Erev Shabbat Friday, March 15 Growing Shabbaton In Person @ Camp Solomon Schechter Celebrate Shabbat together from beginning to end at Camp Solomon Schechter! Check-in and schmoozing starts at 5:00 pm. Dinner will start at 6:00 pm. More information is being emailed to registrants.
There is no service at TBH this week.
Candle lighting: 7:00 pm Torah Readings Parashat Pekudei Torah Portion: Exodus 38:21-40:38 Haftarah for Ashkenazim: I Kings 7:51-8:21 Haftarah for Sephardim: I Kings 7:40-50
Shabbat Morning Saturday, March 16
Growing Shabbaton In Person @ Camp Solomon Schechter Celebrate Shabbat together from beginning to end at Camp Solomon Schechter! More information is being emailed to registrants.
There is no Shabbat morning program at TBH this week.
THIS WEEK AT TBH
Growing Shabbaton @ Schechter Friday-Saturday, March 15-16 In Person
We will celebrate Shabbat together from beginning to end! Join us Friday for our normal Growing Shabbat dinner and service. Stay overnight in a cabin. Enjoy the the whole next day of camp Shabbat experiences! We'll have tefillah, learning, and plenty of time to eat, schmooze and play. After havdallah, we'll head on home. Registration has closed.
Book Group Tuesday, March 19, 7:00 pm Online The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sharit Yishai-Levi is the story of generations of unforgettable women as they forge their paths through times of dramatic change. Join us for any book(s) that you're interested in talking about. We meet monthly at 7pm on the 3rd Tuesday either in person at TBH or on zoom. The list includes how many copies are available in the Timberland Regional Library (TRL). Contact Linda Rubin at linda.rubin23@gmail.com with questions. Please don't be shy. Zoom information: Join Meeting>> Meeting ID: 830 5589 8223 Passcode: 107288
COMING UP AT TBH
Board Meeting Wednesday, March 20, 6:00 pm Online
TBH members are welcome to attend monthly board meetings as guests.
Join us for the return of our annual Purim celebration marking the events of the book of Esther when the Jews were saved from a nefarious plot and we have a party to remember it! Food, crafts, games, the famous Purim Pinata and the reading of the megillah! Come in costume!
We will be hosting a food drive collection at the party--see more below.
Purim Food Drive: FORKids Program Sunday, March 24, 1:00 pm In Person - bring to the Purim Party
Every year for Purim, TBH gathers food for the Thurston County Food Bank. Anna-Min at the Thurston County Food Bank has specifically asked TBH to focus on the following items to put into the bags for the FORKids program: (1) fruit cups, (2) fruit pouches or the fruit squeeze items, and (3) oatmeal or granola bars. These will be used in the FORKids program which provides weekly food bags for kids in need in elementary schools and Head Start programs. The Thurston County Food Bank will also accept other donations as well as the items listed.
Here is a little background about the FORKids food program: the program began, around 2007, to provide weekend meals to kids in elementary schools at North Thurston School District, Olympia School District, and Tumwater School District, as well as to Head Start programs. The first faith community that volunteered to make the bags was TBH, and we have done it regularly since then. On March 5, TBH volunteers filled three pallets full of 72 boxes totaling 522 bags. In 2023, the Thurston County Food Bank distributed 48,227 FORKids bags total to the elementary schools in Thurston County, serving about 1300 students per week. So far in 2024, the program has been serving 1860 students per week--the need has been growing.
TBH once a month on the first Tuesday of each month from 4:00-6:00 p.m. could always use more volunteers, including children and grandparents and parents and friends who are not TBH members. If you have any questions, feel free to call either Bernie Friedman at __ or Elie Halpern at 360-878-3679 for more information.
THANK YOU!
Contributions
In-kind Donation Deke Moulton
Volunteers
Children's Library Sara Glass Gaby Graham
Art Inventory Barb Soule Laura Hurtado-Webb
Greeters Siri Okamoto & Marc Wiseman Dough Makers and Bakers Thanks to all who helped with Hamantaschen prep!
