Coming Events at Beit Haverim April 2015 Rabbi Alan Berg
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Confirmation Class
6:00PM
Cantorial Soloist Ann Brown
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Congregational Passover Seder Celebrate Conference Center
6:00PM
Shabbat Services Fridays at 7:00 p.m. at Beit Haverim 1111 Country Club Rd. Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Religious School Hebrew School
2:30PM 4:30PM
BH BH
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Passover Morning Service
10:00AM
BH
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Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Berg and Ann Brown & Birthday Blessings
7:00PM
BH
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Torah Study led by Rabbi Berg
10:00AM
BH
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Religious School Board of Trustees Meeting Hebrew School
2:30PM 2:30PM 4:30PM
BH BH BH
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Shabbat Service led by Gabe HunterBernstein and Ann Brown
7:00PM
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Email : office@beithav.org
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Bar Mitzvah of Caden Ellertson
10:00AM
BH
Website www.beithav.org
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Religious School Hebrew School
2:30PM 4:30PM
BH BH
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Confirmation Class
6:00PM
BH
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Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Berg and Ann Brown
7:00PM
BH
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Bat Mitzvah of Matigan Williams
10:00AM
BH
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Religious School Hebrew School
2:30PM 4:30PM
BH BH
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 311 Lake Oswego OR 97034 Rabbi’s Hours: by appointment
Phone: 503-568-1241
BH
Beit Haverim is an open, inviting, and spiritually alive Jewish community, located just outside of Portland, Oregon in Lake Oswego. We welcome everyone to our Reform congregation of Jews by birth, Jews by choice and Jews at heart.
From Rabbi Alan Berg Dear Friends, Passover is God’s call to the Jewish people for humility. Most of this emphasis is found in the matzah. It’s not the most humble food there is, some of this glutenfree rubble I’ve been eating is a lot more humble. But nothing looks more humble than matzah. Matzah! Not chocolate, garlic flavored, schmura or whole wheat. That stuff is about as humble as a Starbucks scone. Just regular matzah. The matzah is there is remind us each day that the path to crossing the Red Sea on the 7th day of Passover, begins by finding evenness and gentleness within ourselves, and to use that authority to join hands with others to do mitzvoth. The other foods of the seder are all a part of this core vision of humility. Egg, salt water; about the most Rubik’s cuby of the seder foods is charoset. Jews grab onto that with passion and compare charoset recipes as if they are critics of Picassos’ last work. Somewhere around the afternoon of the 4th day of Passover we often feel a desire to totally break out of this prison of humility and have an extra large pizza. Probably me just mentioning it here is already getting you looking up the local Pizzicato. The fact that Pizzicato was founded by a cantor will not excuse you. Passover observance requires seven days of matzah. It’s that simple. The seventh day of Passover is the day of the crossing of the Red Sea. We will fulfill the mitzvah of reading the Torah’s song of the Crossing of the Red Sea, and reciting Kaddish for those temple members, or others in our families and communities who have passed away since last Passover, at our Passover morning service at 10 am on Friday morning the 10th of April. I hope that you will have a lovely Pesach. b’Shalom.
Rabbi Berg April, 2015
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Letter From Our President, Sue Greenspan Spring has just arrived. Buds popping, birds singing, and Beit Haverim is caught up in the renewal of life. April through June will be a very busy time in the life of our temple. Please join the congregation as we celebrate so many wonderful family events, life cycle events, and just plain fun events. Our Congregational Seder is just days away. Now is your last chance to RSVP to the Seder led by Rabbi Alan Berg and Cantor Ann Brown. All are welcome. Starting in April we have two B’nai Mitzvah. On April 18 Caden Ellertson will be called to the bima, followed by Matigan Williams on April 25. The entire congregation is invited to join these two young congregants as they become Son and Daughter of the Commandments. Both students have attended religious and Hebrew school for many years and will take their place as leaders of the congregation. The May 2nd Saturday Shabbat service will be led by 5 women, also joining the congregation as Daughters of the Commandments. Karin