Hineinu

Dear Havurahniks,

Our High Holidays app and web portal is out! Anyone who has registered will have received an email invitation to connect, so check your inbox and your junk mail.
 
The app or the web portal, depending on your preference for the phone or computer, will be your entrance into our virtual tent. You’ll use them to click into the Zoom Rooms we’re using for Elul and the High Holidays. Register now if you have not already!

Click here to find out how to register.

Once you’re logged in, what’s the first event you should attend? We think it’s the ROSH CHODESH ELUL LAUNCH PARTY! We’ll welcome Elul, see fellow community members, and hear the first shofar blast of the season! There will also be games and prizes.
 
Remember, register first, then receive your app/web portal sign-in links and join us in our virtual tent!
 
– High Holiday Planning Team

Upcoming Events & Classes

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, Aug. 21, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Welcome in Shabbat with a musical service led by Susan Brenner.

Bat Mitzvah of Evelyn Goldberg

Saturday, Aug. 22, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Evelyn Goldberg as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community!

Elul Offerings
Register for High Holidays at Havurah Shalom to RSVP for these events.

App Launch Party: Rosh Chodesh Elul   Tomorrow!

Jewish High Holiday Cooking: Modern Recipes & Classics
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 6:30-8 pm
With Jenn Louis. Each class will feature a chicken soup from around the world, with recipes from Jenn's upcoming book, The Chicken Soup Manifesto. The meal will be rounded out by modern and traditional dishes (all dishes other than the chicken soup will be vegetarian). One class will feature a new-to-Jenn challah recipe--her favorite homemade rendition yet! These sessions will be recorded and made available in the On Demand section of our website and app.

Four Wise Biblical Women (And They Aren't Who You Think They Are)

Monday, Aug. 24, 3-4 pm – Room Gimel
Please join Emily Simon as she features two more wise women who are entwined — Deborah and Yael (this is two classes worth). Please read Judges 4 & 5 and make sure to have a tanach available during the class. RSVP here.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 12 pm – Room Bet
We will have an Elul focus for the next four Tuesdays. Led by Rabbi Benjamin.

Havurah Chai Hi Soiree

Tuesday, Aug. 25, 7 pm – Room Aleph
The Welcome Committee invites new and newish members to "Havurah Chai Hi" — an informal evening Zoom soiree on Tuesday, August 25 at 7 PM. Come and meet other new and prospective members, ask questions about Havurah, and be ready to have some fun!

Book Group Discusses The Water Dancer
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 7 pm – Room Bet
In Ta-Nehisi Coates’s fiction debut, he creates a speculative imaging of America's pre-Civil War history with stops in both southern and northern states. He writes about the Tasked, rather than using the phrase slave or slavery, and that shift in language immediately opens the reader into seeing the narrative with new eyes.
 

Morning Minyan

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

Alte Rockers Zoom Happy Hour
Thursday, Aug. 27, 5 pm – Room Bet
Let's have another Alte Rockers Zoom Happy Hour! Following previous events, we are arranging a happy hour each month to check in with our wonderful group. Grab your favorite drink and appetizer and join others from Alte Rockers in socializing. I don't know about you, but I am sure interested in how you have learned to enjoy life during the time of COVID-19. How have you been using your time? Have you come up with new food dishes? What are you doing this summer? If you have any questions, please contact Ted Scheinman via the member directory.

Bar Mitzvah of Quinley Wise

Saturday, Aug. 29, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Quinley Wise as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community!

Grief Support Group: Online Drop-In
Wednesday, Sept. 9 & 23, 12:30 pm - 2 pm
Havurah Shalom is initiating a facilitated Grief Support Group. Participants receive support and are invited to share feelings and experiences in a confidential peer-group setting. Each session also includes grief education focused on a theme, such as common grief reactions or coping with stress. Participants are asked to pre-register for each individual session they wish to attend, and may attend as many or as few sessions as needed. Limited to 10 people, age 18+. The Zoom Room will be given out with the registration confirmation email. To register, click your desired date(s) below:

    Sept. 9  |   Sept. 23

This is a new initiative by Havurah Shalom. Consideration will be given to extending these sessions through the end of 2020 or beyond if they appear to meet congregant needs and if in-person gatherings are still curtailed. Contact Tivona Reith at bikkurholim@havurahshalom.org with any questions.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

For info on Zoom, click here. You must sign-in after you visit the link.

Updates Inside Havurah

Why Did We Choose Slack for Our Havurahood Groups?
See these helpful slides explaining why Slack was chosen for our community. You can also see the article in our August Hakol, which goes more in-depth.

Interested in Book Group?
We have a new Book Group webpage found here! (You can also go to the Havurah website and hover over the Clusters tab to find Limud, and then hover over Limud to the Book Group page.) The Book Group webpage has tips for discussion leaders, and a list of previously read books, and most exciting of all, the list of books being read this year! Enjoy reading!

Sign Up to Be a Host or Scroller
You have probably attended a service, class, meditation, or other Havurah event on Zoom by now. Have you ever wondered how we manage to get such a great experience for everyone, or who is scrolling through the siddur? Our hosts and scrollers are volunteers, and you can join them! Just sign up on the Hosts & Scrollers tab of this form. No experience? We can train you! Please sign up today, or contact Karen Westerman for more info.

Help Collect the Jewish History of Portland
JewishGen has reserved a page for Portland in KehilaLinks, a feature of JewishGen.org. Each community can post its history, photos, memoirs and data. A few cities in the U.S. have their own pages. Considering the number of Jewish people who live in the U.S., every city should have its own page. By inviting all the Jewish organizations in Portland to participate, the page will belong to all of us. We can leave this legacy for the next generation to have as a reference. We need submissions about the period from 1849 to 1950 on the following topics: businesses, memoirs, and family stories, military involvment, and the Holocaust. Please get appropriate permissions from authors and families, and include the permissions with your submissions. Please email Linda Kelley at lkelley49@gmail.com with questions.

