Reactions on Israel/Palestine

Hevre,

We are in distress about the current violence in Israel/Palestine which has inflicted suffering on both Palestinians and Israelis. The situation is both achingly familiar and distressingly different. We hope that through our committee we can provide some opportunities in the near future for us to come together as a congregation to discuss the root causes, the ever-changing situation on the ground, and paths forward. There is no shortage of webinars, opinion pieces, and analyses. Below, there are many links with a range of perspectives on the situation — not in any particular order.

Statement by Reconstructing Judaism/Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association

The Progressive Israel Network, of which Reconstructing Judaism is a member, has links to a variety of statements from member organizations. Here is a recent webinar they sponsored.

Democracy Now Interviews with Palestinians Rashid Khalidi & Hanan Ashrawi

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s speech to the House of Representatives

Mark Blattner's statement from Portland Jewish Federation

Opinion piece by Nadav Tamir, Head of J Street Israel, in the Times of Israel

– Israel/Palestine Committee

The Census is Here!

We need all Havurah households to complete the Havurah Census you have received in your email. The demographic information we are collecting is critical for understanding who is part of the Havurah community and how we project forward in our Long-Range Plan. All information is confidential and being aggregated by a third party.

Please complete your Havurah Census as soon as you can! If you have any questions, or did not receive the Census email, contact Sam Sirkin via the Havurah Member Directory.

Havurah COVID Guidelines Update

As you know the Crisis Core Team has been meeting since the beginning of the pandemic to address how we will continue to be in community. This group includes the staff, Vice President, Co-Presidents, Immediate Past President, Rachel Plotinsky, MD, Michael Heumman, MPH, MA and Richard Goldenberg, MD, who are lending their public health and medical expertise. We continue to meet to review the most recent public health guidance and how best we can ensure safety of our members while creating opportunities for connections. We recently updated our guidelines and before we had the chance to share them with you, the guidance has changed once again. Our Core Crisis Team has not had the opportunity to discuss what the updated guidance means for Havurah. We are meeting on May 27 and will provide an update to you after that meeting.

We appreciate your patience with us as we digest the newest information and how to apply that to our community, It is our hope and desire to be together in person as soon as we can and to do so safely. For now you can read our current guidelines here.

B'shalom,
Core Crisis Team

Curious About Our Budget Process?

Understanding Havurah's Finances & Budget Process
Wednesday, June 2, 7-8:30 pm – Room Gimel
If you are curious about Havurah finances and wonder how the annual budget is built, we invite you to join former Treasurer and Finance Committee member Janet Byrd and current Treasurer Shari Raider for a closer look at our budget process. We will have a conversation about who is involved, what is considered, and how choices are made. This conversation is for all members – those who never think about organizational budgets and those who do!

How Recent Steering Committee Decisions Affect Next Year’s Budget

Our congregational meeting is on the horizon (June 6 at 10 am in Room Aleph) and that means it will be time to look at and vote on the 2021-22 budget. There are decisions that the Steering Committee made this year which will impact next year’s budget. Click here to read an article about the work Steering has done this past year to move us forward on a financially prudent path that gives us greater certainty around our Reserve Fund and our annual building maintenance investments. Also, learn about Steering’s decision to direct this year’s operating budget surplus towards investments in our people, our values, and our facility.

Upcoming Classes

Intergenerational Conflict and Sexuality in Yiddish Poetry
Wednesdays, May 26, June 2, June 9, 12-1:15 pm – Room Gimel
Themes of change, family loyalty, and the struggle for autonomy permeate early 20th century Yiddish literature. Using sexuality as a focal point, we will see how Jewish language and culture are used to explore themes of generational conflict, identity and cultural transition. Malka Heifetz Tussman and Anna Margolin are among the poets that we will read together in English translation (but we will have the Yiddish available for reference). Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Please register here.

Upcoming Events

Bikkur Holim Visioning Meeting
Thursday, May 20, 7-8:30 pm – Room Bet
After its first year of activity, the Bikkur Holim Committee is looking at lessons learned and visioning how best to continue providing contact and comfort for those who are ill or in mourning, and supporting Rabbi Benjamin in the pastoral care he provides our community. Interested Havurah members are invited to join with current committee members to explore ideas and options. RSVP here.

Kabbalat Shabbat Ruach
Friday, May 21, 7 pm – Room Aleph
A musical, soulful way to welcome Shabbat, after a week of great sorrow for Israel/Palestine — and great joy for standing together at Sinai one more time at Shavuot. Songs of hope, joy, and peace. Led by JD Kleinke.

Community Minyan
Saturday, May 22, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! This service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion led by Barbara Slader, Susan Brenner, and Emily Simon.

Discussion on Poverty
Sunday, May 23, 4-5 pm – Room Bet
Join us for our third poverty discussion led by Havurah member, Fran Weick. With years of experience Fran will enlighten us on issues of poverty in Portland, answer questions, and challenge us to be a part of the solution to what we see on our streets. RSVP here.

Amended Israel/Palestine Film Discussion
Sunday, May 23, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
The Israel/Palestine Committee is hosting a discussion on Sunday of the Film In Between (Bar Behar). The discussion will take place as planned. We realize, however, that emotions are running high because of the crisis in Israel/Palestine and we want to provide a space for people to share their reactions. To do this, we will end the film discussion at 8:15 and keep the meeting open until 9 to allow everyone an opportunity to express their concerns. This will not be a policy debate. Everyone's reactions will be accepted. RSVP here.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, May 25, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Book Group Reads Pogrom: Kishinev and the Tilt of History by Steven Zipperstein
Tuesday, May 25, 7 pm – Room Bet
So shattering were the aftereffects of Kishinev, the rampage that broke out in late-Tsarist Russia in April 1903, that one historian remarked that it was “nothing less than a prototype for the Holocaust itself.” Steve Zipperstein, who may be the most eminent historian of eastern European Jewry in the United States, uncovers sources in Russian, Yiddish, and English that show not only why this bloody event ignited the Jewish imagination, its sense of embattlement in exile, but also why it had such lasting resonance internationally. Discussion led by Joel Beinin. This event is put on by the Havurah Book Group.

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, May 26, 8:15 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Rabbi Benjamin.
 