Stolz, Robin Kay, Suzanne Causer, Hannah Berkowitz, and Suzanne Greenspan will be called to the Torah as they become adult B’nai Mitzvah. Like their 13-year old counterparts, these women have had to learn to read Hebrew, study the Torah, and give D’Var Torahs. This is the first adult B’nai Mitzvah in many years at Beit Haverim. Please plan on spending the morning with us as we welcome these women as Daughters of the Commandments. Abby Cohen, Juliana Sahni, and Matthew Macovsky will become Confirmands on Friday evening, June 12th. A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is the beginning of Jewish learning, and Confirmation is another step in Jewish education. These students have spent 2 years since their Bar/Bat Mitzvah studying the Torah in depth under the tutelage of Rabbi Berg. Please join these young Jewish scholars as they take yet another important step in Jewish learning. The Beit Haverim Congregational Meeting will coincide with the last day of religious school, May 3rd at 3:30pm. For those of you who have not attended a congregational meeting, it is an important event, somewhat like a shareholders meeting for the congregation. You will get an overview of what the Board of Trustees has accomplished this year. Presentations will be made by the president and other board members, and the bylaws will be amended. Please come and ask questions about what’s happening at our congregation, as well as give the board your input. The Annual Spaghetti Dinner will follow the congregational meeting. It’s the kick-off event for summer! Enjoy a delicious dinner of spaghetti, salad, bread, and homemade desserts. After dinner, play rousing games of Bingo! B’Shalom Sue Greenspan
April, 2015
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April Events Beit Haverim Congregational Passover Seder led by Rabbi Alan Berg and Cantorial Soloist Ann Brown Saturday, April 4th The 2nd night of Passover Check in begins at 5:30 pm Seder begins at 6:00 pm, with dinner to follow. Celebrate Conference Center 15555 Bangy Rd, #100 Lake Oswego, OR Registration is closed.
Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Berg and Ann Brown Birthday Blessings! Friday, April 10, 7:00PM Join us for Shabbat Service led by Rabbi Berg and Ann Brown. We will also be celebrating our April birthdays with a special blessing and a treat for those celebrating a birthday this month. Please bring a dessert to share at the oneg.
April, 2015
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Bar Mitzvah of Caden Ellertson Bar Mitzvah of Caden Ellertson Saturday, April 18, 10:00 AM My name is Caden Ellertson and I am having my Bar Mitzvah on April 18. My Mitzvah project is about stroke awareness and the importance of understanding the warning signs. I became interested in this subject because my Aunt had a stroke 8 months ago. Everyone was extremely surprised that she had a stroke since she is young (in her 50’s) and is physically healthy. No one in my family had experienced a stroke before she had hers. Before she had her stroke I did not know much about a stroke, what it was or how it affected a person. I thought you had to be much older than my Aunt. But I found out lots of information talking with her and doing research on strokes. One of the most important things to know about a stroke is that you have to act fast when it starts. Below is a great way to tell if someone may be having a stroke. A stroke happens when a part of the brain dies from lack of blood, usually because one of the arteries that supply oxygen-carrying blood to the brain has been damaged. Stroke is a common and often misunderstood condition and its early symptoms are often ignored. Some brain cells deprived of oxygen die within minutes. Others may take a few hours to die depending on the nature of the blockage or hemorrhage. When part of the brain dies from lack of blood flow, the part of the body it controls is affected. Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems. The loss of physical and mental functions is often permanent and can include motor-function disability. The most effective treatment for stroke can be administered if it is within three hours of the onset of stroke but to receive them, one must recognize the warning signs and act quickly. My project turned out to be more of a way for me to understand what my Aunt went through and the courage she had to get better. My whole family helped her and was with her every bit of the way to help her recover. She has had a positive attitude and worked very hard. Watching her determination has been a very good lesson for me on how to get through a very hard time in your life. Everyone is Welcome! All members are encouraged to attend any and all B’nai Mitzvah at Beit Haverim. Don’t wait for an invitation to feel welcome, as it is our responsibility as fellow community members to support our Jewish youth as they reach this important rite of passage into Jewish adulthood.