Recon Connect & Virtual Shabbat Box from Reconstructing Judaism
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information. We have added a new publication about Parenting in a Pandemic and Mental Health During a Pandemic.

Tikkun Olam

Lift Urban Portland Online Fundraiser
Thursday, Aug. 27, 5:30-6:15 pm
Help Lift UP provide food to our community, as COVID-19 and unemployment mean more neighbors face hunger. Learn about Lift UP's food pantry, adopted buildings, and free food market. Watch Jenn Louis's cooking demo. Purchase a chance for an urban bike, dinner for 4 prepared by Jenn, or getaway in wine country. Raffle tickets available through August 26. The event is free. The need is great. Click here for details, RSVP, and pre-event raffle tickets.

Can You Help Get Carlos Ready For School?
The Torah calls on us to welcome the stranger. In 2016, Havurah became a Sanctuary Congregation, and we are currently sponsoring Maria and her 16-year-old son Carlos, who left Guatemala in search of safety. Now seeking asylum in the U.S., Maria and Carlos are living temporarily with a Havurah family.

The Sanctuary Committee thanks the Havurahniks who have generously contributed to support Maria and Carlos. These funds have been helping with the family’s basic living expenses. Now that fall is approaching, we’re asking for donations to help Carlos with the supplies and clothes he needs as he begins his first year of school in Oregon. If you can help with a gift card to Kohls, Old Navy, or Target, please contact Kathy Gordon. Other donations can be made to the family’s support fund at this link.

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's August Newsletter
Features articles on Portland Forum on Alternative Shelters & Villages, Crisis of Homelessness, and Working Coalitions to Assist the Unsheltered. View the issue here.

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our new Black Lives Matter resource page for more info!

Let's Help Each Other

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck or Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Hineinu

Photo by Şahin Yeşilyaprak on Unsplash

Dear Havurahniks,

Soon it will be time to gather in our High Holidays tent! In this tent, we will pray, meditate, discuss, question, relate, see, teach, create, welcome, hear, play, respond, recognize, learn, sing, move, and be moved. Soon it will be the month of Elul, and soon it will be Rosh Hashanah, and soon it will be Yom Kippur. We are Havurah Shalom, and so we will gather in a tent together and make lush meaning, as we always do.

This year, our tent is online. Instead of gathering at the Tiffany Center, we will find quiet places in our homes and attend via the web and our High Holidays app. This is new territory for us all, and you probably have questions about what to expect.

On Tuesday, Aug. 11, you'll receive an email with a sign-in link for the platform we're using, which is managed by a company called Cvent. Click, go to the site, and confirm your contact info. You will have the option to register a guest as well. If you have kids or other family members whose emails we don't have, and you want them to be able to attend using their own devices, please add them as your guests.

Now you will be able to review the High Holidays at Havurah Shalom website! You can build a personal agenda using the schedule of events, see what's available On Demand, and more.

On Friday, Aug. 14, you'll receive another email, inviting you to download the (not very inspiringly named) Attendee Hub app. Follow the instructions in the email to download the app and verify your account. Downloading the app lets you connect even more easily with the many offerings that will become available. 

What about nonmembers? A registration link will be made available so anyone in the community can take part in High Holidays at Havurah, continuing our proud history of ticketless High Holidays.

Join us on Thursday, Aug. 20, for a Launch Party! More details on that to come. It will kick off a month of programming for Elul, meant to move us into the mindset of the High Holidays and provide excellent opportunities to gather together.

We hope our High Holidays tent will be one of peace and togetherness, even as it sits in a landscape unfamiliar to us all. You can respond to this email with any questions. Looking forward to seeing you so very soon!

Sincerely,
The High Holidays Planning Team

 

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, August 7, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Welcome in Shabbat with a musical service led by JD Kleinke.

Community Minyan

Saturday, August 8, 10 am – Room Aleph
Join our Community Minyan in celebrating Shabbat. Led by Barbara Slader, Susan Brenner and Priscilla Aliyar, with Torah drash by Emily Simon.
 

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, and Nancy Becker.
 

Four Wise Biblical Women (And They Aren't Who You Think They Are)

Monday, Aug. 10 & 24, 3-4 pm – Room Gimel
Please join Emily Simon as she features two more wise women who are entwined - Deborah and Yael (this is two classes worth). Please read Judges 4 & 5 and make sure to have a tanach available during the class. RSVP here.

And for extra credit: this portion is read as the Haftarah to parshat Beshlach. (Exodus 13:17 through 17:16). Even a quick perusal of the parsha (think chapter 15) should give you a big hint for why that might be.

Morning Minyan

Havurah Zoom Rooms

For more info on our Zoom, click here. You must sign-in after you visit the link.

Photo by Brad Pector

Updates Inside Havurah

Space Jam Update
We need to tell everyone that we have had a setback in our efforts to secure new space and a potential option to purchase the Bage Building. 

Nearly 100 people attended the Space Jam committee meeting in late June to learn more about the announcement that the Bage building behind us might be up for sale. You demonstrated that our congregation is filled with committed, connected, caring people, and we were deeply impressed with the thoughtfulness of your questions, several of which had to do with the amount of time we had to act, and whether we could acquire an exclusive option to purchase the building through a lease agreement.

The unfortunate news is that while we were figuring out our approach, and working with the Steering Committee and our real estate agent to craft a letter of inquiry, another buyer stepped forward with an offer that we were unable to match. It looks like the building will be sold to this new buyer unless something unusual happens during their due diligence investigation of the property.

