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Calendar of Events
April 29-30 Yom HaZikaron
May 1 Yom HaAtzmaut
May 2 Erev Shabbat in the Synagogue
May 3 Torah Study at 11 am
May 10 Torah Study at 11 am
May 17 Shabbat Service in the Synagogue at 10 am
May 20 CSB Board Meeting at 6 pm
May 24 Torah Study at 11 am
May 31 Torah Study at 11 am
June 1 -2 Shavuot
June 6 Erev Shabbat Service in the Synagogue at 6 pm
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Kabbalat Shabbat and (fully hosted) Shabbat Dinner
May 2, 6:00 pm at CSB
Please RSVP to sherrishulman@gmail.com
(so we have enough food!)
This is/was actually a busy week, ritually speaking. Monday and Tuesday were Rosh Chodesh – a new month! Iyyar. Wednesday was Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism). Thursday – Yom Ha’atzmaut (celebrating the establishment of the modern Israeli state). And this Shabbat we read Tazria-Metzora. We are also living through tumultuous and challenging times. I thought I’d talk about Yom Ha’atzmaut today.
I recently read a reflection on Yom Ha’atzmaut that claimed Jews tend to celebrate the beginnings and shy away from the ends. We celebrate Passover as the beginning of our journey as a (free) people in a covenant with God. Rosh Chodesh – the beginning of the month. Rosh HaShanah – the beginning of the year. You get the idea. I don’t in fact think this is unique to Jews. It’s probably just humanity. But it made me think — is Yom Ha’atzmaut a beginning or an ending? The establishment of the state of Israel represented the end of the diaspora – Jews now had a state and could choose. It also represented a beginning – the start of our lives in a sovereign nation. But beginnings are fraught. We don’t know what the future will bring. While an ending may bring regret, beginnings may bring anxiety as well as hope! Will we choose wrong? What will our state be?
Donniel Hartman (of the Hartman Institute in Israel) said in a recent interview in Haaretz:
“There [is] a profound ethical struggle taking place over our identity, and there’s a silent public, that’s so immersed in fear that it’s afraid to participate in this discussion. October 7 froze the liberal discussion, and one of the ways to bring it back is by means of the Jewish discussion. The State of Israel is a Jewish state, and liberalism that is severed from Judaism won’t catch on here. We think that there’s a contradiction between a Jewish state and a democratic state; I believe that a state that’s less democratic is less Jewish.”
“For me, secular Judaism is just as authentic as Orthodox Judaism. There are many ways to worship God and many ways of being committed to tradition. I’ve built a Judaism of my own, the other researchers whom we train [at the Hartman Institute] are committed to building their own Judaism.
So, it seems to me that we are still at the beginning – or at least not yet at the end. I’m with Donniel Hartman – we haven’t reached the end until we have a Jewish and democratic state built on classical liberal principles. Maybe we never reach that ideal end, but we should always be trying.
Jewish tradition is full of metaphors of choice. In Midrash Tachuna Pekudei 3 it says: “The Holy One, blessed be He, forthwith decreed concerning the semen what its end would be, whether male or female, weak or strong, poor or rich, short or tall, ugly or handsome, heavy or thin, humble or haughty. He decreed concerning everything that would happen to it except whether it would be righteous or wicked. That choice alone he left to the individual.” So that’s our obligation – first to find the righteous option and then to choose it.
So – this isn’t intended to undermine our celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut! And many of us are still stressed by the war and the hostages. But we can hold more than one emotion at a time in our hearts. We can celebrate the establishment of the state and also remember our worries and revisit our aspirations. Not in an acrimonious way, but in our search for Tzedek.
~Sherri
Congratulations to our 2025 Honoree,
Clystie Gustafson
Clystie has been a member of the Jewish Community of Central Oregon since it was founded in 1993.
After formally converting in 1997 she served as a Religious Education Instructor for several years and also as Membership Chairperson.
Clystie has been an active member of the Sisterhood and has participated in all aspects of Jewish life in Central Oregon.