Cemetery Workshop
Wednesday, May 26, 7-8:30 pm – Room Dalet
If you're interested in our beautiful cemetery, come to our workshop! The goal is to help members be more cognizant of the cemetery, and to see if we can develop a group who are trained to sell graves. We'll give a brief history of why we have a cemetery and why it's in the Jones Pioneer Cemetery. We will talk about who can be buried there and what options are available when it comes to grave site selection. Also to be covered: the process of selling a grave site and how we know what graves are sold and which are still available. Questions? Call Dave Weil via the Havurah Member Directory and leave a message. He'll call you back. RSVP here. This event is put on by the Cemetery Committee.

Tikkun Olam

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Space Jam Q&A

Q: Why do we need a new building or more space at our current building?
A: Over the last 20 years, our membership has steadily grown. We now have more than twice as many members as we did when we moved into our current building. There are more students in Shabbat School and the long-term viability of the Lutheran Church for classroom space is far from certain. We have a need for more parking, a commercial kitchen, more bathroom stalls, and more space for staff and meetings. Havurah needs to plan and invest now to meet our projected space needs over the next 10-20 years.

Can You Help Maria Find a Job?

Do you have experience connecting job seekers to employers? Or connections that could lead to a job? Is your business hiring? The Sanctuary Committee seeks leads, as well as volunteers to join our "employment navigators" supporting Maria, a Guatemalan asylum seeker being sponsored by Havurah. Vaccinated, with a work permit, and improving (though limited) English, Maria needs our support in her transition to independence. Interested, or have a tip to share? Please contact Deborah Kallen (contact info in Havurah directory).

Want to joing our team of employment navigators helping Maria find work? We are looking for leads and volunteers. Please contact Deb Kallen via the Havurah Member Directory.

Community Events & Offerings

A Community Call to Confront Hate
Wednesday, May 26, 9-1 pm – Register here
In this time of national and local reckoning with our country and state's grim legacy of discrimination and hate, we have come together as a broad coalition of partner organizations and allies to create a virtual summit. A Community Call to Confront Hate is the culmination of a collaborative effort by several local area organizations that previously presented webinars on the history of discrimination and bigotry in Oregon.

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely. The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Praying for Peace & Liberation

Friends, this is a dark moment in Israel and Palestine. I find myself, as I have so many times, struggling to name what feels right, or helpful, or necessary, amidst an escalation of violence there. Within our community there is a wide diversity of connection, or lack thereof, to that land and its residents, and a broad range of perspectives on what is happening now and what precipitated this moment. As always, my phone line and inbox are open. I would welcome the chance to connect, whether to share in struggle about the situation or in response to anything I write with which you disagree.

Like all of us, I am praying for peace, for a de-escalation of violence, and for safety and security for all residents of Israel and Palestine. My hearts breaks over the killing of dozens of Palestinians in Gaza in the past few days, including 14 children. I feel particularly enraged in solidarity with the families and communities of those young people whose lives were ended so senselessly. My heart breaks as well for the two Israeli women in Ashkelon killed by a rocket from Gaza, and I mourn with their families and communities. For all Israelis living in fear right now, having to duck into bomb shelters at a moment’s notice, I shudder, knowing that this is a reality far from what I live. And I shudder further as I imagine all the Palestinian people and families, for whom the situation is many times more precarious. They may receive a warning that their building will be struck, but where are they to go?

I pray for peace, and I pray for liberation. Liberation, yes, for all people suffering under these generational cycles of violence. And liberation in particular for the Palestinian people, who have endured over 50 years of a brutal and dehumanizing occupation by the State of Israel. There are a lot of events that have contributed to this moment’s escalation, and I unequivocally condemn violence against civilians from either side. But the forced removal of Palestinian families to be replaced by Jewish settlers in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, the denial of worshippers access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the last Friday of Ramadan, and the subsequent harassment and attack against worshippers who were there, are all state-sanctioned acts of violence, which are necessary elements in maintaining the occupation. As long as it continues, and millions of Palestinians are systematically denied basic human rights, including the right to vote for the government which ultimately controls their fate, the violence will not end. So in this moment, more than ever, I believe we must call and work for an end to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian people.

As Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive director of T’ruah, put it in her powerful article yesterday:

"All of us who care about the future of Israel and Palestine, and of Israelis (Jewish, Palestinian & other) and Palestinians should be putting our money, advocacy energy, and organizing power into working to end occupation, investing in organizations both here & there that are doing so, and supporting the extraordinary activists on the ground who are devoting their lives to this work."

Ken y’hi ratzon — May it be so.
    
– Rabbi Benjamin

The Census is Almost Here!

We need all Havurah households to complete the Havurah Census you will soon receive in your email. The demographic information we are collecting is critical for understanding who is part of the Havurah community and how we project forward in our Long-Range Plan. All information is confidential and being aggregated by a third party.

Please complete your Havurah Census as soon as it arrives in your inbox! If you have any questions, or do not receive the Census email by this Sunday, contact Sam Sirkin via the Havurah Member Directory.

Tikkun Leyl Shavuot

A Night of Multigenerational Learning and Discussion
Sunday, May 16 – Room Aleph

Upcoming Classes

Intergenerational Conflict and Sexuality in Yiddish Poetry
Wednesdays, May 26, June 2, June 9, 12-1:15 pm – Room Gimel
Themes of change, family loyalty, and the struggle for autonomy permeate early 20th century Yiddish literature. Using sexuality as a focal point, we will see how Jewish language and culture are used to explore themes of generational conflict, identity and cultural transition. Malka Heifetz Tussman and Anna Margolin are among the poets that we will read together in English translation (but we will have the Yiddish available for reference). Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Please register here.

Upcoming Events

New & Prospective Member Welcome Tea
Thursday, May 13, 7 pm – Room Aleph
The Welcome Committee invites new and newish faces to the New and Prospective Member Welcome Tea — an informal Zoom gathering. Come and meet other new and prospective members and some long-time members too! Ask questions about Havurah, and be ready to have some fun! BYOT! (Bring Your Own Tea!) Anyone and everyone is welcome. RSVP here.

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, May 14, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service. Led by Rabbi Benjamin. Music will be provided by our talented Havurah musicians.