There will be more information about this process in the August Hakol, but we wanted to give you this short update now. This is not the last you will hear from us on the topic of our space crunch. We will continue our work and devote more energy to further dialogue among our members in order to be more agile when another opportunity presents itself.  Stay tuned and stay involved.

Add Your Voice to High Holidays with a Mini-Drash!
As we did last year, we invite you once again to add your voice to our prayer and celebration at High Holidays by submitting a “mini-drash” or kavanah (intention). These are short reflections or sharing of life experience, 2-3 minutes long, either in response to this year’s theme (reference the theme here), or connected to the annual themes of teshuvah (returning/renewal/repentance) or forgiveness. Through your contributions we will include more voices and reflect more diversity of experience as we journey through Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur together.
Deadline for contributions is August 31. Send to Rachel at rachel.pollak@havurahshalom.org with the subject line: “Mini-drash 2020”

Why Did We Choose Slack for Our Havurahood Groups?
See these helpful slides explaining why Slack was chosen for our community.

New Place For Book Group Resources
We have a new Book Group webpage found here! (You can also go to the Havurah website and hover over the Clusters tab to find Limud, and then hover over Limud to the Book Group page.) The Book Group webpage has tips for discussion leaders, and a list of previously read books, and most exciting of all, the list of books being read this year! Enjoy reading!

Sign Up to Be a Host or Scroller
You have probably attended a service, class, meditation, or other Havurah event on Zoom by now. Have you ever wondered how we manage to get such a great experience for everyone, or who is scrolling through the siddur? Our hosts and scrollers are volunteers, and you can join them! Just sign up on the Hosts & Scrollers tab of this form. No experience? We can train you! Please sign up today, or contact Karen Westerman for more info.

Zoom Gabbai Training from Reconstructing Judaism
with Carol Stern (Adat Shalom, MD) and Jake Ehrlich (T’Chiyah, MI)
Tuesday, August 11, 10:30 am PST
The important role of “Zoom Gabbai,” or what Havurah is calling Zoom hosting, is a key part of running Zoom services and programming safely and smoothly, and preventing Zoom bombing. This session, offered through Reconstructing Judaism, will describe the most important parts of being a Zoom Gabbai. This call will be recorded and made available later for those who are not able to attend. Register for Zoom Gabbai Training here! If you have any questions regarding this call, please reach out to jweinberg@reconstructingjudaism.org.

Recon Connect & Virtual Shabbat Box from Reconstructing Judaism
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information. We have added a new publication about Parenting in a Pandemic and Mental Health During a Pandemic.

Tikkun Olam

Create or Join a Sacred Circle
Orientations: Thursday, August 13, 6-8 pm and Tuesday, August 18, 11-1 pm 
Havurah is working with Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ) to organize Sacred Circles across all of IMIrJ member organizations. “This is a time to be disciplined, rigorous, serious in our commitments to act for social justice and in our commitments to one another.… Now through the election, the Sacred Circles will be a sustained bridge between the sacred encounters we’re having with directly impacted communities and strategic sacred action that embodies a world we want to live in. Sacred Circles will provide accountability, direction and support as we collectively learn and live our way more fully into courageous action for racial and immigrant justice.” There are Sacred Circles forming within Havurah. You can find the IMIrJ vision for Sacred Circles here, and a recording of the virtual launch of the Circles here.

If you are interested in forming or joining a Havurah Sacred Circle as a member or a co-host, contact Bob Brown or Adela Basayne and please register for an upcoming orientation:
 

• Thursday, August 13, 6-8 pm 
• Tuesday, August 18, 11-1 pm

Lift UP Needs Food Gleaners
Lift UP needs substitute gleaners to collect donated food to distribute at Preston’s Pantry. Gleaners lift 50-75 pounds repeatedly, collecting about 2000 pounds usually from warehouses in NW. Shifts are Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. If you are willing to be on the substitute list, please contact Jenn Louis at jenn@jennlouis.com.

Letter and Petition Sponsored by Portland United Against Hate
Portland United Against Hate has put out a letter and petition pertaining to Portland police brutality and the actions of Trump's federal agents here, and any Havurah members who are so moved are invited to sign on to this letter. Rabbi Benjamin and a number of other rabbis (including rabbis Daniel Isaak and Deborah Kolodny) along with other faith leaders and numerous progressive organizations are sponsoring this letter. Please see the letter here and scroll down to bottom to sign.

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty Updates
Here are three different links about Argyle Garden, 72 units of very affordable housing and the first modular housing permitted in Portland.
 

Argyle Gardens Info   |  Transition Projects   |  New Model Could Lower Housing Costs

​​​​​​​The Metro Transit-Oriented Development Program (not Bond or Supportive Housing) donated $340,000 and Transition Projects developed it. Check it out, it's cool!

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's August Newsletter
Features articles on... Portland Forum on Alternative Shelters & Villages, Crisis of Homelessness, and Working Coalitions to Assist the Unsheltered. View the issue here.

Volunteers Needed to Increase Voter Turnout
One effective way to increase voter turnout for November: Volunteer with Vote Forward. Research shows that registered voters who receive a personalized letter a few days before the election have increased likelihood of going out to vote. A larger turnout is essential, especially in swing states.

Sign up with Vote Forward and you can choose from a number of states and download prepared letters with names and addresses of registered voters and then stamp and address these to be mailed in late October. Consider choosing one of the following states: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan or Wisconsin. You can prepare as few or as many letters as you have time for.

Here is an article that explains the rationale for this letter-writing strategy.

Please email or call Lee Gordon with questions and to let him know if you choose to do this, so we can keep track of how many Havurah folks have volunteered.

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our new Black Lives Matter resource page for more info!

