseph Seres Sam Shapiro Mark Sinclair Adeline Sokolsky Elisabeth W. (Libby) Solomon* Minnie Stern Jerome S. Stolzoff Thomas Stoner Jack Tinkleman Gladys Trachtenberg Abe F. Vidgoff* Dorothy Weisfield Don R. Williams Nathan Wise* Elizabeth Zacks Harry W. Zavin Milton Zell
April 18 & 19 Deborah Arron Bertha E. Baron* Bertha Bettman* Zerline Blattner Bernice B. Bloom* Harriet Bodner Sanford C. Brant* Louis S. (Bud) Brenner Nathan Brodat George L. Campf* Barbara Cartwright Sophia Chaimov Bertrand H. Constantine Alvin Donald Davis Jacob J. Enkelis* Harry Fischback Conny J. Frisch Charlotte Galton Sidney Garfield Harold Heldfond Sadie Helman* Ida Kleinrock Morris Kunowski Hana E. Lewis* Regina Light Carl Lubliner Leon Maniloff Miriam Cohen Margulies Essie Matin Mary Mayer* Samuel T. Mayer* Rose Naftalin Gerson Neuberger* Mariam Neuwelt Rita Oroshnik Pearl (Pat) Orr Mollie Rosen Jack Sadis Gary W. Samuelis Pearl Schlesinger Walli Schlesinger* Morris Schnitzer* Ruth B. Segal Evelyn Shapiro Isadore Shemanski* Bess Steiner Gene Marie Strauss Wanda Sullivan Herbert L. Swett* John F. (Jack) Tarpey Alan Tell Belle S. Weil* Ralph Weintraub Harold F. Wendel Jerome Zeidman
April 25 & 26 Larry Backer Lester Sidney Baskin Edward Cohn, Jr. Jennie Cohn* Sigfried Crohn* Annie Director Florence Feldman Marcel Flaxman Syril Garfinkle Isidor Gideon* Alan Goldsmith Clara Heilner* Anna Herzog* Genevieve Himelstein* Arnold Hoffman Norma Ruth Olman Horenstein* Bernard Kaye Alison Senders Lang Mollie Lertzman David Leveton* Stanley B. Lewis George Litow Sol G. Lubliner* Richard Machacek Edith Maizels Barbara Friedman Mills Samuel Moment Leslie Moses Rose Novich Debra Cohn Nudelman Marion Rabiner David J. Rosen Maurice J. Roth Morris Saffron Mildred Markus Schnitzer* Norman Seltzer Charlotte Stern* Barbara Sternberg* Kathleen M. Sugarman Eileen Treuhaft Mary Willer
(*) next to a name indicates a memorial plaque has been purchased to ensure the beloved departed is remembered in perpetuity. For information about memorial plaques in the Temple, please contact Jemi Kostiner Mansfield at (503) 222-1069 or jemi@bethisrael-pdx.org.
