B'nei Mitzvah cohort activity.

We will study the history and meaning of the hamsa symbol and its part in Jewish life and culture. Then we will design a piece for our homes. You may choose to make it from clay, mixed media, drawing, painting, or fabric. You will see examples of hamsa designs, how they are decorated, and their crucial elements. Led by Carolina Martinez.

The Israel-Palestine Committee is pleased to continue our film discussion series this winter. Please watch the films on your own prior to attending the sessions. The discussions will be facilitated by members of the Israel/Palestine Committee and will use the film as the basis for an exploration of the complex and often emotional issues it raises. The second story we’ll be discussing is “Out in the Dark”—a gay love story between a Palestinian student and a Jewish Israeli lawyer. Their relationship is complicated by visa issues and the pressures of the Israeli Secret Service.

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.)

Havurah teens Grades 8-12 are invited to join thirty peers from two Reconstructionist congregations in NY/NJ who are coming to Portland for a social justice weekend run by local non-profit Tivnu: Building Justice. Come learn about the weekend, which will include hands-on volunteer work, spirited discussions about the roots and solutions of houselessness and other injustices, a closer look at how some Portland organizations are addressing the needs of unhoused folks, and some time to relax and have fun together. Find more details here and look for registration to open up soon. Contact Andy Waxman for more information. 

In this four-week introductory class, we will delve into the history of Jewish mysticism, sample ancient Kabbalistic texts and contemporary mystical writings, become acquainted with Hasidic rebbes and their enduring stories, and explore selected mystical concepts and practices. Led by Tivona Reith, Rabbinic Chaplain and Mashpiah Ruchanit.

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.

Fiction: 247 Pages. Published in 1994, Paradise tells the story of a boy growing up in Tanzania in the early twentieth century. The story is told through the eyes of Yusuf, a gentle boy taken at the age of 12 as an indentured servant to pay off his father’s debt. From the simple life of rural Africa, Yusuf is thrown into the complexities of precolonial urban East Africa. Join the Book Group for a discussion of this compelling work. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom 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.

A selection of Palestinian voices in their own terms—unmediated by Western or Israeli media or organizations with a political agenda—using a selection of films, poetry, prose, and music (and depending on Covid conditions, food). We will include well known figures like Edward Said, Ghassan Kanafani, and Mahmud Darwish as well as representatives of the youthful generation of feminist authors, such as Hala Alyan, Farah Chamma, and Rafeef Ziadah. The emphasis throughout is on cultural expression rather than historical narrative or political analysis. However, to provide a common point of departure, we will begin with a film that surveys the history since British Mandate Palestine (1922-1948) to about 2000. Led by Joel Beinin.

The Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good (MACG) Havurah Core Team hope you will consider registering for the 5-session virtual course “Wrestling with the Truth of Colonization.” This course has been developed and presented by local Indigenous leaders in Washington, Montana, two Canadian provinces, New Zealand and Australia. The course is very powerful and moving. Please spread the word wide and far within our community and beyond. . Since Havurah is a MACG member, there is no cost for members.

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.

Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. We meet in person and in Zoom Room Aleph. Please email Rachel for Zoom info: rachel@havurahshalom.org.