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck at susanlazareck@gmail.com and Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Hineinu

Photo by Nikola Topić on Unsplash

At sundown this evening we enter the sacred day of Tisha B’Av. According to tradition, our ancestors suffered catastrophes on this date throughout the generations. And so our practice each year is to mourn and lament devastation and exile in all its forms.

There is also a teaching that on Tisha B’Av the Moshiaḥ, the Messiah, will be born. From the midst of suffering, we are to imagine, a renewed world can emerge. Tonight, in honor of Tisha B’Av, a group of Jews and other seekers of justice will gather in front of City Hall to lament the brutality against Black lives and others at the hands of law enforcement. Alongside our lamentation, we will also call out demands for change and express our vision for the society and the world we strive to create. I will be co-leading the service with Rabbi Deb Kolodny, with the support of some interfaith partners. It will also be live streamed. See details below.

In response to destruction and violence, may we draw together from the wells of courage and radical compassion.

– Rabbi Benjamin

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

Tisha B'Av
Wednesday, July 29, 8:30 pm in front of City Hall (also streamed)
Tisha B'Av service and chanting of a Black Lives Matter Eicha/Lamentations. Led by Rabbis Debra Kolodny and Benjamin Barnett. The service will be livestreamed here (Rabbi Debra Kolodny's Facebook page).

Bring a candle and something to make sitting on the ground more comfortable.
The walls of the city of Portland have been breached over and over again. Together we mourn, even as we resist.

Alte Rockers Zoom Happy Hour
Thursday, July 30, 5pm – Room Bet
Let's have another Alte Rockers Zoom Happy Hour! Following last month's event, we are going to arrange a happy hour each month to check in with our wonderful group. Grab your favorite drink and appetizer and join others from Alte Rockers in socializing. I don't know about you, but I am sure interested in how you have learned to enjoy life during the time of COVID-19. How have you been using your time? Have you come up with new food dishes? What are you doing this summer? If you have any questions, please contact Ted Scheinman via the member directory.

Bar Mitzvah of Max Smith
Saturday, Aug. 1, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Max Smith as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community!

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, and Nancy Becker.

BIPOC Community Meet Up
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 7:30 pm – Room Gimel
If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or as a 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.

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 Boussi.

Warmly,
Michael Anderson-Nathe, Yshai Boussi, Danielle Cogan, and Karen St. Clair

Morning Minyan

Four Wise Biblical Women (And They Aren't Who You Think They Are)

Havurah Zoom Rooms

For info on Zoom rooms, click here. You must sign-in after you visit the link.

Photo by Brad Pector

Updates Inside Havurah

Add Your Voice to High Holidays!
As we did last year, we invite you once again to add your voice to our prayer and celebration at High Holidays by submitting a “mini-drash” or kavanah (intention). These are short reflections or sharing of life experience, 2-3 minutes long, either in response to this year’s theme (reference the theme here), or connected to the annual themes of teshuvah (returning/renewal/repentance) or forgiveness. Through your contributions we will include more voices and reflect more diversity of experience as we journey through Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur together.
 
Deadline for contributions is August 31. Send to Rachel at rachel.pollak@havurahshalom.org with the subject line: “Mini-drash 2020”

Why Did We Choose Slack for Our Havurahood Groups?
See these helpful slides explaining why Slack was chosen for our community.

Book Group News
Would you like to look at the schedule of books to be read this year? Looking at the schedule will help you plan ahead for your reading. You will find it on the new Book Group webpage found here. You can also go to the Havurah website and hover over the Clusters tab to find Limud, and then hover over Limud to the Book Group page. The Book Group webpage also has tips for discussion leaders, and a list of previously read books. Enjoy reading!

Sign Up to Be a Host or Scroller
You have probably attended a service, class, meditation, or other Havurah event on Zoom by now. Have you ever wondered how we manage to get such a great experience for everyone, or who is scrolling through the siddur? Our hosts and scrollers are volunteers, and you can join them! Just sign up on the Hosts & Scrollers tab of this form. No experience? We can train you! Please sign up today, or contact Karen Westerman for more info.

Zoom Gabbai Training from Reconstructing Judaism
with Carol Stern (Adat Shalom, MD) and Jake Ehrlich (T’Chiyah, MI)
Tuesday, August 11, 10:30 am PST
With our new normal of using Zoom for services and programming, a new type of gabbai is needed to remove the responsibility of managing technology from Rabbis, Cantors, and program leaders. This important role of “Zoom Gabbai” is a key part of running Zoom services and programming safely and smoothly, and preventing Zoom bombing. This session, originally developed by Adat Shalom in Bethesda, Maryland to train volunteers, will describe the most important parts of being a Zoom Gabbai so that you and other folks in your community can take on this role. This call will be recorded and made available later for those who are not able to attend. Register for Zoom Gabbai Training here! If you have any questions regarding this call, please reach out to jweinberg@reconstructingjudaism.org.

Recon Connect & Virtual Shabbat Box from Reconstructing Judaism
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information. We have added a new publication about Parenting in a Pandemic and Mental Health During a Pandemic.

Tikkun Olam

Lift UP Needs Food Gleaners
Wednesday, July 29, Aug. 5 & 12
Lift UP needs substitute gleaners to collect donated food to distribute at Preston’s Pantry. Gleaners lift 50-75 pounds repeatedly, collecting about 2000 pounds usually from warehouses in NW. Shifts are Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. If you are willing to be on the substitute list, please contact Jenn Louis at jenn@jennlouis.com.

Letter and Petition Sponsored by Portland United Against Hate
Portland United Against Hate has put out a letter and petition pertaining to Portland police brutality and the actions of Trump's federal agents here, and any Havurah members who are so moved are invited to sign on to this letter. Rabbi Benjamin and a number of other rabbis (including rabbis Daniel Isaak and Deborah Kolodny) along with other faith leaders and numerous progressive organizations are sponsoring this letter. Please see the letter here and scroll down to bottom to sign.