Bar Mitzvah of Noah Malmon
Saturday, May 15, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Noah Malmon as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Morning Minyan  DATE CHANGE
Monday, May 17, 8:15 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, May 18, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Bikkur Holim Visioning Meeting
Thursday, May 20, 7-8:30 pm – Room Bet
After its first year of activity, the Bikkur Holim Committee is looking at lessons learned and visioning how best to continue providing contact and comfort for those who are ill or in mourning, and supporting Rabbi Benjamin in the pastoral care he provides our community. Interested Havurah members are invited to join with current committee members to explore ideas and options. RSVP here.

Discussion on Poverty
Sunday, May 23, 4-5 pm – Room Bet
The Poverty & Homelessness Committee presents the third in our series of discussions on poverty. Our guest speaker is Havurah member Fran Weick. Since 2002, Fran has been the Director of Human Solutions' Resident Services Program. She has over 30 years of experience working with low-income families. Her focus is housing stability for low-income households and for those who are moving from homelessness to permanent housing. Join us! RSVP here.

Israel/Palestine Film Discussion
Sunday, May 23, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
Our third film discussion is about In Between (Bar Behar). Please watch the film prior to discussion. Available from: Prime Video, Kanopy, Fandango Now, VUDU, iTunes, and Film Movement. In Between, a 2016 Israeli-French film about three Palestinian Israel women sharing an apartment in Tel Aviv, depicts their struggles as shaped by living in relatively liberal Tel Aviv, the more conservative Arab society, inequality of Israeli society, and their desire to free themselves. This event is put on by the Israel/Palestine Committee.

Book Group Reads Pogrom: Kishinev and the Tilt of History by Steven Zipperstein
Tuesday, May 25, 7 pm – Room Bet
So shattering were the aftereffects of Kishinev, the rampage that broke out in late-Tsarist Russia in April 1903, that one historian remarked that it was “nothing less than a prototype for the Holocaust itself.” Steve Zipperstein, who may be the most eminent historian of eastern European Jewry in the United States, uncovers sources in Russian, Yiddish, and English that show not only why this bloody event ignited the Jewish imagination, its sense of embattlement in exile, but also why it had such lasting resonance internationally. Discussion led by Joel Beinin. This event is put on by the Havurah Book Group.

Cemetery Workshop
Wednesday, May 26, 7-8:30 pm – Room Dalet
If you're interested in our beautiful cemetery, come to our workshop! The goal is to help members be more cognizant of the cemetery, and to see if we can develop a group who are trained to sell graves. We'll give a brief history of why we have a cemetery and why it's in the Jones Pioneer Cemetery. We will talk about who can be buried there and what options are available when it comes to grave site selection. Also to be covered: the process of selling a grave site and how we know what graves are sold and which are still available. Questions? Call Dave Weil via the Havurah Member Directory and leave a message. He'll call you back. RSVP here. This event is put on by the Cemetery Committee.

Tikkun Olam

MACG General Assembly
Thursday, May 13, 6:30-8:30 pm
MACG (Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good) General Assemblies are events where all 24 MACG member institutions are represented. The focus for this assembly is on criminal justice reform, in particular, Measure 11 — a 1994 ballot measure requiring mandatory minimum sentences — and two key reform bills in the current Oregon Legislative session: House Bill 2002 and Senate Bill 401. Measure 11 establishes mandatory sentences for certain crimes and takes away any leeway judges may want to exercise. Come to learn more about these bills, hear personal stories, and take action!
We will be joined at the assembly by two special guests: Edward Jones, a retired judge of the Multnomah County Circuit Court who wrote a recent op-ed in support of Measure 11 reform. Aaron Knott, chief of staff for Multnomah County’s District Attorney Mike Schmidt. RSVP here. This event is put on by the Havurah MACG Core Team.

Building Justice: Tikkun Olam Virtual Brunch
Sunday, May 16, 11-12:30pm – Room Bet
As a congregation, Havurah Shalom engages in strong social justice work. We believe that it the strength of our relationships that enable change to happen. Let’s take some time to get to know each other, schmooze, nosh, and act. Join the Tikkun Olam cluster for conversation and action as a way to build relationships. Bring your advocacy actions and we will join together to support each other’s causes. RSVP here. This event is put on by the Havurah MACG Core Team.

Family-Friendly Letter Writing to Congress
Sunday, May 16, 5-6 pm – RSVP for Zoom info
Each month we invite people of all ages to join us to write letters to our members of Congress to urge action on behalf of a healthy climate for all. The topic for May is advancing climate solutions in the Jobs Act. Bring physical or electronic writing implements and your sense of fun and patriotism to make our Jewish voices heard. This event is put on by the Havurah Climate Action Team.

Nicholas Kristof's Event Prep Session #3
Monday, May 17, 7pm – Zoom room here
As a member of The Interfaith Alliance on Poverty join this 3rd prep session. In small groups preliminary discussion topics formulated for Kristof will be shared, as well as developing a few more during this 60-90 minute facilitated session. Zoom passcode: 236168. This event is brought to you by the Poverty & Homelessness Committee.

Nicholas Kristof Speaking on His Book Tightrope
Monday, June 7, 7 pm
Havurah is invited through our membership with The Interfaith Alliance on Poverty to hear Nicholas Kristof, sharing from his book Tightrope. Be prepared to be inspired, educated and moved to engage from this session "Conversation and questions on poverty. What are our moral imperatives?" More info here. Poster here. Info brought to you by the Poverty & Homelessness Committee.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Space Jam Q&A

The Expansion Opportunities Report outlines three possible “build-up” opportunities for Havurah at our current site, which range in rough price estimates from $3.6 million (1-story addition) to over $9 million (tear down and build a 3-story building). Our commercial realtor is diligently looking for well-located buildings with parking that would meet our long term needs, but which would also likely require significant remodeling.

Q: Can we afford this? What was raised to build our current building?
A: There is no doubt that Havurah will need to explore our capacity and appetite for embarking on a capital campaign if we were to decide to build up or purchase (and possibly renovate) another building. But we’ve done this before. Approximately $4 million was raised to build our current building – an initial campaign, plus several follow-on fundraisers. And, we only had half our current membership when we did this in the 1990s.

Can You Help Maria Find a Job?

Do you have experience connecting job seekers to employers? Or connections that could lead to a job? Is your business hiring? The Sanctuary Committee seeks leads, as well as volunteers to join our "employment navigators" supporting Maria, a Guatemalan asylum seeker being sponsored by Havurah. Vaccinated, with a work permit, and improving (though limited) English, Maria needs our support in her transition to independence. Interested, or have a tip to share? Please contact Deborah Kallen (contact info in Havurah directory).

