Interviews will take place in the library.

“They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s… talk about it.” The 20th century gave us examples of the most extreme Jewish powerlessness and unheard-of Jewish power as well. But the history of Jews and political, military and social power — especially so-called “soft power” — is much more complicated, much more nuanced than popular consciousness has led us to believe. How did Jews use communal wisdom and the concerted application of influence to ensure centuries of survival? Where was the Church, the Reformation, the growth of secular power and the emergence of modern society for all of this? There are several perspectives to consider, and we’ll break it down, from Philo to philo-Semitism. Taught by David Feder. 10-11:30 am, Sundays, Jan. 19 & 26

The Refa’einu Healing Circle will be offered periodically on Sunday afternoons. The purpose of this circle is to provide sacred space and time to focus on healing and wholeness. Through contemplative teachings, sacred chant, guided and silent meditations, and prayer, we open to healing energy—however it is needed in our lives, our families, our communities, our planet. Tivona Reith will lead the first of these circles on Sunday, January 26, from 3:00-4:15pm. Refa’einu, Yah, v’neirafei — Heal us, Source of All Healing, and we will be healed. (In case of inclement weather, efforts will be made to notify those who has RSVP'd and the Healing Circle will be rescheduled.)

Interviews will take place in the library.

Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting in Zoom Room Gimel: 5 pm to 6:30 pm. (For Zoom room login info, log in to your Havurah member account on the website, go to the Contact tab, and click on Zoom Meeting Rooms in the drop-down menu.)

If you consider yourself a creative actor/singer who loves musical theater and trying new things, then please join us for this first ever musical theater workshop series. We are writing a musical - Freedom: The Untold Story of Moses – and want to work with a group of passionate performers to develop a physical, spiritual, and musical language for the piece. You can be a part of bringing the script to life and pick up a few tips and tricks to musical theater performance along the way! This will culminate in a staged reading performance of the first act at Havurah Shalom. Performance dates: Sunday, April 5, 2pm and 7pm 10 spaces open to adults. Questions? Contact Chari Smith

We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Nancy Becker, or Ria de Neeve. We will meet both in-person (Havurah Sanctuary or Library) and in Zoom Room Bet. Log in to the website and then visit havurahshalom.org/zoom or call the office for join info (503-248-4662). All are welcome.

Interviews will take place in the library.

The HS Book Group Discusses Necessary Stories, by Haim Watzman, January 28th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm, at Havurah--Twenty-four stories of Israeli and Jewish life, chosen from the more than one hundred Haim Watzman has written over the last nine years in his "Necessary Stories" column in the Jerusalem Report. Bookended by a flashback to his first weekend in Israel forty years ago and a storytelling encounter on a recent flight back home from the US, these stories-funny, meditative, and sad, set in immigrant camps, the army, and the author's own neighborhood in south Jerusalem-uniquely capture what it is like, in our age, to be an Israeli and a Jew. The stories touch on technology, immigration, marriage, parenting, death, duty, and tradition in modern Israel and contemporary Judaism. Necessary Stories is a quietly beautiful work, haunting in places, gently funny in others, written by a graceful, thoughtful, eloquent man who understands that life itself is not enough. One must live to tell the tale.” —Joseph Skibell, from the Introduction Discussion led by Stacey Hankin

For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org for join info.

Facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin In what ways can Jewish spiritual practice guide our work for healing and justice in the world? In this group we will explore this question together through learning, discussion, and practice. At each meeting we will engage in various modalities, including meditation, chanting, contemplative study, and self-reflection. Guidance will be given for continued practice and engagement between sessions. Our intention will be to form a trusting and supportive group as a foundation for this sacred work. No experience necessary, but participants should be able to commit to all or nearly all of the meetings. Please RSVP by January 15. Limited to 12 participants.

David Kertzner will be leading another Havurah adult amateur writers group for anyone who wants to explore their interest in prose writing – and is not a published writer or working on a big writing project. This group welcomes people who have never shared their own writing or worked in a group before, but would like to try! The focus will be memoir writing in the broadest sense of the word. We will strive to be a supportive, reflective community using writing prompts and discussion to generate short pieces each week. Participants will select one of their pieces to develop in more depth and then share at a culminating Friday oneg for the Havurah community. Group size is limited to 8 participants. We will meet together for 8 sessions on Thursday evenings from 7-9 pm, January 16, 23, 30; February 6, 13, 20, 27; March 5 and a public reading with an Oneg on March 6. Spot reservations do not open until the spring! Please call David Kertzner if you have questions.

An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. At Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Bet. Email info@havurahshalom.org for Zoom link.

Please share in the joy of community and learning as Havurah Shalom’s Adult B’nai Mitzvah group is called to the Torah Saturday, February 1, 2020 6 Sh’vat 5780 Parashat Bo Amy Lennon Kate Dreyfus Benjamin Walters Beth Yohalem-Ilsley Laurel Singer Patricia Schwartz Curtis Shipley Rachel Shipley Nancy Spigal Rochelle Cohen Darensbourg Charles Green David Kertzner Please RSVP below by January 19. After services, you are invited to a luncheon sponsored by the B’nai Mitzvah group along with the help of the Havurah Community and other friends and family.