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty Updates
Here are three different links about Argyle Garden, 72 units of very affordable housing and the first modular housing permitted in Portland.

Argyle Gardens Info   //  Transition Projects   //  New Model Could Lower Housing Costs

The Metro Transit-Oriented Development Program (not Bond or Supportive Housing) donated $340,000 and Transition Projects developed it. Check it out, it's cool!

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's July Newsletter
A lot of good information on current issues and programs regarding poverty in Portland. View the issue here.

Volunteers Needed to Increase Voter Turnout
One effective way to increase voter turnout for November: Volunteer with Vote Forward. Research shows that registered voters who receive a personalized letter a few days before the election have increased likelihood of going out to vote. A larger turnout is essential, especially in swing states.

Sign up with Vote Forward and you can choose from a number of states and download prepared letters with names and addresses of registered voters and then stamp and address these to be mailed in late October. Consider choosing one of the following states: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan or Wisconsin. You can prepare as few or as many letters as you have time for.

Here is an article that explains the rationale for this letter-writing strategy.

Please email or call Lee Gordon with questions and to let him know if you choose to do this, so we can keep track of how many Havurah folks have volunteered.

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our new Black Lives Matter resource page for more info!

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck at susanlazareck@gmail.com and Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Hineinu

Dear Havurahniks,  

You may have heard that Havurah will be holding High Holiday services online this year. We are busily developing meaningful programming to span the month of Elul through the end of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. We look forward to telling you more very soon.
 
In the meantime, the need arises for High Holiday volunteers. In normal years, over 200 volunteers come together to make High Holidays happen in person at the Tiffany Center. This year, the need is for fewer people, with new skill sets.

• Our service leaders will be leading the services from home, so we need production assistants to help them set up great lighting, sound and video.
• Many of our musical offerings will be pre-recorded, so we need audio editors to optimize the sound quality of their recordings.
• Some of our visual offerings will also be pre-recorded, so we need video editors who know a thing or two about how to make video look and sound nice.

All of the volunteer positions above are remote and would take place through the beginning of September. Choose how much and how often you help — even a little bit is a lot! Audio and video editing sought is very basic, nothing fancy. Teens welcome!

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

No Kabbalat Shabbat This Week
We will now feature one every other week. Hakol was published before this decision was made, so please refer to the Havurah website calendar for the most up-to-date information.

Community Minyan
Saturday, July 18, 10 am – Room Aleph
Join our Community Minyan in celebrating Shabbat. Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion, as well as an opportunity to say Kaddish.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

To access our Zoom rooms, click here. You must sign-in after you visit the link.

Photo by Brad Pector

Updates Inside Havurah

Have You Filled Out Your Dues Commitment?

Havurah Shalom’s new fiscal year has begun, which means it’s time to renew your dues commitment. Please renew here ASAP. A heartfelt thank you for your continued support and participation in our community. We look forward to another year of financial health!

Sign Up to Be a Host or Scroller
You have probably attended a service, class, meditation, or other Havurah event on Zoom by now. Have you ever wondered how we manage to get such a great experience for everyone, or who is scrolling through the siddur? Our hosts and scrollers are volunteers, and you can join them! Just sign up on the Hosts & Scrollers tab of this form. No experience? We can train you! Please sign up today, or contact Karen Westerman for more info.

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information.

Tikkun Olam

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's July Newsletter
A lot of good information on current issues and programs regarding poverty in Portland. View the issue here.

A Quick Note from Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS)
One of our amazing volunteers, Stacey, made us PHFS face masks! (See photo below.)

Reconstructing Judaism

Recon Connect & Virtual Shabbat Box
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

Support Project Rozana
Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association are encouraging congregations and individuals to support this life-saving fund-raising effort organized by Project Rozana, a well-respected international non-profit organization that is leading a project supported by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to purchase badly needed ventilators for West Bank and Gaza hospitals in light of the current COVID-19 spike in the region, which threatens to overwhelm Palestinian hospital ICUs. Project Rozana is also arranging specialized training at Rambam Hospital in Haifa for Palestinian medical staff as part of this program.

This initiative is supported by the World Health Organization, and it is one of the rare examples of cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority during this politically strained time. Several synagogues, including Reconstructionist affiliates, are currently participating in different ways. Individuals can also donate by clicking here.

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck at susanlazareck@gmail.com and Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Resources for Anti-Racism
Let's Inform Ourselves & Our Community

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our new Black Lives Matter resource page for more info!

Hineinu

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Hevre,  

In this week’s Torah portion, Pinḥas, the daughters of Tzelof’had bring a plea to Moses. Their father has died, and they have no brothers. By the law of their time, they would have received no inheritance. Moses brings their case to God, who declares that it is just. The law is changed, for them and for future generations.
 
In the Hebrew, God declares that their case is ken — literally, “yes” — “right” or “proper.” A midrash interprets this to mean that the daughters of Tzelof’had saw with a clarity that Moses did not. What a beautiful affirmation to have woven into Torah — that a group of people with limited social status and power are recognized to perceive something that the leader of the entire people is missing.
 
How true this is, yet how little it resembles the world in which we live. The voices of those who are marginalized, no matter how clear and just, are repeatedly dismissed and repressed. There is no benevolent operating principle within our society which affirms the rightness of their pleas. So let us each receive this as a challenge, and a blessing, this week: to listen hard to the voice of one who is not being heard. What does this person’s story ask of me? How can I amplify the righteous case they are making?
 
May we each listen for the voices of those unheard.