Want to joing our team of employment navigators helping Maria find work? We are looking for leads and volunteers. Please contact Deb Kallen via the Havurah Member Directory.

Community Events & Offerings

A Community Call to Confront Hate
Wednesday, May 26, 9-1 pm – Register here
In this time of national and local reckoning with our country and state's grim legacy of discrimination and hate, we have come together as a broad coalition of partner organizations and allies to create a virtual summit. A Community Call to Confront Hate is the culmination of a collaborative effort by several local area organizations that previously presented webinars on the history of discrimination and bigotry in Oregon.

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely. The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

The May Hakol is here!
Click the cover above or click here to see the issue.

For the Breath of Every Life

Dear Hevre,

I said a prayer of thanks yesterday upon hearing news of the guilty verdict. There is accountability for George Floyd’s murder. It was beautiful to hear the Floyd family share their gratitude for the result, and for all those who worked tirelessly for 11 months to make it happen. They offered a sentiment I heard echoed from other Black activists and leaders, that today they felt like they could breathe.

But of course, the freedom to breathe is still very much denied for Black people, as it is for other marginalized communities. Only moments before the Chauvin verdict was announced, police in Columbus, Ohio, shot and killed Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl. And this past Friday our own local Police killed another Portland resident, Robert Delgado, who it appears posed no threat. And the list goes on, of the ways in which those sworn to protect perpetrate violence rather than assure safety.

While in a sense the verdict was historic, it is enraging that accountability for someone so clearly guilty in the eyes of the entire world still demands such a fight. True justice is a system transformed. One in which Black, Brown and Indigenous people, the unhoused, disabled people and those struggling with mental illness are no longer murdered or harmed. In a chilling statement, policing expert Alex Vitale wrote: “Chauvin was found guilty because he had to be to preserve the current system of policing. The Dept. turned against him to save itself.”

I take this statement as a challenge for us to keep our sights on true justice, and to lean into this moment in its fullness — the heartbreak and rage, and the hope and resilience.

May every soul everywhere be free to breathe. Tzedek tzedek tirdof — May we pursue justice in its fullest and most redemptive expression.
 

– Rabbi Benjamin

Upcoming Classes

Sacred Action: Spiritual Practice for Pursuing Justice
Thursdays, April 29 – June 3, 4-5:30 pm
In this cohort, we will explore Jewish spiritual wisdom to guide our pursuit of justice and support our building a more loving world. In trusted community, and utilizing a range of texts and practices, we will focus on particular middot, “soul traits,” and their impact on our relationships and action. Guidance will also be given for practice and reflection in between sessions. To register, contact Rabbi Benjamin directly at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org.

Long Range Plan Focus Groups

Click a time below:
Thursday, April 22, 7 pm
Sunday, April 25, 10 am
Monday, April 26, 7 pm

Havurah members will soon receive an invitation to complete the Havurah Census. You can also provide input for the Long Range Plan by attending a focus group. A 45-minute conversation with members of the Long Range Plan team gives Havurah members the chance to imagine our future, what we want to look like five years from now, and how we will get there. We welcome Havurah members of all ages to attend! RSVP via the links above.

Upcoming Events

AlteRockers Earth Day Cleanup
Thursday, April 22, 4-6 pm at Havurah Shalom
Join with Havurah’s AlteRockers on Earth Day to work together on a neighborhood cleanup around the building, as well as the surrounding blocks. This event will be entirely outdoors and will comply with social distancing guidelines. After a safety talk and getting cleanup supplies, we will spend a couple of hours picking up litter in the neighborhood to improve our community and protect our ecosystem. Join us and help give back this Earth Day! RSVP here. Please contact Ted Scheinman via the Havurah Member Directory with questions.

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 23, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service led by Leah Shoshanah. Music will be provided by our talented Havurah musicians.
 

Bar Mitzvah of Uziel Lamanet
Saturday, April 24, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Uziel Lamanet as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Garden Committee Spring Work Party
Sunday, April 25, 10 am - 2 pm at Havurah Shalom
We will prune, weed, clean, and spiff up all the plantings at Havurah in honor of spring. Bring good gloves, pruners, mask, snacks and water. Contact Barbara Gundle or Megan Koler via the Havurah Member Directory for questions. This activity will be in-person and will observe social distancing measures.

HCAT Film Discussion: Kiss the Ground
Sunday, April 25, 4-6 pm – Register for Zoom info
Watch Kiss the Ground, a film about how soil regeneration can rapidly stabilize climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. Then join us for a discussion that will include speakers and an interactive presentation about local actions you can take.

Israel/Palestine Committee Film Discussion: The Gatekeepers
Sunday, April 25, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
Film is available on Prime Video, VUDU, Apple TV, STARZ, Fandago Now, Google Play, and at Movie Madness video store
Participants should have watched The Gatekeepers film but need not be experts on the Israel/Palestine situation. The 2012 Oscar-nominated documentary tells the story of Shin Bet, the Israeli internal security service, from the perspective of six former Directors who recount Shin Bet’s role from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War until their retirement. RSVP here.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, April 27, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Book Group: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Tuesday, April 27, 7 pm – Room Bet
Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice. Discussion led by Leatrice Kaplan.

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, April 28, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Roger Brewer.

AlteRockers Happy Hour
Thursday, April 29, 4:30-6 pm – Room Heh
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes – the last Thursday of the month!

PNW Reconstructionist Community Shabbaton
Friday & Saturday, April 30 & May 1 – RSVP for link & schedule
Join online together for services, learning, yoga, meditation, and discussion with communities from Ashland to Seattle. Featuring Reconstructionist movement ethicist and Talmudist Dr. Mira Wasserman as Scholar-in-Residence, on “The Talmud of Social Justice.” Shabbaton will include Friday evening and Shabbat morning communal prayer and gathering options as well as keynote late Saturday afternoon, with discussions and Havdalah Saturday evening.

BIPOC Community Meetup
Tuesday, May 4, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or other person of color, we hope you will join us. This will be a casual get together with the sole purpose of listening to, learning from, and supporting one another. This meeting requires no ongoing commitment. Please RSVP here or just show up. If you're unable to make it but like this idea, or have other ideas as a BIPOC community member, please contact Yshai via the Havurah Member Directory.

