Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

This is a joint event of the Pacific Northwest JRF Congregations and Havurot:
Temple Beth Israel (Eugene, Oregon), Temple Beth Shalom (Salem, Oregon), Havurah Shalom (Portland, Oregon), Temple Beth Hatfiloh (Olympia, Washington), and Kadima (Seattle, Washington)

Come join Reconstructionists from across Oregon and Washington for a Yom Iyyun -- a Day of Learning -- to explore how "place" impacts Jewish life and practice in the Diaspora in the 21st century. 

This gathering will include an address by Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, the President of the Reconstructionst Rabbinical College. In addition to the keynote, there will be innovative services, lunch and workshops on topics of contemporary interest by local scholars, rabbis, and lay leaders.

Keynote by Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz: "When We Talk About Israel, What are We Saying?"

Workshops:
• Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman, "Portnoy’s Mother’s Complaint; Jewish Gender Dislocations in North America"
• Dr. Oren Kosansky, Ph.D., "Place, Person, and Piety in Jewish Morocco"
• Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin, and Rabbi Joseph Wolf, moderated by Randi Brenowitz, a discussion: "What Place in Our Lives for this Place Called Israel: the Ideas, Symbols, and Realities of Israel for 21st Century Reconstructionist Jews"
• Simon Goldenberg, “Jewish Life and Immigration in British Columbia”
• David Fuks, “'I Didn’t Want My Mouth Should Be Full': Issues of Aging and the Jewish Community”

This is a wonderful opportunity for Reconstructionist Jews, and those interested in learning about transformative 21st Century Judaism, to enjoy stimulating speakers and discussions, share wisdom & experiences, participate in dynamic workshops and join together in creative worship. 

Place: Havurah Shalom, 825 NW 18th Ave., Portland
Cost: $25.00, $15.00 for students
Morning snacks and lunch provided.

Childcare and home hospitality are available through preregistration, at no additional cost. If you would like to travel to Portland the day before this event, a family of Havurah Shalom is happy for you to be their guest on Saturday night. Just check the box on the registration form to indicate that you would like "home hospitality," and you will be contacted with your host's name and contact information.

REGISTER NOW

For information about a scholarship for this event, please contact the office of your own home congregation or havurah.

The full schedule for the day is attached as a pdf below.

If you would like to further support this Yom Iyyun and the educational efforts of the Pacific Northwest JRF Congregations and Havurot, you can make an additional donation by clicking on the Register Now link, below, and entering the amount in the indicated space when you register. This additional donation will be added to your registration fee, and the total amount will be charged to your credit card and will appear on your receipt. Thank you very much for your generosity and your support.

We'd like to congratulate the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation on a wonderful 2010 Convention. The Western Region was thrilled to host this year's gathering in Newport Beach, California. The overwhelming feedback has been that the 2010 Convention was an incredible experience. Mazel tov, JRF!

The Western Region of the JRF congratulates the Reconstructionist congregation Kadima on the creation of the first Women's Torah ever to be commissioned.

The Women's Torah was finished in Seattle, Washington on October 15, 2010, with the help of many hands, hearts, and spirits. It is not only the first Torah written and embellished by an international community of women, it is the first Torah literally sewn together in community. Dozens of people had the opportunity to fill in letters, sew the parchment panels together, and tie the scroll to the rollers. Many others watched or helped the six scribes put the 62 panels in order, under the exultant wings of Shekinah.

Read more about the Women's Torah

The Western Region of JRF celebrated their Morei Derekh Reconstructionist Trailblazers. These outstanding individuals were chosen by their congregations for the Western region’s distinguished leadership award. Whether through building community, tikkun olam (social action) or hesed (acts of service), their volunteerism stands as a model for inspirational values in both the Jewish world and broader secular society.

The Honorees:
Beth Evergreen – Rich Levine
Bnai Havurah – Sandy Goldman
Chico Havurah – Silona Reyman
Dor Hadash – Holly Gail Baumann
Havurah Shalom – Emily Simon
Havurat Olam – Stan Shroeder
Kadima  – Wendy Graff
The Keddem Community– Elaine Moise
Kehillat Israel – Pam Solomon
Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue – Ruth Belonsky
Ner Shalom – Mary Ann Malinak
Or Zarua – Emily Galpern
Or Shalom - Stephen Gerard
P’nai Tikvah, Valley Outreach – Barbara Holland
Sacramento Havurah – Helyne Meshar
Temple Beth Israel – Tom & Patti Barkin
Temple Beth Sholem – Phil Decker
University Synagogue -  Anita Mishook
The Whittier Havurah – Lou Wiener

CONGRATULATIONS to Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia. He has been named one of the top 10 Jews under the age of 40 in Washington state who are making a difference in their communities. In bestowing the honor, the JTNews, a Seattle-based Jewish newspaper, said that New York-born Goldstein never planned on becoming a rabbi. But after visiting Temple Beth Hatfiloh, Olympia’s Reconstructionist synagogue, as a student rabbi, he couldn’t resist an opportunity to pull this region’s Jewish community together. Read the article.

Modeled on the successful program of Camp JRF, founded in the Midwest and now in its fourth summer on The Aaron and Marjorie Ziegelman Campus in Pennsylvania's Pocono mountains, JRF WEST Mini Camp at Camp JCA Shalom will bring a taste of Camp JRF to Reconstructionist youth in the Western Region.

JRF WEST Mini Camp provides campers in grades 3-7 with strong connections to Reconstructionist Judaism and positive human values in a beautiful, fun, safe environment.Campers will also live and learn the Values of Spiritual Peoplehood, a cornerstone of our Reconstructionist community.

This year's camp session will run August 17-23, 2010.

Register now!

Check out this year's Mini Camp brochure: Click here for the Western Mini-Camp Brochure

Rabbi Arnold RachlisRabbi Arnold Rachlis of University Synagoge in Irvine, California, was honored with an invitation to deliver the invocation at President Obama's appearance at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

Read Rabbi Rachlis’s invocation and connect to a CNN I-report interview that followed the meeting plus additional coverage.

Rabbi Jane Rachel LitmanRabbi Jane Rachel Litman has been hired to serve as the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation's Western Region Director. She is the first rabbi to hold the position since 1996. Rabbi Litman was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1989. During her student years, she was an intern in Los Angeles organizing Reconstructionist havurot in the San Fernando Valley. One of those havurot recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary. Since graduation, Rabbi Litman has served four California synagogues ranging in size from eighty to two thousand families. She also taught at California State University Northridge and Loyola Marymount.