– Rabbi Benjamin

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, July 10, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Join us this Friday for a service led by Barbara Slader and Sarah Shine.

Bar Mitzvah of Max Symmes
Saturday, July 11, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Max Symmes as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Four Wise Biblical Women (And They Aren't Who You Think They Are)
Monday, July 13 & 27, August 10 & 24, 3-4 pm – Room Gimel
Please join Emily Simon as she brings to light four wise women from the Tanach who deserve recognition for their wisdom, courage and/or vitality. Classes are every other week to allow participants to have time to do the biblical reading before each class. The first woman we will study on July 13 is Tamar. Before the class please read Genesis - Chapter 38. The second Woman we will study on July 27 is Devorah. Before the class please read Judges Chapters 4 & 5. RSVP here.

Photo by Brad Pector

Updates Inside Havurah

Havurah's Zoom Rooms Will Have Passcodes Starting July 15
On July 15, Havurah’s Zoom Rooms will become password protected. That morning, you will receive an email with the passwords and the updated links we will be using for our Zoom Rooms.

If you are used to clicking one of our links to enter a Zoom Room, just make sure to only click the updated links after July 15, and you won’t notice any difference. Old links will require a password. If you are used to typing a meeting ID into an app, then you will need to enter the password after July 15. If you are used to calling by telephone, then no password will be required; nothing will change for you.

More information can be found in our recent announcement here.

Havurah Job Opening: Music Coordinator
Click here to read more about what we're looking for!
 

Have You Filled Out Your Dues Commitment?

Havurah Shalom’s new fiscal year begins today, which means it’s time to renew your dues commitment. Please renew here ASAP. A heartfelt thank you for your continued support and participation in our community. We look forward to another year of financial health!

Sign Up to Be a Host or Scroller
You have probably attended a service, class, meditation, or other Havurah event on Zoom by now. Have you ever wondered how we manage to get such a great experience for everyone, or who is scrolling through the siddur? Our hosts and scrollers are volunteers, and you can join them! Just sign up on the Hosts & Scrollers tab of this form. No experience? We can train you! Please sign up today, or contact Karen Westerman for more info.

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information.

Tikkun Olam

Virtual Rally for a Green and Just Recovery
Tuesday, July 14, any time from your home
Join the Havurah Climate Action Team in a virtual rally to push U.S. Senators to consider climate justice and green investments as they draft legislation in the near future. It's as simple as making a sign with a message, taking a photo and posting it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Organized by the Jewish Earth Alliance. For complete instructions go to jewishearthalliance.org and click on the Virtual Rally for a Green and Faithful Recovery link.

A Quick Fact from Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS)
In 2019, 23% of families in PHFS shelter were African American. Portland's African American population is around 5.8 %.

Reconstructing Judaism

Recon Connect & Virtual Shabbat Box
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

Support Project Rozana
Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association are encouraging congregations and individuals to support this life-saving fund-raising effort organized by Project Rozana, a well-respected international non-profit organization that is leading a project supported by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to purchase badly needed ventilators for West Bank and Gaza hospitals in light of the current COVID-19 spike in the region, which threatens to overwhelm Palestinian hospital ICUs. Project Rozana is also arranging specialized training at Rambam Hospital in Haifa for Palestinian medical staff as part of this program.

This initiative is supported by the World Health Organization, and it is one of the rare examples of cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority during this politically strained time. Several synagogues, including Reconstructionist affiliates, are currently participating in different ways. Individuals can also donate by clicking here.

Resources for Anti-Racism
Let's Inform Ourselves & Our Community

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our new Black Lives Matter resource page for more info!

Educating Ourselves About Police Accountability & Funding
The Portland African American Leadership Forum has teamed up with Unite Oregon to articulate demands for change regarding the Portland Police Bureau. You can read an analysis from PAALF here, and see details of the campaign here. 

Reconstructing Judaism: Standing Up for Racial Justice & Against Racial Violence
Read RJ's statement on the death of George Floyd and the protests here.

Listening to Jews of Color
Be’chol Lashon
13 Jews of Color to Follow Right Now
I’m a black rabbi. I’ve never been in a Jewish space where I wasn’t questioned
Black Jews Are Grieving, and We Need You to Help Us Mourn​​​​​​​  
‘Believe us’: Black Jews respond to the George Floyd protests, in their own words  
Jews of Color and the Policing of White Space​​​​​​​ 

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Dear Havurahniks,
 
Since closing down in-person gatherings, we have been fortunate to have found a “space” of sorts in our four Zoom Rooms, Aleph, Bet, Gimel and Dalet. These online meeting spaces have allowed us to learn, talk, relate, make important decisions, and see each other panim el panim, face to face.
 
To enhance access, we’ve gone without password protection for our rooms. While everyone was getting used to the technology, it seemed possible that passwords would complicate accessing the rooms and perhaps prevent people from being able to participate. To balance out the security aspect, we made it a policy not to post the room links publicly, and to put in place a friendly screening process for non-members wanting to join services. Our long term plan has been to eventually phase in passwords for extra protection.
 
This week, Zoom announced that it would soon require passwords for Zoom meetings, so we will begin phasing in passwords in the next couple of weeks. Here is what will happen:
 
On Wednesday morning, July 15, we will change our Zoom settings to add a password to each of our rooms. We will immediately send the congregation an email with new join links and the passwords, as well as update the links where they are posted on our website (visible only to logged-in members) and on Slack. Prior to this, we will include regular announcements in Hineinu and Slack, so everyone knows what to expect. Afterward, volunteers will be available to help anyone having trouble joining a meeting.
 
You may ask: How will this change the way I join a Zoom Room?
 