Earth Day Playlist

Need some music for Earth Day? Our Music Coordinator, Leah Shoshanah, has assembled an Earth Day playlist on YouTube. Follow this link to listen.

Tikkun Olam

Third Annual Fair Fight Bond Fund Virtual Fundraiser
Sunday, May 2, 6 pm
Havurah's Sanctuary Committee is co-sponsoring this virtual event which is being put on by The Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW. The organization's purpose is to secure the release of immigrants from the NW Detention Center. The fund is a revolving community bond fund that gives immigrants a 70% increased chance of winning their case by bonding them out of detention so they can gather evidence. To date, 40 people have been bonded out. RSVP here. 

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's Monthly Meeting
Thursday, May 6, 12-1:30pm – RSVP here
Please join us for First Thursday Meeting of the Interfaith Alliance. The topic is "Reparations: What does our moral voice tell us?" RSVP and more info here. IAP is a partner of the Poverty & Homelessness Committee.

Nicholas Kristof Speaking on His Book Tightrope
Monday, June 7, 7 pm
Havurah is invited through our membership with The Interfaith Alliance on Poverty to hear Nicholas Kristof, sharing from his book Tightrope. Be prepared to be inspired, educated and moved to engage from this session "Conversation and questions on poverty. What are our moral imperatives?" More info here. Info brought to you by the Poverty & Homelessness Committee. 

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Community Events & Offerings

Good Deeds Month
Join with fellow Jewish community members in volunteering around Portland this month: from Tivnu, to cleaning parks, to helping homeless folks, and much more! There's something to get everyone engaged in their community. Learn more here.

Jewish Currents Is Looking for Soviet Jewish Stories to Publish
Jewish Currents invites pitches for our Fall 2021 themed issue, which will focus on Soviet Jewish experiences both in the Soviet Jewish diaspora and in the former Soviet Union. We are looking for reported features, investigative pieces, profiles, conversations, and essays; we also welcome tips for stories even if you can’t write the piece yourself. Please email pitches, tips, or finished work to submissions@jewishcurrents.org by April 23 with the subject line SOVIET ISSUE: [description of pitch].

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely. The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Assistance for Seniors to Get Vaccinated
If you have seniors in your organizations who need help signing up for vaccinations JFCS is partnering with Positive Charge! PDX to get them their appointments. Here is the link to the sign up form.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Song Shares: Together in Music

For the past several months, we have been holding monthly song shares with the Havurah Music Maker's Collective (HMMC). What is HMMC? It's the name we give to anyone and everyone who makes music in Havurah, from our Carnegie Hall pianists to our shower-singers. Song shares are a sweet time for us all to come together and build our shared knowledge of music. This month, we invite you to join us for our Earth Day Song Share. We'll be sharing songs about anything related to our planet! If you'd like to share a song, sign up via this link.

Upcoming Classes

Jewish Genealogy Class
Sunday, April 11, 18, 25, 10 am – Room Gimel
This Jewish genealogy introduction will show you that there is much evidence remaining to discover about your own family history. Over our three sessions, you will learn about your family history and how to use the tools to continue gathering information on your own. Please rsvp in advance so Barbara Hershey can collect information to help direct the class and send you a Family Group Sheet to organize basic information about already known family members. Sign up here.

Sacred Action: Spiritual Practice for Pursuing Justice
Thursdays, April 29 - June 3, 4-5:30 pm
In this cohort, we will explore Jewish spiritual wisdom to guide our pursuit of justice and support our building a more loving world. In trusted community, and utilizing a range of texts and practices, we will focus on particular middot, “soul traits,” and their impact on our relationships and action. Guidance will also be given for practice and reflection in between sessions. To register, contact Rabbi Benjamin directly at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org.

Upcoming Events

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 9, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service! Led by Barbara Slader and Susan Brenner.

Bar Mitzvah of Simon Ilsley
Saturday, April 10, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Simon Ilsley as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

April Family-Friendly Letter Writing Party
Sunday, April 11, 5-6 pm – RSVP for details
On Passover we celebrate redemption from slavery and entry into the Promised Land, where we could derive our livelihood from the land of milk and honey. Now climate change threatens our food system. Farmers need the tools to rebuild the soil and make our food system resilient. Join our fun, family-friendly multi-generational party to write to our members of Congress to fund climate solutions in agriculture. Check out the Jewish Earth Alliance for more information. Facilitated by Rebecca Darling-Budner and Marianna Grossman from the Havurah Climate Action Team.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, April 13, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, April 14, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Ken Lerner.

Community Havdalah
Saturday, April 17, 5 pm – Room Aleph
Join Shabbat School for a community celebration of Havdalah, led by Leah Shoshanah, Rabbi Benjamin, and Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Song Share: Coming Together in Music
Sunday, April 18, 5-6:30 pm – Room Aleph
We invite you to join us for our Earth Day Song Share. We'll be sharing songs about anything related to our planet! If you'd like to share a song, sign up via this link. If you'd like to sing or play along, then save the date and we'll see you soon!

Saving Lives, Saving Dignity
Monday, April 19, 7-8:30 pm – Room Bet
Modern medical technology allows us to prolong life, but often in a way that directly contraindicates what a patient wants at the end of life. Dr. Molk an Emergency Physician and Author will share his thoughts to help you fully understand the emotional and financial costs, as well as the potential benefits and/or disadvantages in medical decisions. His talk will give you insights and empower you to make your decisions intelligently. This event is organized by the Ma'avar Committee. RSVP here.

Whose B'nei Mitzvah Is It Anyway?
Tuesday, April 20, 7 pm – Room TBA
Parents explore the hopes and fears that inspire, inform and complicate the planning process. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and Laura Orgel, psychologist and child/family therapist. RSVP here.

Israel/Palestine Committee Film Discussion of The Gatekeepers
Sunday, April 25, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
Film is available on Prime Video, VUDU, Apple TV, STARZ, Fandago Now, Google Play, and at Movie Madness video store
Participants should have watched The Gatekeepers film but need not be experts on the Israel/Palestine situation. The 2012 Oscar-nominated documentary tells the story of Shin Bet, the Israeli internal security service, from the perspective of six former Directors who recount Shin Bet’s role from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War until their retirement. RSVP here. 