April, 2015
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Bat Mitzvah of Matigan Williams Bat Mitzvah of Matigan Williams Saturday, April 25, 10:00 AM My name is Matigan Williams. I am in seventh grade at Lakeridge Junior High School and live in Lake Oswego. My parents are Gabrielle and David Williams. I have one brother, Tate, who is eight years old. I also have a gold fish named Bob. My family and I have been members at Beit Haverim for 12 years and I have attended Religious School since first grade. I will become a Bat Mitzvah on April 25. My Torah portion is Leviticus 14:1 – 14:18 and my Haftorah is from the book of Kings. When I am not at school or synagogue, I spend most of my time at Lake Oswego Academy of Dance, and am a member of the Performing Company. I am the best at tap, which is also my favorite. I love going to baseball games, whether triple A games or major league games. My favorite team is the San Francisco Giants and my family and I like to visit professional baseball stadiums. In the summer, I love swimming in Oswego Lake and hanging out with my friends at the swim park. I love to travel. Since I was little I have traveled all over the country and parts of the world. I have been to Fiji, Australia, England, France, Germany, Canada, and many states in the U.S. I also enjoy downhill skiing, biking, and paddle boarding. Part of my preparation for my Bat Mitzvah has been doing a mitzvah project. I collected used dance shoes for The Aspire Project (www.theaspireproject.org) in Portland. The Aspire Project is a non-profit organization that provides free and discounted afterschool dance classes and summer camps to kids that cannot afford them. I saw the dance shoes they wear and many of them had holes in them. So far, I have collected over 300 pairs of shoes! A few weeks ago I went and helped them paint their new studio space and met some of their dancers. I love dance and wanted to help kids who couldn’t dance because they didn’t have the proper shoes they need.
I would like to thank Beit Haverim for being a special part of my life. I would also like to thank my religious school teachers for starting and continuing my Jewish education. Also, thank you to my Hebrew tutor, Sami, for spending the last year working with me on my Torah portion and teaching me Hebrew. I will miss working with her. I would like to thank Rabbi Berg for being my guide in my Bat Mitzvah preparation. Lastly, I’d like to thank my family who has been there every step of the way. I am looking forward to celebrating with everybody! April, 2015
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News Beit Haverim Song of Miriam Honoree Beit Haverim is happy to announce that this year’s Song of Miriam honor will be presented to Heather Kirkbride. We are grateful to Heather for taking on so many responsibilities and putting in countless volunteer hours to help keep Beit Haverim moving forward. Each year the Jewish Women’s Round Table honors outstanding women volunteers from Jewish organizations and congregations in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Join us for the Song of Miriam Awards brunch honoring these women on Sunday, June 7th at Mittleman Jewish Community Center. Click here for the registration form.
Tikkun Olam wants to present a thank you and a please! 1) THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Good Deeds Day Project. Our Religious School students and a good number of visitors made fleece blankets for sick children. We handed over 45 blankets in hopes of making little ones feel warm and cared for. 2) PLEASE join in our new project that will continue from the end of March until the middle of August. We are collecting all manner of school supplies and will bundle them and give them to schools that have lots of need for these items. Adults: Please teach your children to look out for bargains and sales of pencils, paper of all sorts, notebooks, boxes of tissues, crayons, hand wipes and anything else that one might find in a classroom. We will place a bin in the lobby so that, at any time, you can place your school supplies in it. When we are close to the start of next school year, we will invite our Religious School children to come and organize the supplies to give away. Remember, you have several months to notice and take advantage of sales. BUT BE SURE TO ENCOURAGE THE KIDS TO HELP.
April, 2015
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Great Job! Abby and Alissa Cohen both participated in the production of Willy Wonka by Black Swan Youth Theater at Mount Hood Community College in March. Abby was the pianist for the show, while Alissa was an Oompa Loompa.
Trivia Night Wrap Up On March 14th, Beit Haverim held our annual fundraiser — a Trivia Night and auction. This event was hugely successful, helping our temple raise almost $12,000 to support our programming and Religious School. Thank you to all our wonderful guests, who opened their hearts and wallets to support Beit Haverim. Also, big thanks to our donors who provided fun and exciting products, services, and activities for our auction. And a special thanks to our amazing volunteer committee, led by Shira Fogel and Marty Lefkowitz, without whom the night would not have occurred. So many people gave to this event, thank you to everyone including: Roberta & Les DeAsis Rob Hershinow Shira Fogel & Marty Lefkowitz Eve Miller & Michael Langley Barbara Gold Karin & Gary Stolz Dan & Sue Greenspan Florence Yospe
April, 2015
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Upcoming events in May Teacher Appreciation Shabbat Friday May 1, 7:00PM Judaism is focused on knowledge gained through study, so education has been at the center of our culture and religion. Join the congregation for Shabbat to celebrate these special individuals. Don’t miss the chance to thank your teacher…it’s a mitzvah.
Adult B’nai Mitzvah Saturday, May 2, 10:00AM Please join Rabbi Berg and Beit Haverim as Hannah Berkowitz Suzanne Causer Suzanne Greenspan Robin Kay Karin Stolz
are called to the Torah as they become Daughters of the Commandments. This is the first adult B'nai Mitzvah in many years, and all are invited to attend. Reception to follow.
Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, May 3, 3:30PM You are invited to attend the Annual Congregational Meeting for Beit Haverim. This is our yearly state of the congregation message. Find out what has transpired this year at Beit Haverim and what is coming up for next year; religious school, finances, worship. Refreshments will be served. Then stay and enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner and play bingo as we conclude our religious school year. April, 2015
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Upcoming Events Spaghetti/Bingo Night Sunday, May 3, 5:30PM Skip a night of cooking and join Beit Haverim on Sunday, May 3rd at 5:30pm for an evening of spaghetti and Bingo. Bring the whole family for an event that combines a tasty spaghetti dinner, spending time with friends, and playing Bingo for a chance to win fun prizes. For families with children in Religious School (RS), we’ve swapped RS and Hebrew School (HS) for this one day only. HS will be 2:30pm-3:30pm, and RS will be 3:30pm5:30pm. You can pick up your kids at 5:30 and join us for an evening of fun! Dinner includes all-you-can-eat spaghetti, salad, bread, and homemade dessert. The meal cost is $5 per person ($20 max per family), and children 5 years and under are free. Register Now! We need your reservation by Wednesday, April 29th.
Sweet Repeat Saturday, May 9, 2:00PM-4:00PM Home of Janet Sahni You are invited to a women’s closet exchange event that we call Sweet Repeat. We all have those items in our closet that don’t fit quite right, or are the wrong color. Those impulse buys that we later regret. Let someone else give them the love that they deserve while you take home something to make you happy....and it all benefits Beit Haverim! This year we’re including teenagers too, bring your daughter. Bring three or more of your gently used, clean clothing or accessories (shoes, purses, scarves, hats, costume jewelry etc.) to exchange for “new to you” items. For $25 you will get coffee, soft drinks, wine, sweet treats, and a minimum of 3 "new to you" wardrobe additions! If you bring 3 items, you can take home 3 items. If you bring 5 items, then take home 5, and so on. When you come to Sweet Repeat, be sure to bring along any new or very slightly used backpack that you might have. Tikkun Olam will be using the backpacks for our school supply project. This event will be held at the home of Janet Sahni. Click here for registration. Address, payment options, and further details will be provided when you make your reservation. Please feel free to invite friends and family. The more the merrier! Reserve today! April, 2015
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Committee Updates Beit Haverim Cookbook Order your copy of Bubbe and Zayde Cook. All recipes are from members of Beit Haverim. All tested by families and well loved. We are very excited with the results and can’t wait to try all the fabulous recipes. These will make great gifts and wonderful addition to anyone’s cookbook collection. They are $15 each. Please use this link to place your order.
Volunteer Opportunity within the Religious School We are in need of volunteers. YOU are very important to our program! The success of our religious education program depends on the dedicated individuals in our congregation willing to share their time, talents and knowledge with our future, the children. We encourage all our members, as well as parents of children in our program to help. I am looking for members who would be willing to substitute in the classroom on Sundays, help set up snacks on Sunday, and classroom aides for a second set of hands when needed. Please let Heather Kirkbride know if you are interested in these or the many other volunteer opportunities that are available.
Friday Night Shabbat Clean Up The Congregation is looking for people that would be willing to come a few minutes early to Shabbat Services and help set up for the Oneg and then spend a few minutes after cleaning up. This would entail setting up the Bima, pouring wine, putting cookies on trays, and wiping down the counters. If you are interested, please call Allison at the Temple Office at 503-568-1241. She will assign you a date and a board member to work with.
New Adult B’nai Mitzvah Class Starting in November 2015 A new adult b’nai mitzvah class will start in November, 2015. This class is a 2 year program meeting one Wednesday per month from 12:00—2:00PM. This is for members only. There are a maximum of 5 spaces available. You must be able to know how to read Hebrew. If you are interested, please contact Rabbi Berg. Let us know by June 15, 2015.
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Tributes & Memorials In honor of
Thank you to Leslie and Robert Peltz for your donation in memory of Max Peltz and Ida Kleinrock
Donations At Beit Haverim we are often asked the question, “How much does the Rabbi (Temple) charge for officiating at a life cycle event (baby naming, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, wedding, or funeral)? The answer is, “The Rabbi charges nothing.” The Rabbi officiating at these events is just one of the many privileges of membership at Beit Haverim. However, it is a tradition to make a donation to one of the many funds we have established at Beit Haverim in honor of your event. A congregation does not survive on dues alone. It is through your generous donations that many of our programs are able to function. The next time you are called to the Bima to say an Aliyah, dress the Torah, carry the Torah through the congregation, remember it is an honor. Do a Mitzvah and make a donation to the fund of your choice.
