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EVENTS

Song of Miriam Award Honoring Daphna Stadig

Sunday, June 2, 10:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Mittleman Jewish Community Center

Please join us for the Song of Miriam Awards Brunch, presented by the Jewish Women’s Round Table. WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood is pleased to honor Daphna Stadig as our outstanding volunteer for 2013. She is being recognized for her service to Sisterhood, Congregation Beth Israel, and our community. A Beth Israel Sisterhood (BIS) board member since 2009 and chair of Sisterhood Social Action and Advocacy for the past two years, Daphna has advocated for and supported “lone soldiers” serving in the Israeli Defense Forces; collected supplies for military groups, including soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, either directly or through the USO; and supported the efforts of the CBI Social Action Committee. She has been outspoken in her efforts to advocate for an end to child trafficking and an end to the many strip clubs in Oregon. She also leads the BIS “Bikkur Cholim” program, making wholesome meals for families in need in our congregation.

Daphna taught at Congregation Beth Israel from 1997-2008. She taught Midrasha as well as Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes.

Her volunteer work in Portland has included activities in the PTO in her son’s schools, helping and advocating for students and parents of “learning disabled.” She has familiarized parents with the process to assure that their children are granted the rights they are entitled to under the law.

Daphna is a member of the Holocaust Resource Center speakers bureau and talks about the effects on second generation Holocaust survivors. She is involved directly in supporting hospice patients and their families. She is also a volunteer and supporter of her local library.

We are very proud of Daphna and are pleased to be able to honor her in this way. Please join us for the awards brunch. Registration forms are available at the CBI office, the Sisterhood Gift Shop, or you can download the registration form here.

Get more information at www.jwrt.org.

Centennial Havdalah to Honor BIS Past Presidents

Saturday, June 8, 6:30 PM

Please join us on June 8th as our centennial celebration continues with a wonderful Havdalah service written especially to mark the 100th birthday of Women of Reform Judaism. We will gather at the home of Lana Miller, Past President of WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood, to honor and celebrate the work of presidents past and to reaffirm the WRJ/BIS commitment to our future. We are proudly "Stronger Together."

We will enjoy a dairy potluck following the service.

Please RSVP to Tracy at the CBI office at 503-222-1069 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and also let her know what you will be bringing. We hope to see you there.

NEWS

Special Needs Seder

On the fourth night of Passover, Beth Israel Sisterhood hosted its annual Special Needs Seder for clients of Jewish Family and Child Services (JFCS). It was a beautiful evening, led by Cantor Cahana. We had 30 guests participate in the storytelling, and enjoy a delicious meal catered by Century Catering. Without this lovely event we host for the community each year, our guests might not have any place to attend a seder. Thank you to Loree Sakai and Leslie Berman for planning this evening, and to Debbie Braymer, Linda Fintzy, and JFCS staff for driving, translating, and participating in the seder. It was an emotional, meaningful evening.

Portrait Presentation

On Friday, May 3 at the evening service we presented a beautiful portrait of Cantor Judith Blank Schiff to our congregation. Sisterhood funded the portrait as a show of our love and appreciation for Cantor Schiff. Its presentation during the Adult B’nai Mitzvah service was especially appropriate as so many of us have been taught by her.

Toda Raba to All of Our Treasures in Bloom Supporters

Our annual Treasures in Bloom plant sale and bake sale was a wonderful success thanks to the many volunteers and patrons. If you bought a plant or cookie you helped to provide funding for our religious school.

Thank you to Debbie Braymer and Lynn Gelber who spearheaded the plant sale, ably assisted by David Braymer, Charlie Gelber, Katelyn Braymer, Pierce Ethier, Jane Netboy, Kate Royston, and the CBI staff.