PNW Reconstructionist Community Shabbaton
Friday & Saturday, April 30 & May 1 – RSVP for link & schedule
Join online together for services, learning, yoga, meditation, and discussion with communities from Ashland to Seattle. Featuring Reconstructionist movement ethicist and Talmudist Dr. Mira Wasserman as Scholar-in-Residence, on “The Talmud of Social Justice.” Shabbaton will include Friday evening and Shabbat morning communal prayer and gathering options as well as keynote late Saturday afternoon, with discussions and Havdalah Saturday evening.

COVID Gathering Guidelines

We are all seeing in the news that vaccine availability and eligibility is increasing. We want you to know that Havurah’s crisis team is regularly meeting to review the rapidly changing environment. We are committed to having our practices aligned with Jewish values and the most current information about COVID’s spread from reliable sources. As such, we’ve made a couple minor adjustments to Havurah’s Covid Gathering Guidelines, which you can find here.

Tikkun Olam

Third Annual Fair Fight Bond Fund Virtual Fundraiser
Sunday, May 2, 6 pm
Havurah's Sanctuary Committee is co-sponsoring this virtual event which is being put on by The Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW. The organization's purpose is to secure the release of immigrants from the NW Detention Center. The fund is a revolving community bond fund that gives immigrants a 70% increased chance of winning their case by bonding them out of detention so they can gather evidence. To date, 40 people have been bonded out. RSVP here.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Temporary Foster Parents Sought

Community Events & Offerings

Shabbat Services with Reconstructionist Rabbinical Student May Ye
Friday, April 9, 3:45 pm PST
Congregation Bet Haverim (Atlanta, GA, USA) welcomes members of Reconstructionist communities everywhere to join them for Shabbat Services during which Reconstructionist Rabbinical Student May Ye will reflect on how the recent Atlanta area killings of 8 people, including 6 Asian women, strengthened her resolve to weave together her Chinese-American and Jewish identities. Join here.

Healing the Heart: A Jewish Meditation Retreat
with Rabbis Yael Levy, Joshua Boettiger, and Benjamin Barnett
April 15-18
How can we draw from the healing capacities of Jewish contemplative practice? What are the spiritual tools that can nurture healing, that make room for it in our lives, our communities and our world? See further details and registration information here.

Jewish Arts Month: Virtual Show
April 18 - May 8

Northwest Jewish Artists for its tenth Jewish Arts Month (JAM) art show — this year it is virtual! At your leisure, view seventeen artists’ fiber work, beadwork, metal art pieces, glass, ceramics, painting, and more. You can purchase unique artwork and Mother’s Day gifts online for yourself or family and friends. This year’s show takes place virtually online here. Everything displayed will be for sale.

Good Deeds Month
Join with fellow Jewish community members in volunteering around Portland this month: from Tivnu, to cleaning parks, to helping homeless folks, and much more! There's something to get everyone engaged in their community. Learn more here.

Jewish Currents Is Looking for Soviet Jewish Stories to Publish
Jewish Currents invites pitches for our Fall 2021 themed issue, which will focus on Soviet Jewish experiences both in the Soviet Jewish diaspora and in the former Soviet Union. We are looking for reported features, investigative pieces, profiles, conversations, and essays; we also welcome tips for stories even if you can’t write the piece yourself. Please email pitches, tips, or finished work to submissions@jewishcurrents.org by April 23 with the subject line SOVIET ISSUE: [description of pitch].

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

So You've Been Vaccinated, Now What?
Monday, April 12, 7 pm
As more Oregonians are becoming eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, you might have questions about the vaccines themselves and what you can do once you are vaccinated. Please join us for a live Q&A session with Rebecca Reveal, a certified physician's assistant from Boost Oregon. Register and submit questions here.

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely. The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Assistance for Seniors to Get Vaccinated
If you have seniors in your organizations who need help signing up for vaccinations JFCS is partnering with Positive Charge! PDX to get them their appointments. Here is the link to the sign up form.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Passover Events

The Last Chance Seder
Saturday, April 3, 6 pm
with Andrine de la Rocha, Diane Chaplin, and Howard Patterson
Join us on the last evening of Pesach as we follow our family Haggadah on the Exodus from Egypt to Freedom. With ritual foods, modern commentary, songs and witty banter. Suitable for adults and high school students. BYOMatzo. RSVP here.

A special event for wee Jews

Pesach Tot Shabbat
Saturday, April 3, 10:30-11 am – Room Bet
Join us for a short and sweet Passover Shabbat morning with singing and stories. Especially for families with wee Jews (0-5). Led by Leah Shoshanah and Adela Basayne.

Accompanying Maria & Carlos

This season of Pesach, as we commemorate our exodus from Mitzrayim, we also reflect on those still struggling in the narrow places. Havurah is sponsoring Maria and Carlos, Guatemalan asylum seekers whose search for safety echoes our own foundational story. If you are able, please consider contributing to our fundraiser to support Maria and Carlos as they prepare to move from the home of a Havurah family and into an apartment of their own.

Upcoming Classes

Begin with Aleph: Learn to Read Hebrew
Wednesdays, April 7 - May 12, 7 pm – Room Bet
This course is for beginners, even those who have "begun" before. Focusing on basic reading competency, we will uncover bits of Judaism that are only accessible through its original language. Our text has online home practice. Taught by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Sign up here.

Jewish Genealogy Class
Sunday, April 11, 18, 25, 10 am – Room Gimel
This Jewish genealogy introduction will show you that there is much evidence remaining to discover about your own family history. Over our three sessions, you will learn about your family history and how to use the tools to continue gathering information on your own. Please rsvp in advance so Barbara Hershey can collect information to help direct the class and send you a Family Group Sheet to organize basic information about already known family members. Sign up here.

Upcoming Events

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 2, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service led by Leah Shoshanah and Rabbi Benjamin.
 

COVID Gathering Guidelines

We are all seeing in the news that vaccine availability and eligibility is increasing. We want you to know that Havurah’s crisis team is regularly meeting to review the rapidly changing environment. We are committed to having our practices aligned with Jewish values and the most current information about COVID’s spread from reliable sources. As such, we’ve made a couple minor adjustments to Havurah’s Covid Gathering Guidelines, which you can find here.

Havurah Music Makers Survey

We are assembling a database of all Havurah members who make music and want to share it. It will be used to identify singers and musicians for regular and special services, Shabbat school activities, holidays, song-shares, and other events. If you or anyone in your family is a musicmaker — experienced, fledgling, or aspirational, all ages welcome — and would like to be included in the database. Click here to take the survey!

