President: Howard Orlean
Vice President: Sherwin Alpert
Treasurer: David Kaplan
Secretary:
Board of Directors:
Brenda Bernstein
Rebecca Garcia
Archie Levine
Carrie Bagatell
Parlimentarian: Wayne Beresford
Past President: Sherwin Alpert

From our President Howard Orlean, ho-gs@comcast.net, 253-835-3127

I begin this month’s column on a bit of a sad note. Elle Dover, who has been a member of our congregation for many years,
will be leaving our congregation as she is moving to northern California to be close to family.
She has served us in many capacities such as leader of our Religious Practices Committee.
She is more widely known among us as the "Oneg Queen". We will miss her tremendously and wish her well in this new phase of her life.

Several event s are in the works over the next couple of months.
On Sunday March 4th we have been invited to a joint service with the Universal Unitarians at 9:30 am.
We would love to have as large attendance as possible to share this day with our gracious landlords.
On March 14, Rabbi Harkavy will be teaching what promises to be an extremely interesting adult education
class on what the bible truly says about homosexuality and abortion.

I particularly want to thank the members of our Membership and Outreach Committee: Sherwin Alpert, Nancy Blase,
Brenda Bernstein, Lori Nevin and Archie Levine. This committee has been working very hard to coordinate and organize
several additional upcoming exciting events.
These include the sponsorship of another film at the upcoming Seattle Jewish Film Festival on March 18th,
and a wine and cheese event to be held hopefully sometime in May.

Those folks who know me, know that my hobby is model railroading.
Our next Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday February 8 which also happens to be Tu B’shevat.
Now, some of you may ask: Huh? Model railroading? Board meeting? Tu B’shevat?
To answer: We will be starting our Board meeting a half hour earlier at 6:30PM in order that we may plant a live tree
(albeit, miniature)on my garden railroad in celebration

of Tu B’shevat. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Shalom – Howard

Message from Rabbi Harkavy, harkavyr@earthlink.net, 206-962-1436

There is a story about a Jewish boy whose non-observant parents went on vacation and left him at the home of his religious grandparents.

When the parents returned from their trip and called for their son, he took his suitcase, kissed his grandparents
and then ran into his bedroom. Curious, his parents followed him and overheard his conversation:
"Goodbye to you, dear God. I have to go home now. See you the next time I visit my grandparents."

How many Jews have homes in which their children are not constantly reminded of their Jewish heritage?

Bet Chaverim is now, with Board approval, creating a Jewish educational experience for young children.
I am delighted that a number of congregants have enthusiastically embraced this idea and are working
to make our dream of a Jewish educational program for young children a reality.
They realize that it is a mitzvah for our entire congregation to embrace this idea.

Bet Chaverim needs your support, whether it is your financial support or your moral support.
Your time and energy and wisdom would be appreciated.
Among the things we need are Jewish educational resource materials as well as the names of families with young children.

Please support the creation and implementation of a Bet Chaverim Jewish experience program for young children…
for the sake of our children and their families, for the sake of our congregation, and for the sake of our Jewish community.

Rabbi Richard Harkavy