Longtime member Alice Shapiro says “For the past 18 years, Clystie and her husband Jim have come to symbolize what true Chesed (loving kindness) means. They have shown our building, Shalom Bayit, so much loving kindness by steadfastly caretaking its inside and outside spaces every season. When the flowers bloom in spring, it is because of Clystie.”
Clystie is also well know in La Pine for her acts of kindness, through myriad forms of community service that JCCO says make her very deserving to be its Song of Miriam honoree this year.
While Clystie herself will not be able to attend the Brunch, there may be others who would like to attend, so feel free to register independently for this truly lovely gathering.
Previous recipients from JCCO/CSB:
Judy Shupack, 2006
Alice Shapiro Huskey, 2010
Pat Givens, 2011
Debra Brown, 2012
Marion Tannen, 2013
Laura Fritz, 2014
Naomi Hall, 2015
Ellyce Whalen, 2018
Judith Arbetter, 2023
Doria Raetz, 2024
May Yahrzeits
Leslie Dawn Cole Sunday, May 25, 2025 Iyar 27 Observing this yahrzeit Relationship Ben Lindner Wife
The Jewish Community Religious School is a program for all Jewish children of Central Oregon. JCRSCO is a coalition of parents and teachers aligned to provide a rich and transformative Jewish and Hebrew education for all our children.
The Jewish Community Religious School is a special place where all Jewish children in Central Oregon are welcome. It is a place where teachers can connect with students and not only share knowledge and create lifelong learners, but help to foster relationships among young families in Bend and the surrounding areas. JCRSCO is a small community and depends on parent volunteers to help teachers on Sundays, as well as organize special events.
From Religious School education to Hebrew lessons, to Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation to continuing education courses, our curriculum strives to serve everyone, from the youngest early learners to teenagers eager to continue their Jewish education.
The Jewish Community Religious School serves all – they are not affiliated with any one congregation, and membership to a particular synagogue, while encouraged, is not required.
THE SPIRIT OF THE MATTER
Living Above & Beyond the Letter of the Law
An invigorating monthly women’s study group to exercise your mind, warm your heart, and rekindle your soul.
Enjoy a hot cup of tea, good company & fascinating Jewish discussion.
Monday
May 5
7:00-8:00pm
RSVP: mimi@jewishbend.com
Location will be provided by email
Upcoming 2025 Dates
May 5
June 9
What’s Happening Elsewhere
Beware! The Enchanted Forest: Perils and Pitfalls of Online Trees
Date & Time: May 18, 2025 10:30 AM in Pacific Time (US and Canada)
When is it safe to get information from an online tree? We will discuss where these trees can be found, how to assess them for reliability, how to cite them, how to use them for clues to further your research, and more. Not all online trees are created equal, but most can be evaluated with a few simple steps. Don’t become victim to the enchantment of an apparent pot of gold. Speaker Jean Wilcox Hibben has been involved in family research for more than 40 years and has traced her origins to Germany, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, England, and France. She was a Board-Certified Genealogist for 10 years (2006–2016) and elected not to renew. She is the 1st vice-president and Webmaster of the Corona (California) Genealogical Society, where she served a number of years as president. She has been on the board of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She belongs to the Aurantia Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Riverside County, California; the National Genealogical Society; and the Jefferson County New York Genealogical Society, where she maintains the quarterly column “Ask Aunty Jeff” in their newsletter, The Informer.
Click here to sign up for this Zoom Meeting
Learn more about our community at jccobend.org
Congregation Shalom Bayit, also known as the Jewish Community of Central Oregon, is an inclusive and participatory Jewish community that honors the diversity of our Jewish heritage, linking modern life to the ancient traditions of our people by providing opportunities for Jewish education, spiritual growth, and worship in Central Oregon. We are proudly affiliated with the Reconstructing Judaism Movement.
Contact us
Congregation Shalom Bayit Board of Directors
President: Neal Nelson
Secretary: Delia Kirsch Treasurer: Anna Morris
Past-President: Steve Magidson
Membership: Cynde Magidson
At- At-Large: Sherri Shulman
At-Large: Judith Arbetter
At-Large: Naomi Hall