Erev Rosh Hashanah (9/18)
Evening Service, 7 p.m.*+

Rosh Hashanah 1 (9/19)
Morning Service, 9 a.m.**+
Family Service, 1 p.m.**
Tashlikh Service, 2:30 p.m.

Erev Yom Kippur (9/27)
Kol Nidre, 8 p.m.*+

Yom Kippur (9/28)
Morning Service, 10 a.m.**+
Family Service, 12 p.m.**
Afternoon Service, 3 p.m.
Yizkor Service, 4:30 p.m.
Ne’ilah Service, 5:30 p.m.

Notes:

*indicates service is for members only.
** indicates service is open to non-members, space permitting. Advance reservation required; contact thefam@easystreet.net.
+indicates childcare is available, with advance reservation only.

Services held at Bridgeport, 621 NE 76th, Portland. Childcare available (ages 1-12) at certain services with advance reservation only; each service costs $8 per child, or $14 for two or more children. For more information, or to make reservations, call 503-282-1787, email thefam@easystreet.net, or visit us at www.shir-tikvah.net.

Elul, the last month of the old year of 5769, is our preparation time for our New Year prayers as we enter 5770. No ritual has an impact if you are unprepared for it: in this month of Elul 5769, I invite you to invest some time in making the 5770 Days of Awe as meaningful as they might be – by reading a book with me. Throughout the month of Elul, I invite you to read with me The Life Worth Living by Dr. Byron Sherwin (a prominent Jewish ethicist). Here is a link to it (you can get it quickly at Powell’s Books):

http://www.buy.com/prod/the-life-worth-living/q/loc/106/210188571.html

Dr. Sherwin is my doctoral advisor, and I can recommend both his scholarship and his insight. For the next four weeks during Elul, I will be reading this book, and each week in the week’s worth I will offer some thoughts about it. At erev Shabbat tefilah on September 11 I will speak about the book – bring your copy and we’ll make it a book club night!

Happy reading!
Rabbi Ariel

Twenty-five members of our congregational family and six others spent two weeks in Israel this summer. They met with and learned from Israeli political and social justice leadership, experienced Israeli Shabbatot, and offered their support in a number of ways - among them, visiting an Absorption Center for new immigrants.

Jacob and Andrew Finkelman write:

           When we walked in to the Absorption Center I was more interested in the cookies, and drinks. But as soon as I started listening it was one of the most interesting things ever. Operation Solomon, it was about Ethiopian families living there who had never heard of a life with airplanes, or you could say living a life like ours! Suddenly the Israeli government put 1,000’s of Ethiopian Jews on planes to Israel. Now there are kids at the Absorption Center learning how to read and write the ancient language of Hebrew. Even learning how to live their new life in Israel! T.V., cellphones, video games, 3 meals a day. Doing things they never would of thought of. When we went shopping for school supplies we got Pencils, Glue sticks, Paper, Pencil holders. They would be happy about getting pencils while we would be excited about getting $100.00 calculators.

            The adventure of going to the huge Jerusalem mall was so amazing. There fast food restaurants looked like casual sit down places. It was cool to see how they had brands of their own, but also global brands that I knew, like Nike, Adidas, Vans, and more.  We looked around the mall for a place to eat. We saw a place which was busy, so we thought it must be good. I got a extraordinary waffle, for lunch! It looked amazing with fruits and ice-cream and whipped-cream. But it didn’t taste as good as it looks. After we ate, Mira, Naomi, Andrew and I looked around for a good store for school supplies. After our hunt, we concluded on Office Depot. After we got everything we wanted and payed for it. Joe Thaler lugged our plastic and ripping bags across the mall to the entrance and waited for a cab that would be o.k with stretching the law, 6 people in the car, not 5. 

Click on this link to see a story the Jewish Agency is now running about their visit:

Jewish Agency article about Shir Tikvah visit to Barnea Ethiopian Absorption Center. (link)

The Jewish community is invited to join Shir Tikvah for its annual picnic at Wilshire Park, NE 33rd Ave & Skidmore St, August 16, from 10 AM until 2 PM; brunch from 10:30 to 12:30. Bring the whole family and a non-meat dish to share, as well as chairs and games. You’ll get a chance to meet Shir Tikvah members and have a fun time in the park. For more information contact Rachel at the Shir Tikvah office: 503-473-8227 or info@shir-tikvah.net. No dogs, please.