We still have open slots to give a d’var Torah! If you are interested in sharing your thoughts on the weekly Torah portion at Friday night services, sign up on this Google Doc. Rabbi Seth is willing and able to help you craft your message. Please note that some services are hybrid, some are online only
Directory Photos!
Do you know all the members of TBH? We are approaching 250 member households, and would love if folks know "who's who?" when they come by the synagogue. We encourage adding member photos on our online Member Directory. If you are willing, please update your account to include a photo, or send one to Kayla.
Israel Updates & Opportunities for Support
As the fighting between Israel and Hamas continues, here are some links from our affiliate organizations:
NEW!! Reconstructing Judaism has signed-on to an open letter to the Biden Administration developed by the Progressive Israel Network.
Reconstructing Judaism hosted a "Shared Values and Multiple Opinions" Presentation on December 17. See the recording here.
Herman Klotz Dorothy Peckler Bali Goldberg Janet Jones Tiby Roller Leah Weiss Donald Silva Rose Ferber Marion Perretz Anna Gelber Joan David Hittle Leonard Ostrer Mitchell Mandeberg William Eastham Lawrence Strasberg Hal Marcus Tillie Bard Belle Goldstein Sadao Kishimoto Oscar Rosenkrantz Tania Gottessmann
Members are able to view, edit, and add Yahrtzeits on the member portal of the TBH website here (requires log in). If you need assistance, please feel free to send any updates to tbh@bethhatfiloh.org.
COMMUNITY EVENTS/RESOURCES: Note: These are not necessarily officially sponsored or endorsed by TBH, but they are listed as they have Jewish content and/or may be of interest to our community.
150 Years of Jewish History in the South Sound, presented by Rabbi Seth Goldstein Thursday, March 14, 6:30 pm @ Lacey City Hall Council Chambers Hybrid
The first Jewish settlers in Washington arrived in the Olympia/Tumwater/Lacey area, establishing the first Jewish organization and first Jewish cemetery in Washington state. Beginning with a handful of merchants and families, the Jewish community in our region has grown over time to several thousand people. Join Rabbi Seth Goldstein, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Hatfiloh, for an opportunity to learn about the history of the Jewish people in the U.S. in general and Washington in particular, and Judaism as a faith, tradition and culture.
Kadima Reconstructionist Community: Israelism Screening & Panel Discussion Sunday, March 17, 2:30 @ SIFF Cinema Egyptian Theater (805 E Pine St, Seattle)
Join us for a screening of Israelism, a piercing documentary that offers a glimpse into the ways that many Jews in the United States are educated about and come to identify with the State of Israel. Enter the story of two young adult Jews raised to defend Israel at all costs only to then join the movement of young American Jews battling the old guard over Israel’s centrality in American Judaism, and demanding freedom for the Palestinian people. Screening will be followed by a panel with filmmakers.
Camp Kesher Early Bird Registration Closes March 31
On Labor Day weekend, come join this fun-filled weekend with other Jewish families across our region! It kicks off on Friday where we meet at beautiful Camp Sealth on Vashon Island (each family will have their own cabin). For four days, campers of all ages are immersed in Jewish community and study, and enjoy nature, sports, music, mahjong, and crafts—away from everyday distractions and responsibilities. (No cooking!) Make this experience a gift for yourself and your family. Bring the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends! Early bird registration discount until March 31. Watch this video on why you should come to camp: https://youtu.be/GpfxYY9zR2Y?si=9KGhOo7HV8zPidKt Register at https://campkesher.org
HFLA: Education Assistance Programs Applications open in April
Need help paying for college? HFLA can help! We offer interest-free, no fee loans of up to $7,500 for postsecondary education and need based scholarships. Scholarship applications open April 1st, Loan applications open May 1st. Informational webinars Mar 20th at 7pm and April 16th at 7pm. Put it on your calendar. Contact office@hflawa.org (206) 397-0005
Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 201 8th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501
Lag B'Omer Celebration at Camp Solomon Schechter Sunday, May 18th 3:00p to 7:00p Everyone is welcome to join us for a celebration of Lag B'Omer! We will have games, learning, a picnic dinner and make s'mores around a campfire. There is no cost, but registration is required for gate access and meal numbers. Please include any dietary restrictions in the comments when registering.