Tikkun Olam

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's Monthly Meeting: Shelters in PDX
Thursday, April 1, 12-1:30 pm
Plan to join April’s First Thursday meeting for an extensive update on the work of Shelter NOW. The session will highlight the various issues and opportunities that Shelter NOW is engaged in. RSVP and more info here. This event is run by a Havurah partner who works with our Poverty & Homelessness Committee.

Third Annual Fair Fight Bond Fund Virtual Fundraiser
Sunday, May 2, 6 pm
Havurah's Sanctuary Committee is co-sponsoring this virtual event which is being put on by The Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW. The organization's purpose is to secure the release of immigrants from the NW Detention Center. The fund is a revolving community bond fund that gives immigrants a 70% increased chance of winning their case by bonding them out of detention so they can gather evidence. To date, 40 people have been bonded out. RSVP here.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Community Events & Offerings

Northwest Jewish Artists for its tenth Jewish Arts Month (JAM) art show — this year it is virtual! At your leisure, view seventeen artists’ fiber work, beadwork, metal art pieces, glass, ceramics, painting, and more. You can purchase unique artwork and Mother’s Day gifts online for yourself or family and friends. This year’s show takes place virtually online here. Everything displayed will be for sale.

Chronicling These Times
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education just announced the second phase of a project to document these extraordinary times through a powerful oral history project and is looking for the help of the Jewish community. Through a short online interview you can become part of a national project that will provide a snapshot for researchers and future generations of the Jewish experience during these unprecedented times. Jewish community members of all ages and backgrounds who live throughout Oregon can participate by contacting Alisha Babbstein, OJMCHE archivist ababbstein@ojmche.org. The full story of the Chronicling These Times oral history project can be found here on OJMCHE’s website.

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely. The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Assistance for Seniors to Get Vaccinated
If you have seniors in your organizations who need help signing up for vaccinations JFCS is partnering with Positive Charge! PDX to get them their appointments. Here is the link to the sign up form.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Passover Seders: Sign Up Now!

Upcoming Events

Uncovering the Hidden History of Discrimination in Oregon

Thursday, March 18, 7 pm – RSVP here
In this time of national and local reckoning with our country and city’s grim legacy of discrimination and hate, we have come together as a broad coalition of friends and allies to create a series of public programs to confront hate. We have been reminded almost daily that our communities of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ persons, as well as many of our neighbors of various religious faiths, are frequent targets of vicious hatred. Nevertheless, we have also seen seeds of hope. We have witnessed an upsurge of people ready to stand in solidarity with those who are targets of discrimination and hate — people who are eager to listen, to learn, and to take action to make Portland a place that truly protects the lives, well-being, and dignity of all who live here.

Writers Workshop Oneg
Friday, March 19, 7 pm – Room Aleph
This year's Havurah Writers Workshop will lead Friday night’s Shabbat Service with workshop participants reading from their work of the past two months. Readers include Judi Kloper, David Striar, Carolina Martinez, Elianne Lieberman, Michelle Sobel, Marianna Grossman, Kate Dreyfus and David Kertzner. Barbara Slader and David Kertzner will facilitate the service which will include candle lighting and music.

Bat Mitzvah of Sanna Berkson-Klaus
Saturday, March 20, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Sanna Berkson-Klaus as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community!

Song Share with the Havurah Music Maker's Collective
Sunday, March 21, 5 pm – Room Aleph
This month the Havurah Music Maker's Collective sings songs of liberation in honor of Passover! Bring your voice and instrument. All are welcome. If you'd like to share a song, please email Leah at leah@havurahshalom.org.

Israel-Palestine Film Discussion
Sunday, March 21, 7 pm – Room Heh
The Israel/Palestine Committee will host discussions about films that help illuminate the I/P situation. The first film will be "Wanted 18", a Palestinian-Canadian animated documentary. It can be viewed on Kanopy, Apple TV, YouTube, or VUDU. Please watch the film prior to the discussion. RSVP required here. 

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, March 23, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Book Group: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
Tuesday, March 23, 7 pm – Room Bet
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game. Discussion led by Gloria Halper and Ruth Feldman.

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, March 24, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by J.D. Kleinke.

AlteRockers Happy Hour
Thursday, March 25, 4:30 pm – Room Heh
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes every last Thursday of the month!

HIAS Refugee Shabbat Follow-Up

Our HIAS Refugee Shabbat on March 5, 2021 was inspiring, full of wonderful music and prayers that spoke truly to welcoming the stranger and to repairing America’s broken paths for refugees and asylum seekers. Click here to learn more about HIAS' work, advocating for refugees and impactful actions you can take.

Space Jam Q&A

As we reported in Hakol and last week’s Hineinu, Havurah has now received the Expansion Opportunities Report (click here to see the full report) from architect Richard Brown (who designed our current building), which gives us some rough cost estimates and conceptual drawings for three options:

Option 1: Adding one story to the South side of the building, which would give us roughly 13,000 square feet total space and cost approximately $3.6 million.
Option 2: Adding two stories to the South side of the building, which would give us approximately 17,000 total square feet and cost approximately $3.8 million.
Option 3: Completely replacing our building with a new, 3-story building that would give us about 23,000 total square feet of space at a cost of about $9.3 million.

Q: Why is the cost of a two-story addition only slightly more expensive than a one-story addition?
A: Seismic and structural upgrades would be required to do a one-story addition, and that is a large portion of those costs. Adding another story on top of that is much less expensive – just “sticks and bricks” and not additional structural expenses.

New Committee for Teenagers

Teenagers are an integral part of Havurah Shalom and it is important to ensure their continued sense of Jewish identity and community with the synagogue. With that in mind, a new committee is forming. The committee will be focused on the needs of young people, aged 13-18. The vision is that this committee will be made up of parents of teens, teens themselves, and adults who have an expertise working with teens. If you or your child is interested in becoming involved in creating and serving on this committee please contact Galit Reilly or Eve Berry via the Havurah Member Directory.

Tikkun Olam

April Family-Friendly Letter Writing Party
by the Havurah Climate Action Team
Sunday, April 11, 5-6 pm
On Passover we celebrate redemption from slavery and entry into the Promised Land, where we could derive our livelihood from the land of milk and honey. Now climate change threatens our food system. Farmers need the tools to rebuild the soil and make our food system resilient. Join our fun, family-friendly multi-generational party to write to our members of Congress to fund climate solutions in agriculture. Check out the Jewish Earth Alliance for more information. Facilitated by Rebecca Darling-Budner and Marianna Grossman. RSVP here.