• If you join using your PC, Mac or smartphone by clicking a link, then you will need to make sure to click the updated links that we will post for you on July 15. The updated links will have the password embedded, which means you won’t have to enter a password manually. If you click an old link, such as from an issue of Hineinu that came out before July 15, then you will need to enter a password.
   
• If you join using your PC, Mac or smartphone by manually entering the meeting ID into the app, then you will be prompted for a password.
   
• If you join by phone, you will not be asked for a password; nothing will change for phone attendees.

 
On July 15, we will send members the new join links and the passwords. In the meantime, please let us know your questions or concerns by replying to this email or calling Rachel in the office. It’s our goal to make this transition as seamless and painless as possible.
 
L’Shalom,
 
Havurah IT Committee

Hineinu

Hevre,  

We want to provide you with an update about our thoughts and plans regarding re-opening given that Multnomah County will soon be in Phase I. We continue to be guided by our values of preserving life, caring for our most vulnerable, being safe and following public health guidelines. We acknowledge that this is a fluid reality. We are gathering information and making decisions as new information is learned. We also know it is important for many of you who are planning activities, services, and life cycle events to have some sense of what will be allowable and what won’t be so you can plan accordingly.

At this point we are not opening the building for meetings or any gatherings. We will continue to utilize Zoom for our meetings, services, and other events including for B’nei Mitzvahs. We realize that many of you want to gather in person, and since the weather is improving, meeting outside can be an option under specific circumstances.

At this time, we will approve of an outdoor Havurah event (ie. neighborhood gathering for Shabbat, Havdalah, etc.) if it meets the following requirements: Attendance must be limited to a maximum of 25 people and everyone should wear masks and maintain a physical distance of at least six feet. Singing cannot be part of these events, as we know there is an increased risk when people sing, even if they are outside.

As in the past for B’nei Mitzvah, the immediate family (up to 10 people) may choose to be in the sanctuary while the rest of the participants are on Zoom. The requirements for this type of in-person gathering will be communicated separately to those families.

We have certainly learned that there is much we can do and do well on Zoom. We have held hundreds of meetings, meaningful Friday night services, community minyans, B’nei Mitzvah and Shabbat School classes. We need to continue to use this technology to connect with each other as a community, except in those configurations as mentioned above.

In order for our guidelines to change, we will be watching reports from Oregon Health Authority and consulting with our core team, which includes Michael Heumann (thank you Michael) who is a retired epidemiologist with Oregon Health Authority. We’ve been advised that we will need to see at least three weeks of downward trending new and presumptive cases before we consider our next steps.

We encourage you all to reach out to each other, connect by phone, over Slack, Zoom with each other, and have small (less than 25) outdoor, socially distanced and masked gatherings. Now that the weather will hopefully allow, we can create more of these opportunities with each other.

Stay well and healthy,
Presidents, Staff, and Crisis Core Team members

Havurah Shalom Dues Commitment
Renewing for FY 2020-2021

Havurah Shalom’s new fiscal year begins July 1, which means it’s time to renew your dues commitment. Please renew before the end of June. A heartfelt thank you for your continued support of, and participation in, our community. We look forward to another year of financial health!

Havurah Job Opening
Music Coordinator

Photo of the Bage Building Havurah is considering. (Taken by the Real Estate Investment Group)

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

AlteRockers Happy Hour
Thursday, June 25, 5 pm – Room Bet
We have not had an opportunity to get together in person for the past few months, so let's do the next best thing. Grab your favorite drink and appetizer and join others from AlteRockers in socializing. I don't know about you, but I am sure interested in how you have been during our quarantine since March. How have you been using your time? Have you come up with new food dishes? What do you plan to do this summer? If you have any questions, please contact Ted Scheinman.

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, June 26, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Join us this Friday for a service led by Ilene Safyan and her daughter, Rabbi Arielle Lekach-Rosenberg, visiting from Congregation Shir Tikvah in Minneapolis.  

Bar Mitzvah of Jonathan Williams
Saturday, June 27, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Jonathan Williams as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Thinking About the Futures of Israel/Palestine
Part II: Sunday, June 28, 10:30 am – Special Zoom Room (RSVP for code)
This discussion will focus on the implications of the ambition of the current Israeli government to annex large parts of the West Bank with the approval of the Trump Administration. We will be joined by a panel of progressive Israeli activists and academics, names to be announced. Each of the panelists will speak for 10 minutes and then we will have a general Q&A. RSVP here. 
 

Should We Buy a Building?
Sunday, June 28, 7 pm – Room Aleph  NEW TIME

The Long-Term Space (“Space Jam”) Committee made a presentation at the congregational meeting about our space crunch. If you are interested in learning more about a potential purchase of the property behind Havurah to accommodate our (joyously!) growing congregation, or you would like to lend your voice to this important decision in our midst, please attend this Zoom meeting. It would be helpful if those wishing to attend would RSVP here. Members of Havurah’s Space Jam committee will provide information we have gathered about our needs, the Bage Building as a possible solution, and the effort needed to accomplish this goal. We will also answer questions from members and take a poll. You are all welcome and encouraged to participate. The more voices, the better, so mark your calendars!

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, June 30, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, and Nancy Becker.

Book Group Discusses The Lost
Tuesday, June 30, 7 pm - Room Bet
As a boy in the 1960s, Mendelsohn could make elderly relatives cry just by entering the room, so much did he resemble his great-uncle who had been "killed by the Nazis." This was all Mendelsohn knew of his maternal grandfather Abraham's brother, who had remained with his wife and four daughters in the Ukrainian shtetl of Bolechow after Abraham left for America. Long obsessed with family history, Mendelson embarked in 2001 on a series of journeys to learn exactly what had happened to his great uncle and his family.

Check out the Book Group's updated webpage here. It contains a list of all the books they will read for the next year, so you can stock up and prepare yourself ahead of time!