We are especially grateful for the support of Lynne Bartenstein and Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries. They not only donated plants from the nursery for the sale, but also helped customers pick out just the right plants for their gardens. Additional plants were then donated by Terra Nova to beautify the CBI Cemetery, the grounds of the CBI campus, the grounds at the Robison Home, and Janus House. Dan again was very helpful in choosing the right plants for each of these locations. T

hank you to Daureen Morris and Lois Urman for running the bake sale. We really appreciated the home baked goods that allow our school children to do a mitzvah while having a snack. Our bakers (and you know who you are) are the best!

Art Work for Good Works

Have you noticed some prints on display on Friday nights? Our dear friend Jeaneatta "Rusty" Sautter (z"l) left some of her art collection to our sisterhood to sell, with instructions that the proceeds be used to fund sisterhood social action and advocacy programs. If you are interested in purchasing any of the works on display, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at 503-649-8043.

Shampoo and Conditioner Needed
Can you Help a Homeless Woman?

The sisterhoods of the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver BC) are meeting in Tacoma on July 21. Each sisterhood is collecting specific toiletries. When we meet, we will combine the collections, package them, and distribute toiletry kits to a women's shelter.

Our sisterhood is collecting shampoo and conditioner. We especially want travel size/sample size containers. If you have a stash of small bottles you've collected on your travels, please donate them for this worthy cause. You can also purchase small sizes at many dollar stores and discount outlets.

We have collection baskets in the Lipman Foyer and outside the Sisterhood Gift Shop in the Sherman Education Building. Thanks for helping us make it a little better for women in dire straits.

Celebrate Our Sisterhood History: 96 and Going Strong!

Do you have photos or mementos from sisterhood events or outings? Flyers from a sisterhood fundraiser? Something from the rummage sales we used to run or the Braille group we assisted? We are collecting items for a display of our history as we celebrate WRJ's 100th birthday. Our Beth Israel Sisterhood was founded in 1917, making us almost as old as WRJ, so we have a lot of history! If you have anything we can borrow for a display, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

WRJ Centennial Moments

Founded as an affiliate of the UAHC, now URJ, NFTS/WRJ has endeavored to support and partner with the larger congregational body of the Reform Movement, just as sisterhoods support their local congregations.

When the UAHC sought to relocate its headquarters from Cincinnati to New York, it logically turned to NFTS for support. NFTS Executive Director Jane Evans scouted out the property that would become the UAHC's House of Living Judaism, and NFTS raised about $500,000 in 1946 to buy the land on 5th Avenue ($5,000,000 in today's dollars), the sale of which allows the URJ to own its current office space in midtown Manhattan with no mortgage.

Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award Presented to Sisterhood

At the 154th annual meeting of Congregation Beth Israel, our sisterhood was honored with the 2012/5772 Rabbi Rose Tikkun Olam Award for outstanding contributions to social action. Daphna Stadig, chair of BIS Social Action & Advocacy, accepted the award on behalf of the entire sisterhood. Susan Millstein of the CBI Social Action Committee presented the award, saying, "If you want something done, ask Sisterhood!" We are honored and will continue our efforts. We welcome you to join in.

( L-R: Leslie Geller, Ellen Bick, Kate Royston, Daphna Stadig, Linda Fintzy) 

Join Sisterhood!

Your membership makes the difference. We are stronger together. Your dues support our religious & pre-schools and special projects here at CBI, as well as our work with those in need in our community, and provide significant support to our parent organization, Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). Sisterhood is one of the most vital organizations at Congregation Beth Israel.

We invite you to join us by becoming a member or renewing your membership.

You can download a membership form here.

Dues

Did you know that unless you indicate payment be applied specifically to your Sisterhood dues, all payments will go to your CBI dues and other fees first? Please support Sisterhood by paying your dues today. Dues levels are:

• $18 child/student (Ruth)
• $36 (Sarah)
• $54 (Rachel)
• $72 (Deborah)
• $108 (Miriam)

You can check the "Sisterhood Dues" box on your CBI billing or send a check, payable to Congregation Beth Israel, marked "WRJ/BIS Dues." If you have any questions about dues, please contact Sisterhood Treasurer, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or call 503-520-0759.