Poverty Discussions Update
by the Poverty & Homelessness Committee
If you missed our second Poverty Discussion event and would like the Event Resource Packet, contact Gloria Halper via the Havurah Member Directory. The Resource Packet was put together by the hosts of this 2nd Poverty Discussion: Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) and Street Roots. The Packet has the FAQ, a recording of the event, community resources, personal stories, advocacy actions and a Poverty Handbook with history, causes, and more.

Community Events & Offerings

How can we draw from the healing capacities of Jewish contemplative practice? What are the spiritual tools that can nurture healing, that make room for it in our lives, our communities and our world? See further details and registration information here.

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance

Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely.

The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.

Assistance for Seniors
If you have seniors in your organizations who need help signing up for vaccinations JFCS is partnering with Positive Charge! PDX to get them their appointments. Here is the link to the sign up form.

Do You Need Help?

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.

Questions About Havurah?

The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Accompanying Maria and Carlos
Our Next Steps as a Sanctuary Congregation

“Welcome the stranger” is the Torah’s call to action. We answered that call last year, when we welcomed and agreed to sponsor Maria and Carlos, Guatemalan asylum seekers whose search for safety in a strange land echoes so many of our own family histories.
 
Now living with a Havurah family, Maria and Carlos are navigating the complex process of seeking asylum in the US, assisted by Sanctuary Committee members and support from the larger Havurah community.
 
Building a new life in this country presents daunting challenges, but Maria and Carlos are resilient and share a tight bond that will help them as they move forward. Maria is a talented cook, and Carlos, a gifted artist, is doing well in a dual-language high school program.

For the past year, a core team of the Sanctuary Committee has assisted Maria and Carlos with pro bono legal representation, medical care, transportation, and educational support. Additionally, over sixty Havurah families have generously and collectively contributed $16,000 in gifts and pledges to their living expenses and travel debt.

Providing this practical support is a fulfillment of our moral imperative as a Sanctuary Congregation. In the process, we have all learned a great deal: about sanctuary as a strategy and response, about showing up, bearing witness, and raising our voices.

This summer, Maria and Carlos will take the next step in their journey: transitioning to independent living while their asylum case is pending. However, we recognize that Maria will not immediately earn enough to cover a security deposit, rent, utilities, food, and transportation.

That’s why we are announcing a new fundraising goal: to raise another $18,000 to fund the first year of independent living for Maria and Carlos (about 50% of their anticipated expenses.)

Several Havurah members have already pledged ongoing monthly contributions to help financially support the family. If you are able, we hope you will click the button above or click here and help us reach this new goal with a one-time or monthly contribution.

Havurah's Covid Gathering Guidelines

This is a reminder that Havurah has established COVID Safety Guidelines, which can be found on the Havurah website under News/COVID-19 Information or by clicking here. Multnomah County has shifted from “Extreme Risk” category to “High Risk” category and Havurah’s Core Crisis Team will be meeting to discuss whether we should adjust our guidance in light of that change. Until we revisit our COVID Safety Guidelines, the current Guidelines remain in effect.
We thank you for your understanding as we navigate these difficult issues and do our best to keep our Havurah community safe. If you have any questions about our Guidelines or our process, please reach out to one or both of the co-presidents, Miriam Reshotko at miriam@havurahshalom.org or Ben Walters at ben.walters@havurahshalom.org.

Upcoming Events

HIAS Refugee Shabbat
Friday, March 5, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Havurah is participating for the third year in HIAS’ Refugee Shabbat, during which Jews in the US and around the world will reaffirm our commitment to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. Please join Rabbi Benjamin, Leah Shoshanna and community members for services on Friday, March 5 at 7 pm as we integrate themes of refugees and asylum seekers into the readings, prayers and music of our service, and learn how we can take action.

Community Minyan
Saturday, , March 6, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! This service includes davening, Torah reading and discussion.

Q&A with the Filmmakers of "A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff"
Saturday, March 6, 8:30 pm
A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff, the acclaimed one-woman show by Alicia Jo Rabins, has been adapted into a film, to be featured in Portland International Film Festival. Join us as Havurah Shalom hosts the Jewish community in a talk-back and Q&A with Alicia Jo and her director, Alicia J. Rose!

To participate, purchase a ticket through PIFF for virtual viewing. Here's a discount code for 20% off any screening at PIFF44, Drive-In or virtual. offered to the Jewish community by the NW Film Center:  
Discount code: FESTFRIEND44

The film will be available to you Friday, March 5, to Sunday, March 14. Consider watching it individually or in a group you organize at 7 pm on March 6, then join our Havurah-hosted Zoom Room at 8:30 pm for the talkback. RSVP here. Zoom or before. Zoom information will be included in your confirmation email.

We Voted, Now What? How to Help Our Elected Officials Enact Bold, Visionary Policy
Sunday, March 7, 4-6 pm – Special Zoom Room, RSVP for link
An engaging and interactive presentation by Havurah's Climate Action Team and Jewish Earth Alliance. Come away feeling empowered and knowing why it is important that your representatives hear your voice (even if they share your views). No matter the subject or if you are of voting age, this program will inspire and inform anyone who wants to make a difference by engaging with their elected officials. The event is free but a reservation is required. RSVP here .

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, March 9, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, March 10, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

Gefilte Fish Class with Rachel Shimshak
Sunday, March 14, 2 pm – Room Gimel
To overcome your years of hesitation, join Rachel Shimshak to learn how to make her mother’s gefilte fish. It will impress those in your pod. With so many of us spending increased time at home cooking almost all of our meals, it’s time to take the plunge and give homemade fish a try. RSVP here.  

Family-friendly Letter Writing Party to Save the Planet!
Sunday, March 14, 5-6:00 pm
Bring your friends and family to create personal letters and pictures urging our members of Congress to protect the ozone layer by passing the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. We partner with the Jewish Earth Alliance to combine our personal letters and send to members of Congress to uplift Jewish voices in protection of our climate.
Rebecca Darling-Budner will offer family friendly activities and Marianna Grossman will provide resources for meaningful collective action. Here is the link to the Jewish Earth Alliance for more information.