Bulletin November 2015 Cheshvan-Kislev 5776 Vol. 65, No. 2
In a grateful state of mind... by Ida Rae Cahana Senior Cantor Psalm 92 is recited every Shabbat evening, “Tov l’hodot L’Adonai Ul’zameir l’shim’cha elyon.” It is good to give thanks to God and to sing praises to the Name of the most high. Acknowledging gratitude is good for the receiver, but really, does God need to hear songs of praise? Or is the one who recites and sings her thanks actually the lucky one? There are many manifestations of gratitude sprinkled throughout our liturgy; our prayer choreography provides an outward manifestation of inward humility. “Baruch Atah...” Blessed are You... The word for blessing, praising, in essence means giving thanks. “Baruch,” comes from the root “Barech,” which means “knee.” We humbly bend our knee and bow when we utter the words “Baruch
Atah,” we are remembering to stop and thank our Creator for the gift of life, to stop and thank our parents for raising us to the best of their ability, to stop and thank our teachers for encouraging us to expand our understanding. Once a year is not enough for the discipline of Thanksgiving; Judaism teaches us every day to wake up and give thanks. “Baruch Atah...” Blessed are you - each one of you - who has chosen to become a part of this sacred community. “B’ruchah Atah...” blessed are you who has volunteered or given of your resources and time to help our community help others. It is good to give thanks to God for all we are blessed with - may we continue to sing the praises of our Creator! Rabbis Cahana and Joseph join me in gratitude to be serving such an amazing community. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! Cantor Ida Rae Cahana
families integrate into their new community and connect with local resources. Other regular activities include helping enroll children in school and extracurricular activities, making doctors and dentist appointments, babysitting, taking children to the library and to the park, and other activities that the family might reasonably need to become more stable.
“People become homeless not because they run out of money, but because they run out of relationships.” Paul Schroeder, Executive Director Village Support Network
Call for Volunteers: Village Support Network You can be a relationship that helps to break the cycle of homelessness. The Social Action Committee is seeking volunteers to participate in this unique program that makes a difference in our community. The Village Support Network works to end the cycle of homelessness by providing stability and support to families transitioning from temporary shelter to housing. Teams of four to six volunteers from various congregations work closely with families to provide guidance, gentle accountability and, above all, open hearts. Volunteers assist with financial management, educational issues, job preparation, socialization and parenting skills, while also helping
The average commitment is four to six hours per month for six months, though this may vary according to family needs and volunteer availability. All team members receive eight hours of training, along with a program handbook and a resource guide. The Village Support Network provides ongoing support and guidance. We already have our first volunteer for CBI’s team – Sally Rosenfeld, who’s a Village Support Network veteran. She would be happy to answer any questions and give you more details about her experience. If you’d like to learn more about this amazing program, you are invited to attend Village Support Network’s next orientation meeting on November 17. No commitment necessary. For more info, please contact Sally Rosenfeld at srosenfeldfrank@ gmail.com or visit Village Support Network’s website at www.newcityinitiative.net/initiatives/village-support-network.
Thank you, Robert Peltz! The Social Action Committee would like to give a big shout out to congregant Robert Peltz, who led this year’s High Holiday Funds for Food Drive. Through his efforts and commitment, Robert helped to raise over $10,000 — that translates into almost 18,000 pounds of food — for the Social Action Food Fund. Money from this fund goes to Lift Urban Portland, Meals on Wheels, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, Sunshine Pantry and Urban Gleaners, all Portland organizations that work to alleviate hunger in our community. We would also like to thank Kimberly Hartnett, author of Carolina Israelite, How Harry Golden Made Us Care About Jews, the South, and Civil Rights, who wrote all the materials for the drive. In the words of Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Thank you Robert, Kimberly and everyone who donated to the High Holiday Funds for Food Drive for making a life by what you gave.