Dear Friends,
Thank you for continuing to be part of the JCCO Community!
When I contemplated moving to Bend in 1995, the first thing I needed to know was, “Is there a Jewish presence in Bend?” And there was! Sure, there wasn’t a resident Rabbi, there was no Shalom Bayit yet, but there was a community to welcome me, to help me celebrate holidays and life cycle events and I knew I wasn’t alone. I fell in love with this community and her people. I am honored to be serving the JCCO again on the Board and my goal, my vision, is to continue to build community while we imagine what the next evolution of the JCCO/Congregation Shalom Bayit might look like.
Aleinu! It’s on us to build a community for ourselves, for our children, for the newcomers to Central Oregon and for the future of our people. We already have so much to be grateful for, thanks to the wisdom, efforts and dreams of our predecessors. Come join us in creating the community you want to be a part of, because We are not “We” without You!
As we move toward the new year 5786, I am reminded of a prayer by Rabbi Sydney Greenberg that is found in our Machzor:
May the door of this synagogue be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship.
May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express, hopes to nurture.
May the door of this synagogue be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity.
May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or straying feet.
May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness, and harshness.
May this synagogue be, for all who enter, the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life.
My life has truly become richer and my Jewish life more meaningful in this small, beautiful and welcoming community. I am committed to “us” and invite you to join me in co-creating a sacred space for all who are seeking community and Jewish connection here in Central Oregon.
L’shalom, Alice Shapiro
Alice Shapiro
President, Congregation Shalom Bayit