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Congregation Beth Israel
April 2014 SUNDAY
Nisan 5774 MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
7 Nisan 7
Book Group 9:00 AM SBR
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1 Nisan 1
2 Nisan 2
3 Nisan 3
4 Nisan 4
1 Nisan 5
Committee Chairs Meeting 6:00 PM SBR
Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC
Adult Education Meeting 8:30 AM SBR
Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR
Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR
Alef Bet Class with Cantor Schiff 6:00 PM LB
IHP 4:30 PM SEC
Shabbat Service 6:00 PM PC
Tot Shabbat Service 9:30 AM PC
WRJ/BIS Board Meeting 6:30 PM SBR
JND Shabbat Service 7:30 PM PC
Shabbat Service: Bat Mitzvah of Natalie Dodson 10:30 AM Temple
10 Nisan 10
11 Nisan 11
12 Nisan 12
No Preschool
Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR
TOT 6:30 PM SBR
6 Nisan 6
THURSDAY
8 Nisan 8
9 Nisan 9
Meditation Group 7:30 PM SC
Education & Youth Committee Executive Committee 11:45 AM SBR 12:00 PM SBR
Religious School/ B’nei Mitzvah 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC Alef Bet Class with Cantor Schiff 6:00 PM LB
2nd Grade Family Program: Pesach 10:00 AM BA
Social Action Meeting 7:00 PM SBR
Sisterhood Program: Many Faces of Dementia 10:15 AM PC
No IHP Classes
Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR
Music Under the Dome 6:00 PM Temple
Shir Shabbat Service 6:00 PM Temple
Shabbat Service: Bat Mitzvah of Layton Rosenfeld 10:30 AM Temple
JND Board Meeting 7:00 PM SBR
Kol Echad Choir Rehearsal 11:30 AM BTB
13 Nisan 13
14 Nisan 14
15 Nisan 15
16 Nisan 16
17 Nisan 17
18 Nisan 18
19 Nisan 19
Religious School/ B’nei Mitzvah 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Pesach begins: 1st Seder
Pesach: Offices Closed
No Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC
IHP 4:30 PM SEC
Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR
Torah Study 9:00 AM SBR
Special Needs Seder 5:30 PM 1/2 GH
Shabbat Service 6:00 PM PC
Shabbat Morning Service 10:30 AM PC
Board of Trustees Meeting 6:15 PM SBR
7th and 8th Grade Shul-In
23 Nisan 23
24 Nisan 24
25 Nisan 25
26 Nisan 26
Knit-a-Mitzvah 10:00 AM SBR
Adult Education Committee 8:30 AM SBR
Mah Jongg 10:00 AM SBR
Torah Study 9:00 am SBR
Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC
IHP 4:30 PM SEC
Alef Bet Class with Cantor Schiff 6:00 PM LB
TOT House Party: Mah Jongg 7:00 PM
Shabbat Service Shabbat Morning Service : 6:00 PM Temple Bat Mitzvah of Zoe Shulevitz Guest speakers: 10:30 AM Temple Rabbi Yitz and Blu Greenberg
Pesach Festival Service 10:30 AM PC
ECE Pesach/Garden Party 9:30 AM Potluck in the Park Baking 10:00 AM BA Kitchen Kol Echad Choir Rehearsal 11:30 AM BTB
Taste of Temple 5:00 PM Castaway
20 Nisan 20
21 Nisan 21
Religious School/ B’nei Mitzvah 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Yizkor Pesach: Offices Closed Meditation Group 7:30 PM SC Yizkor Pesach 10:30 AM PC
Kol Echad Choir Rehearsal 11:30 AM BTB
27 Nisan 27 Treasures in Bloom Plant & Bake Sale 9:00 AM BA Religious School/ B’nei Mitzvah 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM Brotherhood/Social Action Speaker: Wendy Rosen, AIPAC 10:30 AM MR
28 Nisan 28
22 Nisan 22
29 Nisan 29
30 Nisan 30 Midrasha 5:30 PM SEC Alef Bet Class with Cantor Schiff 6:00 PM LB TOT House Party: Something to Savor 7:00 PM
Administration Offices & Clergy Education Department & Preschool Fax Machine WRJ/BI Sisterhood Judaica Gift Shop Beth Israel Cemetery 426 SW Taylors Ferry Road
503-222-1069 503-222-2037 503-274-1400 503-222-1069 503-222-1069
Kol Echad Choir Rehearsal 11:30 AM BTB
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
View our calendar and campus map online at
www.bethisrael-pdx.org Congregation Beth Israel
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Congregation Beth Israel
1972 NW Flanders Street Portland, OR 97209-2097
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 594
Board of Trustees 2013/2014 Officers
Trustees
Stuart Chestler President
Jonathan Barg Eric Friedenwald-Fishman Ali Garfinkle Linda Georges Sharon Meieran Joanne Van Ness Menashe Mark Peterman Marney Pike Ron Silver Arthur Steinhorn
Ned Duhnkrack VP/President Elect Deborah Caldwell Vice President Ilene Davidson Vice President Brad Tonkin Vice President Ted Nelson Secretary John Epstein Treasurer
Auxiliaries Linda Harrison - WRJ/BI Sisterhood President Bob Winthrop - Brotherhood President
Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism since 1879
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Congregation Beth Israel