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On Monday, January 22nd a group of Temple Beth Tikvah congregants spent the day together at a leadership workshop facilitated by a volunteer from the URJ. There were 11 of us there. Our TBT Board and a few other leaders prioritized planning for the future.
In exploring each of our reasons for offering the time and resources each of us do to TBT, the most resonant was the reality that each of us want to ensure a thriving Jewish community—both locally and beyond. In one moment, one of the attendees highlighted their wish that their children would make their home in Bend, get married in Bend, raise their family in Bend. Given that I have two young children it might surprise you that I had never had that thought myself (surprise: I haven’t!). And, that sentiment hit home in a deep way.
You see, Temple Beth Tikvah is the single largest receiver of my family’s resources. It is the organization that holds the top spot on our donations list and the organization that I spend the most hours of my days thinking about and working on. Certainly, I volunteer in my children’s classrooms, I am active in volunteering for their club sport organizations, we donate to other meaningful causes each month—each of those are true. But the place that is a priority for us is TBT.
On a trip to Portland, I asked Scott why *he* supported that approach for our resources. His first response (as per the usual) was a joke, “You don't give me a choice!” Then, after we acknowledged that in the earliest days of our relationship our financial contributions prioritized humane societies and women’s reproductive rights, he took a moment and crystallized the reason for the shift.
He talked about the unique community that is the Jewish people. He highlighted the lack of proselytizing. He noted the importance placed on learning and challenging and not taking the easy answer of “because I said so” as an acceptable response. He emphasized how small is the number of Jews in this world.
For me, these are just a few of the many reasons we prioritize TBT as our main choice of contribution. I know there are many places that would benefit from my family’s resources and I also know most of them reach well beyond our small Jewish people. I am often lead by a value of showing up in places that are a bit more challenging than others—as a clinical psychologist I specialize in Trauma and Couples work. These aren’t the most popular of specializations but not only do I love the work—I know it’s important and so, because I can, I do.
In the coming weeks and months you will be asked to give us feedback, to commit to membership if you haven’t already, and to clarify participation. In turn, we are committed to sharing more about why we are asking, where is the need coming from, and what it means to our community. I hope that when asked, if you are able, you will say yes. That you will join me in prioritizing TBT—maybe not in the top spot, but certainly amongst the most important. We are all in this together.
L’shalom,
Cere
Cere Fingerhut, President of the Board
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