Havurah Shalom: Portland's Reconstructionist Community
Havurah Shalom is a prolific Jewish community based in Portland, Oregon. Over the last 40 years, we have grown from a small group of families meeting in each other's homes, to our current membership of more than 480 households.
Affiliated with Reconstructing Judaism, Havurah's progressive approach to Jewish life integrates traditional, communal Jewish practices with the intellectual and political impulses of democracy and pluralism. We are open to all who want to connect with Judaism; we welcome all identities.
Empowered and supported by our staff, Havurah members take leadership roles in governing, educating, providing music, taking social action, davening and reading Torah on Shabbat, and leading and leyning during High Holiday services. Our High Holiday services, attended by over 1,000 people each year, are open to the public with no payment or tickets required.
Our emphasis on active involvement distinguishes Havurah from most other congregations and allows members to become truly engaged in Jewish community. It enriches individual experience, deepens family relationships and friendships, and creates a strong, intertwined community. Each member has the opportunity to determine the direction and goals of our organization.
All are welcome at our High Holidays services, Shabbat services, and holiday celebrations!
Mission
Havurah's mission is to provide a vibrant, diverse, participatory Jewish community steeped in spirituality, learning, and acts of social responsibility.
How We Are Organized
Havurah Shalom has six different organizational bodies called "clusters":
Each of these clusters is home to many committees. Committees meet and progress in their desired area of focus. These focuses could range greatly, from transparency and inclusivity to climate action, to gardening, or even welcoming new members. Every committee has its own mission and goals, and that's what makes the Havurah community so rich and engaging. Members can be involved in as many committees as they want!
Community Brochure for 2021-2022 / 5782
Our new community brochure can be found here. It lists many of our events, classes, and activities for the upcoming year!
Affiliations
Reconstructing Judaism – The Jewish Reconstructionist movement sprang from 20th century American concerns about egalitarianism, the democratic process, and a focus on the community as arbiter of Jewish imaginative practice and theology. Pictured here is Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President of Reconstructing Judaism, the central organization of the Reconstructionist movement, which trains the next generation of rabbis, supports and uplifts congregations and havurot, fosters emerging expressions of Jewish life, and encourages people to be their best selves — always helping to shape what it means to be Jewish today and to imagine the Jewish future. (Photo taken by Barbara Gundle)
Community of Welcoming Congregations (CWC) – An association of congregations in the Portland metropolitan area that welcome and affirm people of all sexual orientations and identities.
Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good (MACG) – An organization of community-based institutions in and around Portland that works to create a strong, non-partisan civil sector voice to address economic, social, and environmental issues affecting our community.
Transparency & Inclusivity
Havurah Shalom aspires to be a transparent and inclusive community. To that end, we have developed guidelines to evaluate our communication and processes — a set of reminders that we employ in our effort to be as transparent and inclusive as possible. See our Transparency & Inclusivity Guidelines.
Long Range Plan
Our Long Range Plan, published in 2014, highlights our vision for the coming years. You can find a one-page Overview of the Plan here and the entire Long Range Plan here.
Growth Report
Tom Berg and Deborah Eisenbach-Budner prepared this insightful report about Havurah’s growth and the decisions Havurah needs to make based on those projections.
