Tikvah Rabah

Greetings in the mighty name of Yeshua! Meetings: For this month we will be meeting on September 24th ONLY. Join us from 12-4pm as we design, pin and tie quilts. If yarn arts are more to your preference join us and knit or crochet hats & scarves to send to Israel. If you need yarn, we have plenty for you to use! Our schedule is now typically: begin at noon opening prayer and announcements 1:00 pm closing prayer and song 3:00 pm wrap it up! 4:00 pm Projects: We are excited to announce... We would like to begin a project that we’re hoping many of you find exciting: we want to begin making baby quilts and lap quilts for survivors! These can be any pattern/design (including rag quilts) ! For the baby quilts the size should be 30x40 and the lap quilts should be 40 x 50. We do have baby batting as well as scraps in cotton … as well as larger pieces of flannel! I believe the preference is that the baby quilts NOT be tied. So, if you are interested ...

People often remark, "so you meet every other week, right?" Or: "you meet the first and third Sundays(or the second and fourth Sundays)" We wish it were that simple! if you're ever interested in joining us please do! " " Check out the Tikvah Rabah Facebook page and "subscribe" to our events - you'll find them posted! And, we also post them on the Rehoboth Messianic Congregation's calendar. " " We typically meet from 12-4 downstairs in our ONEG (community) room to design, pin and tie quilts for Holocaust survivors in Israel. THE BEST PART? No Experience Necessary! " " If yarn is more to your liking, we accept donationations of crocheted or knitted hats and scarves to send to Israel. We have yarn if you have the time and talent! " " Light (and sometimes "not-so-light") refreshments are shared. " " Our newly adopted schedule goes something like this: Begi...

Tikvah Rabah began quilting for Holocaust survivors just about 3 years ago. In looking back, there have been a few bumps in the road and we've learned a lot: a lot about sewing, quilting, fabric, best practices for efficiency, consistency and TEAMWORK! On any given Sunday we meet we have about 20 or so people with a variety of skill sets. Some have been lifelong seamstresses and quilters while others are just beginning their journey into sewing. On any given Sunday we meet we have 3 generations of people. Women, men and teens. Some have been coming since the beginning while others are new to the fold. The common thread between these people is an intense, unyielding passion and love for these precious people we serve and The G-d of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. And then, there's Yeshua. We desire to serve Him with our hands. The Ruach is ever present washing over these quilts with LOVE and He breathes life in us as we serve! Here's a few of the quilts we...

When you make as many quilts as we do, you go thru FABRIC - LOTS of fabric! We are blessed to get donations from people from our congregation - those who are clearing out their personal fabric stash ... those who inherit fabric from relatives and those who shop for fabric specially for our ministry. So, when we started getting to the end of the fabric to cut and there's no more coming in, you start to wonder, "Does this mean we are winding down on making quilts for survivors?" Is G-d trying to tell us something? We felt like we were the widow to Elijah in 1 Kings 17: 7-16 (Tikvah Rabah paraphrase: We don't have any fabric - only a handful of random pieces - we are going to make our last quilt, sew, send and die ). Well, G-d, in His G-dly provision waited until we were at the bottom of the fabric stash and then, as He ALWAYS goes, he stirs someone's heart to gift us quilting fabric! A friend of a Rehoboth member asked if we could use fabric! OF...

Life moves so quickly. Work, Family, Friends, Congregation - there's many obligations one has in ones life. Some things fall by the wayside. This blog is one of them. Posting events and pictures seems much easier thru Facebook. My apologies. So, what's new in our world? We have now shipped out 368 quilts to Israel! This has been amazing to watch the different quilts come together. The next shipment of quilts leaves California in September according to Dudley Goff, the Israel Food Outreach founder. Dudley spent 7 weeks in Israel this Spring distributing soup mix to the hungry and quilts to the survivors. He was gracious to share pictures of his visit with Susan Heagy of Abundant Hope International. When I see these pictures, I know all that juggling of commitments and priorities becomes clear: Serve the poor! Until next time - Le Hetriot!

Glenda forwarded me this link after she and Dudley watched it the other night. She thought we should put it out on Facebook.  I'll be honest, when I first watched it I didn't "get" how it was appropriate for Tikvah Rabah.  The more I have been ruminating on the story, the message, the more I realize it is a powerful message that does need to be put out there or "here".   It is based on a true story of a older man who is haunted by his past.  A young Christian boy during the Holocaust he would often hear the train as it would pass by during church.   One particular Sunday the train broke down in front of the church during service.  The parishioners and priest hear the cries of those inside the rail cars.  What happens next haunts this boy for the rest of his days.   So, what can we take away from this 11 minute video?  As much as many of us would love to go back and right the injustice of the past we can't.  We can seek to love, pray for ...

As I scrolled they my photos I came across this picture. it always makes me smile.   These women are such die hard Tikvah Rabah volunteers!   Tatyana, on the left, is one of the primary designers of quilt tops.  She insists on a beautiful, well designed top.   Jan, in the right, is knowledgable about all things crafty creative.  She has personally crocheted hundreds of hats and scarves to send to Israel.   Thank you ladies for your dedication to Tikvah Rabah!  

We are a blessed congregation at Rehoboth.  Our Rabbi supports our mission to help the Holocaust survivors and the poor and needy in Israel.   He stopped by our last craft-a-long to learn to tie a quilt!  By Jove, I think he's got it! 