Community News and Notables Help us share community news and notables. We'll include community members' simchas and acknowledgments of life event struggles and condolences. Let us know if you received an award/honor, earned a promotion, welcomed a new addition to your family, celebrated a special anniversary or occasion, are mourning a special person or healing from an illness or surgery. Email Gabrielle Williams (photos welcome) or call the office at 503-568-1241. We hope to hear from you!
Pet Loss Support Our member, Sharon Rose, is offering pet loss support for other members of Beit Haverim at no cost. Sharon is certified to do this. If you need some help, you can just call or email Sharon and she will be happy to talk with you as you go through your grief process. Email Sharon or call her at (503) 352-5045.
Amazon Shopping Earns $'s For Beit Haverim Just use this link here when you make your purchases through Amazon and Beit Haverim earns a percent of your spending. Be sure to share the link with family and friends - it really adds up! April, 2015
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Community Events
April, 2015
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Community Events
April, 2015
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Community Events Soul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler, Sonny Til and The Orioles Performances April 16th through May 3rd at Brunish Theatre 1111 SW Broadway, Portland. Click here for tickets. The music that gave birth to R&B! The creators of Stumptown Stages’ It’s A Wonderful Life, bring this unforgettable musical to stage. In the late 40s an unlikely partnership between a young Jewish woman and a dynamic black male vocal group gave birth to a new genre of music that would ignite a generation, R&B! Soul Harmony reveals their rise to music nobility and the role they and their music played in challenging segregation in the south. Classic R&B songs by Deborah Chessler Music by Michael Allen Harrison Book and Lyrics by Alan Berg and Janet Mouser Directed by Kirk Mouser and Julianne R. Johnson-Weiss Musical Direction by Michael Allen Harrison
In celebration of our original musical Soul Harmony: The Story of Deborah Chessler Sonny Til and the Orioles Stumptown Stages is please to host a lecture on April 16 at 12 PM in the Brunish Theater. Renowned Rock Critic, Rolling Stone Contributing Editor, and Author of Mystery Train, Lipstick Traces, The Old Weird America, A History of Rock ‘N’ Roll in Ten Songs, and author of the essay that inspired Soul Harmony, “The Deborah Chessler Story” will review and discuss the newly discovered first live recordings of The Orioles: Sonny Til and the Orioles Live in Chicago 1951. Greil Marcus’s presentation is free and open to the public.
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In the Beit Haverim Community Yarzheits
Birthdays Gabrielle Greenman
April 2
Joshua Schwartz
April 2
Robert Hershinow
April 4
Brian Olson
April 4
Caden Ellertson
April 6
Laura Addonisio
April 8
David Bondi
April 8
Carlie Hershinow
April 8
Carol Cohen
April 11
Brandon Dorreman
April 14
Angelica O'Connell
April 15
Tom Hauck
April 16
Bruce Goldman
April 17
Michael Muzikant
April 19
Tami Sternoff
April 21
Joshua Sherman
April 24
Ann Brown
April 27
Marty Lefkowitz
April 28
Mark Newman
April 29
Abraham Perlstein
Father of Susan Perlstein Mercia Conway
Oscar Gordon
April 6
Step-Grandfather of Judith Kleinstein Jack Gerber
April 7
Step Father of Gabe Hunter-Bernstein Etta Grosz
April 8
Mother of Rita Sherman Lester Steinberg
April 9
Father of Roberta Deasis Leah Gold
April 13
Grandmother of Janet Sahni Gussie Steinberg
April 17
Grandmother of Roberta DeAsis Sondra Cohen
April 18
Mother of Carol Cohen Ida Kleinrock
April 19
Mother of Leslie Peltz Bernice Kay
April 22
Grandmother of Robin Kay April 23
Father-in-law of Constance Dorreman Jake Steinberg
Karin & Gary Stolz
April 4
Michael Muzikant & Diane Lund
Marinus Dorreman
Anniversaries
April 1
April 9
Grandfather of Roberta DeAsis
Gabriel & Michael Hunter-Bernstein Travis Amey April 21 Alicia Kavka & Dale Willis April 25
April 24
April 26
Brother-in-law of Kim & Bruce Goldman Cleo (Beth) Sonnenfeld
April 27
Mother of Laurie Sonnenfeld David Casuto
April 29
Brother of Esther Schwartz August, 2015 April, 2015
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