Congregation B'nai Emunah

Here's the text of the blessing the Jewish contingent distributed on the evening of Tulsa Parade of Lights. Hope you find the words meaningful and welcoming!

Please join the conversation on the Synagogue Facebook page. The new topic is Chanukah Latkes, shred- or batter-based? Tune in any hour of the day. Never been to the Synagogue Facebook page? Just use your search engine (Google, etc.) and type in “Congregation B’nai Emunah Facebook.” Alternately, just click the button at the top of this page! You do not need to be a Facebook citizen in order to see our postings.

Next up for the 92|Y Broadcasts at The Synagogue is Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer on November 13. Check the Messenger and the season brochure for details. The remaining session is $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Come on down!

The Synagogue Religious School is selling bulbs and flowers that can be planted in the spring. Our sale ends December 30. The flowers and bulbs are guaranteed to grow and will arrive in Tulsa the week of March 18 in time for spring planting. This fundraiser is an ideal way to beautify your garden and also help support Congregation B'nai Emunah's Religious School. Want to help beautify the gardens at McClure in addition to your home gardens? To do this, simply purchase flowers and/or blubs and write McClure next to the order! See this form for details.

The Synagogue has begun a morning class in meditation at 6:15 a.m. on Tuesdays. Taught by Education Director Eliyahu Krigel, the class will begin with a weekly d'var Torah and experiment with various forms of silent meditation. Please call Eliyahu at 918.585.KIDS if you would like to participate. As with virtually all educational opportunities at the Synagogue, there is no charge for these sessions. The class will meet in the Synagogue Sanctuary.

In honor of servicemen and women stationed abroad, we encourage you to make your concern evident by sending care packages to those on faraway deployments. According to our friend John Clayman, the most appreciated packages consist of travel size toiletries and food items that do not spoil. Beef jerky is always appreciated. The US Post Office has special mailing boxes and mailing instructions for our military service members. During the month of June, we are focusing our efforts on Dwayne Littlejohn. His mailing address is:

Littlejohn, Dwayne, M. 1st Lt.

3/4 Kilo Co.

Unit 41600

FPO AP 96427-1600

When it comes to parking at the Synagogue, please help us ensure the safety and well-being of all our members and friends. Feel free to use the semi-circular drive for drop-offs and pick-ups, but please enter from the west and exit from the east. Please avoid parking in front of the Synagogue front door or in front of the short walk that leads to the School door. Remember to avoid double-parking in the driveway, and please close your car door for safety. If you park on the street in front of the Synagogue, please make sure that your car is oriented the right way. If you enter 17th Street off Peoria, park on the parking lot side (north side of the street). If you enter off Owasso, feel free to park on the Synagogue side (south side of the street). Thanks for your help in all these matters. Much appreciated!

Challah baking on Wednesday evenings will continue until the coming of the Messiah and beyond. Sessions from this point forward will begin at 5:45 p.m. and conclude by 6:30 p.m. Novices are welcome, and it is not necessary to have attended any previous session to join us. Call Gwenn or Alicia at 918.935.3373 to reserve a space. No charge to participants; all are welcome! Click here for the excerpt from Rabbi Fitzerman's sermon that describes this new program. We are eager to build a cadre of bakers who gather regularly each week at the Synagogue for the Comradeship of Bread.

Speaking of challah baking, the B'nai Emunah Master Challah Recipe (Goldberg Variation 1.4) has just been updated and is now on our website. Look to the left of this text and find the button marked "Reference." When you punch the button, you'll be connected to a page where several documents are available for reference. Choose the recipe, and it should load immediately.

The Synagogue's GED program for the adults of the McClure Elementary School Community continues to grow. Led by Professor Martin Frey, the program has a larger number of students than before, and we are looking for tutors to assist in the area of language arts. Please let us know if you are available to help on Monday or Wednesday between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Ideally, tutors would do both slots, but we would be happy to accommodate a once-a-week schedule. Please call Rabbi Fitzerman's Office at 918.583.7121 (or write marboofitz@bnaiemunah.com) if you would like to experiment with this possibility. Our deep thanks to the Sharna and Irvin Frank Foundation for underwriting this program.

Please share your pictures with the Synagogue! If any of our photographers have pictures of the Kapparot ceremony that took place at the front door of the Synagogue on Sunday, September 12, we'd love to have them. Just send them to thenicepeople@tulsagogue.com!

Do you have a good idea for growing Jewish Tulsa? Friends in other places who need to be recruited to town or connected with a friendly contact person at the Synagogue? We'd be glad to help. Please call Rabbi Fitzerman's office at 918.583.7121 so that we can help put the puzzle pieces together. The Synagogue works closely with the official Grow Jewish Tulsa effort and, together, we can accomplish great things!

Many children at McClure Elementary School do not yet have mentors. Please think about mentoring when you make your plans for avocational involvement. We believe that this work is essential and holy, and that the personal rewards are substantial for those who choose to be involved at McClure.

Our new project in furnishing housing for the homeless mentally ill is up and running. Planned as a partnership between Congregation B'nai Emunah and Metropolitan Baptist Church, the effort will bring us into an activist relationship with client residents and the mental health community. Each congregation has agreed to field a team of five committed volunteers. If you'd like more information about this service opportunity, please call Betty Lehman at 918.583.7121.

Please see our link on the "Reference" page to ADL resources on religion and prayer in the public schools. This material may be helpful in the months ahead as parents struggle with Christmastime programs, religious rallys at the school flagpole, youth minister visits in the schools, etc. To access this material, scroll through the buttons to the left of this text until you come to "Reference." Click on that button. When you get to the actual page, you will see a second button that takes you to the relevant material. You can also click right here.

If you'd like to become a part of our Elijah's Cloak sewing guild, it's never too late. Scheduled on Sunday mornings during the school year at 10:00 a.m. needleworkers of all kinds are gathering to create lap robes, shawls, or any other garments to give to those in need. Draping the shoulders of someone with a garment made with care brings a measure of healing. Join us in helping us communicate our concern and commitment.

Please open your home to Hillel students and Jewish members of the new Teach for America cohort, recently arrived in Tulsa. We are hoping that many of our members will extend themselves by offering Shabbat and High Holiday hospitality.

Do you have pictures or ephemera relating to the history of the Synagogue? We'd love to have your help in building our archive in preparation for our 100th Anniversary. Please contact Betty Lehman at 918.583.7121 to make your contribution...and don't throw anything away before you think about the Synagogue and its history!

Whenever the Tulsa Run takes place, remember that the streets around the Synagogue will be blocked after 9:00 a.m. The easiest way to get to the Synagogue under the circumstance is to drive on any main arterial street (Lewis, Harvard, Yale, etc. but not Utica. Utica will be blocked) to 11th Street. Turn to the west and travel to Cincinnati (downtown). Then turn left (south) and get in the far right lane. When you cross 13th Street (Boston Avenue United Methodist Church on right) remain in the far right lane and proceed to 18th Street. Then turn left (east) and go to Madison. At Madison turn left (north) and go to 17th Street. Then turn right and proceed to the Synagogue. Whew!

We are a Welcoming Congregation, recognizing no distinction of class, nationality, race, gender or sexual orientation. Against the impersonality of the modern secular world, we aspire to be a larger family for all who share in our religious search for meaning and purpose in life. We make a special effort to offer our brothers and sisters in the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender) community a safe, supportive environment for Jewish learning, worship, and belonging.