The dedication of the Tikvah Rabah team never ceases to amaze me.  They show their love for this ministry by not only showing up on work days but taking items home!  It could be sewing a quilt top cutting squares or just the simple act of washing sheets or fabric.  Thank you to all who have washed sheets and fabric in the past two weeks. 💞 Photo by Debi

I think pretty much everybody looks forward to Spring.  Having been in the PNW for 19 years, I admit that as much as I love how green things are here, I get weary of the constant rain and gray skies that seem to characterize our Winter.   It's been a bit nippy this first week of Spring - but seeing a quilt as beautiful as this one promises that warmer days are ahead!  

Today is affectionately known thru the holiday shopping season as Cyber Monday.  As you shop thru Amazon Smile today (and for that matter, any day) we ask you to to consider choosing one of our ministry partners to sponsor.   Your donation via Amazon Smile will mean the difference in the lives of Holocaust Survivors and the poor in our beloved Israel.  And that's reason to smile!  😎

It is sad to think it has been thirteen months since our last blog post.  Pitiful.  You might be thinking TR just shriveled up and faded away.  Actually, it  is just the opposite! G-d seems to have us on a fast track and quite frankly, it is a bit hard to keep up sometimes!  As far as social  media goes, it is easier to keep up on Facebook and Instagram (Twitter is a distant third).  My goal is to brush off the dust on this blog and share on a more consistent basis.   So, here's a sleek preview of what has been going on in our world.  Shalom!  

Seven.  The number of completion.  Seems so fitting that our first shipment of quilts to Holocaust Survivors in Israel would be seven.   Thanks to all who participated!  There were countless hours of ironing, cutting, designing, pinning, tying, sewing and praying that went into this project!!   And we've only just begun.  Todah! The journey continues Sunday, October 19 1 - 4.

Familiar lyrics of a once popular song by the Carpenters (please don't tell me "The who?") It's true, our quilting project for Holocaust  Survivors  in Israel has just begun.  Dudley Goff of Israel Food Outreach on his recent visit to Rehoboth informed us that 1,000 Survivors in Iarael die  each month.  Gulp.  A sobering statistic.  A thousand.   We hope you will join us this Sunday as we tie quilts to be sewn.  There will be ironing of tops and sheets;  cutting squares and designing quilts, too.  But, we have about 15 or so quilts that need to be pinned, tied and prayed over in preparation of being sewn and then shipped to California.   The next container ship is headed to Israel soon and we want to send as many quilts as possible.  After all, time is running out.  A thousand.  

Our group of dedicated crafters met on September 14th to complete our first quilts!  The air was buzzing with excitement as we spread our efforts across TWO ROOMS in our congregation.   After each quilt was smoothed and ready, we offered heartfelt prayers to the Heavenly throne that Yeshua (Jesus) would use these gifts of our hearts to erase the pain in the Survivor's hearts.  May the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) wrap these Survivors in His love and reveal Yeshua to them.   We were blessed to have experienced quilters to help us figure out the ins and outs - and those of us with less experience quickly got into the groove.   We've only just begun ... Join the Journey - we meet again Sunday, September 28th 1-4.   All skill levels welcome.   (Enjoy these pictures by Heidi)

A Book Worth Reading! The Boy on theWooden Box Leon Leyson (Leib Lejzon) This book is Leon Leyson’s autobiography, the story of a happy life as a young child in Poland until the Nazis invaded when he was 10 years old. He then describes life in the Krakow ghetto, in 2 concentration camps, and at the age of 13, as a worker in Oscar Schindler’s factory, along with his parents and 2 of his 4 siblings.  This memoir is the only one written by a child on “Schindler’s List” and describes the character of the man as experienced by those who worked for him—his “children” as he called them.  Though an unlikely hero, he showed them mercy and care and gave them a sense of dignity at a time when they were seen as less than human by the world around them. The story also is a tribute to the perseverance and strength of the survivors of the Nazi terror as they determined to live and to do whatever they could to help others survive as well.  Even as a child, Leon was...

You've probably heard snippets of the saga of our beautiful, unique dresses we sent to Israel last month.  Who knew you could take a simple pillowcase, perform some minor alterations and add some embellishments and "viola'" a beautiful little dress is created.   Our crafters had a goal of 100;  we ended up with 137!  Thank You, Yeshua!   However, as we quickly discovered, there are international shipping requirements that are taken quite seiously by customs officials.  Back and forth - this and that - time and time again - for every step forward, we fell two steps back!   Today, we received notification that our lovely, little dresses will be returned (they could have been thrown away or sold at auction - so, again, Thank You, Yeshua!   Keep praying for the door to open for these dresses to get to Israel.   And we know that all things work together for the good of them who love G-d, to them who are called according to His purpose.  

Quilting Update: We had a wonderful time on Sunday with our quilting project! Twelve wonderful ladies gathered to iron, cut, design and sew quilt tops. Our next regular quilting event is Sunday, September 14th at 1:00 pm. Now, for some news from Glenda: SAVE THE DATE!!!! Dudley and Raven Goff, founders of Israel Food Outreach which supplies dried soup mix to the poor and quilts for the holocaust survivors in Israel, are here in Portland and would like to meet with us! Tikvah Rabah, Rehoboth's ministry to the survivors and the poor, has partnered with Israel Food Outreach in making quilts for the survivors (see pictures from last week!). The Goffs and Nancy Hook (who we met previously) have made time in their schedule to meet with anyone who is interested in learning more about their ministry and of course, with our Tikvah Rabah crafters, on Sunday, August 31, at 2:00 at Rehoboth. Dudley very much wants to make this connection with us in person regarding th...

Kind of to do a #ThrowbackThursday when we haven't been established for a year quite yet.  However, we will take the rather short walk down memory lane to reflect upon our first craft project:  lovely, frilly, feminine scarves!   Available in so many colors - there's something for everyone!  Your purchase helps support Holocaust Survivors and the poor in #Israel.  We look forward to opening our Etsy store soon!   #tbt