(Library.)

Come one, come all, for a night of joy, masquerade, and retelling the story of the courageous individuals from long ago whose valor saved the Jewish people. We will have pizza, Megillah chanting, spieling, and more. Be sure to visit the Alter Rocker’s adults only table to fufill the mitzvah of being unable to tell Mordechai and Haman apart. Wear a costume, if you have one, or pick out something from Havurah's collection. Bring your famous hamantaschen to share. Our evening’s schedule: 6:00pm dinner and games, 6:30pm speiling and Megillah and more.Pprogram ending at 7:30 pm, though everyone is welcome to stay, dance, and continue the party!

Monthly meeting for the Teen Engagement Committee leadership. Havurah teens and their parents are welcome. We meet in Zoom Room Bet.

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.

Why did Eastern European Jewry embrace Zionism in the late 1800s? Was it inevitable that the revival of a Jewish national community in Israel would entail confrontation with the existing Palestinian Arab community and repeated wars with its Arab neighbors? We’ll address these and many other questions. Taught by Prof. Joel Beinin. Room Aleph This class will be taking place via Zoom only--not in person--while Coronavirus precautions remain in place. Students, please be in touch with Joel for join info.

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.

Israel’s yetziat mitzrayim (exodus from Egypt/the narrow space) is a cornerstone of Judaism and the foundation for our celebration of Pesach (Passover). One of the four names for Pesach is Hag ha-Herut (The Feast of Freedom). Jews in different historical contexts have understood mitzrayim (the narrow space) differently and therefore freedom has looked different in different generations. We will explore the evolution of these themes from the Torah narratives into the self-conscious construction of the Passover seder by the rabbis. We will look at visual and liturgical representations of slavery and freedom in haggadot (the book we use at the seder) from the last 600 years. One focus will be on the liberation of gender, which has been a hallmark of the last 40 years of some creative Jewish seders. Taught by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner

Havurah members, join the Racial Justice Committee for our monthly meeting (2nd Thursdays, 7 pm to 8:30 pm, Zoom Room Bet). We will make plans to create learning opportunities for our community and engage in learning together during the meeting. Questions? Contact Julia Lager Mesulam. *Log in to your Havurah member account on our website and look under the Contact tab for the Member Directory and Zoom Room login info.*

What do I do when visiting someone who is sick or in the hospital? What do I say to someone in mourning, or who is experiencing loss or suffering of any kind? How do I work with my own questions and discomforts around illness, death, and suffering? Havurah Shalom’s theme this year of Hineinu: Here We Are takes many forms. In this workshop, we will explore how we can say Hineinu when visiting those who are ill (bikkur ḥolim) or comforting mourners (niḥum aveylim). We will learn how to cultivate a listening heart and to sit with each other in compassionate and caring ways. The workshop will include study of Torah and other Jewish texts, chanting and meditation, reflection and discussion, and more. This series is a first step in creating a Bikkur Ḥolim (Visiting the Sick) cohort within Havurah, and will be designed as a training for those interested in helping us support each other in this way. Everyone is welcome to participate in the workshop, though, regardless of future commitment. This training will take place on Zoom while Coronavirus precautions are in place. For information on how to join, participants may contact Rabbi Benjamin or the office.

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.

Interspersing chanting and silence, we will move through the flow of Shabbat morning slowly and intentionally, aiming to open our hearts and deepen our awareness. No experience necessary. Contact Rabbi Benjamin with questions.