Welcome!
Temple Beth Tikvah, based in Bend, Oregon, is a Jewish Reform congregation serving Central Oregon and affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.
We welcome interfaith families, Jews by choice and Jews of all religious backgrounds.
Come check us out!
Services are held at First United Methodist Church, 680 NW Bond Street, Bend
Contact us at 541-388-8826 or info@bethtikvahbend.org
P.O. Box 7472
Bend, OR 97708
Calendar
Click on the calendar for details about TBT services, education schedules and social events.
Religious School
Click here for information on our Sunday School & Hebrew School. Register now for 2014 - 2015
Social Action
Our Social Action Committee is busy with projects for the Bethlehem Inn and Back Door Café. read more
Greetings from Rabbi Hershenson
The air in the New Year, whether it's Rosh Hashanah or December 31st, is redolent with optimism. We just can't help ourselves. We love starting over, starting fresh.
Happiness is something we all seek during these seasons of transition and possibility. As we make resolutions about eating right and exercising more, we ought to consider how we will practice feeling more joy, as well.
The Chasidim seriously considered teachings about cultivating joy left behind by the medieval Jewish mystics. They popularized those ideas and changed Jewish practice forever.
Jewish life focused on the observance of mitzvot, commandments. Interpretation and methodical rules for finding loopholes rather than discarding the system entirely generated intellectual creative energy. But only the highly educated could participate fully.
President's Message
Members & Friends,
As we closed out 2014, we had quite a busy December. Of course, the main event was Chanukah and the many opportunities we had to celebrate the holiday. At Sunday School, prior to Chanukah, there was an amazing Chanukah Workshop for the children and families. They participated in learning sessions about the story and rituals, as well as making their own latkes and applesauce. The culmination was a joyous feast of all those delicious latkes and fixings. We gratefully acknowledge the preparation work by Rabbi Hershenson and Kathy Schindel, assisted by the teachers and helpers that made this program so special and successful.
Then, on the first night, thanks to the wonderful efforts of Rabbi Yitzchok and Mimi Feldman of Chabad, the community shared the outdoor ceremony for lighting of the Menorah in the Old Mill Shopping center. Despite the chilly temperatures, with guest fire dancing performers and hot drinks with latkes, we had a nice "warm" beginning to the Chanukah holiday. Marshall Voit made a visit to Bend and provided a special sing-a-long concert at the Hershenson's home. Finally, our Erev Shabbat service on the 4th night turned into a Latkepalooza with a sumptuous Chanukah dinner feast. Our sincere thanks to all those who cooked, baked, prepared, set-up, cleaned up, and helped make the event so wonderful for everyone.