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, July 1, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

Uprooting and Rooting: A Jewish Meditation Retreat with Rabbis Benjamin Barnett, Joshua Boettiger, and Yael Levy
July 23-25
Honoring the reality of this time, we are shifting to a three-day retreat guided online. While our contact will be virtual, we will still build a very real community of retreat. A detailed schedule will guide us, including: sitting and walking meditation, prayer, chanting, teachings and instructions, and check-ins with teachers. Information and registration here.

Tikkun Olam

Updates Inside Havurah

Reconstructing Judaism Resources
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information.

Our Weekly Emails
If you have something you think should be included in Hineinu, please submit to the regular weekly email form here.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Resources for Anti-Racism
Let's Inform Ourselves & Our Community

Juneteenth: Circle Round for Justice
Friday, June 19, 5pm – Schrunk Plaza
Portland Interfaith Clergy Resistance calls for “Juneteenth: Circle Round for Justice" – a sacred space to lift up our voices in prayer for justice, in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives. Our gathering will include 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence.

Check Out the Demands and Resources from Local Groups
Care Not Cops and Don't Shoot Portland are both local groups taking a look at how police affects our communities.

Educating Ourselves About Police Accountability & Funding
The Portland African American Leadership Forum has teamed up with Unite Oregon to articulate demands for change regarding the Portland Police Bureau. You can read an analysis from PAALF here, and see details of the campaign here. 

Reconstructing Judaism: Standing Up for Racial Justice & Against Racial Violence
Read RJ's statement on the death of George Floyd and the protests here.

1619: A New York Times Podcast
Exploring American slavery and its legacy. Listen here.

Listening to Jews of Color
Be’chol Lashon
13 Jews of Color to Follow Right Now
I’m a black rabbi. I’ve never been in a Jewish space where I wasn’t questioned
Black Jews Are Grieving, and We Need You to Help Us Mourn​​​​​​​  
‘Believe us’: Black Jews respond to the George Floyd protests, in their own words  
Jews of Color and the Policing of White Space​​​​​​​  

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck at susanlazareck@gmail.com and Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Hineinu

Hevre,  

In working for a better world, I’m a proponent of starting the task in the most intimate way possible: within ourselves, our families, and our communities. So I deeply appreciated reading again words from my wise and inspiring colleague, Rabbi Sandra Lawson. She published an article last week, “I’m a black rabbi. I’ve never been in a Jewish space where I wasn’t questioned,” which should be required reading for all of us. Let’s sit with that: she has never been in a Jewish space where her Jewish identity wasn’t questioned. And lest we think that Havurah is somehow beyond this, I assure you that what Rabbi Sandra is naming is true throughout the Jewish community. We need to pay attention right here, where we are, or we will continue to do harm and fail to make lasting change. While this means that there are no short cuts, no way to just call out injustice without examining ourselves, the good news is that the work can begin, or begin again for the thousandth time, right here in front of us: with our next learning, our next honest conversation, our next moment of vulnerability and sincere self-examination.

I keep returning to the Viola Davis quote I shared last week: “a revolution has many lanes – be kind to yourself and to others who are traveling in the same direction.” In the midst of local and national crises and the rush to respond to them, sometimes we forget about the centrality of kindness. The truth is that we are each facing struggle, are each being called to show up in new ways all the time, whether regarding national issues or in facing loss or uncertainty within our families. So let us not lose track of kindness. It’s kindness, for ourselves and others, that will enable us to honestly start here — examining how we have been in order to move toward how we want to be. It is through the force of kindness, of working in kinship with one another, that we will be able to build communities and a world in which racism and oppression of all kinds can, over time, be dismantled.

– Rabbi Benjamin

Havurah Shalom Dues Commitment
Renewing for FY 2020-2021

Havurah Shalom’s new fiscal year begins July 1, which means it’s time to renew your dues commitment. Please renew before the end of June. A heartfelt thank you for your continued support of, and participation in, our community. We look forward to another year of financial health!

Photo of Havurah's building before renovations

The Congregational Meeting
Virtual and Successful!

Thanks to all who attended Havurah’s successful Congregation meeting. For those who are interested, here is the video recording and here is the chat which shows the questions asked, comments made, and answers provided. For ease while watching the video, here is the agenda so you can move ahead to a topic of specific interest to you. Once the minutes are approved by Steering, they will be available on the website. A couple of critical outcomes from the meeting is an approved budget. There will be a follow up meeting on Sunday, June 28, 1pm - 2:30pm for a discussion about the building opportunity with the Bage Building. Please join us for this conversation! More details below in the events section.

Havurah Job Opening
Music Coordinator

Photo of the Judaean Desert by Amit Lahav on Unsplash

Upcoming Events & Classes
Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below

Kirtan Shabbat
Friday, June 19, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Join us this Friday for a kirtan-infused Shabbat service. “Kirtan” is Sanskrit for “repeat” — a simple, call-and-response form of devotional, communal singing that originated in Eastern religious traditions and moved to the west with yoga and meditation. A kirtan Shabbat follows the arc of the tradtional Friday night service, slowed down and simplified to invoke the meditational spirit at the heart of all Jewish prayer.

Bat Mitzvah of Sophie Reilly
Saturday, June 20, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Sophie Reilly as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

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

Israeli and Palestinian Literature
Tuesday, June 23, 7 pm – Room Dalet
Joel Beinin will offer a class on Israeli and Palestinian Literature. See the schedule and readings and RSVP here.   

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, June 24, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

AlteRockers Happy Hour
Thursday, June 25, 5 pm – Room Bet
We have not had an opportunity to get together in person for the past few months, so let's do the next best thing. Grab your favorite drink and appetizer and join others from AlteRockers in socializing. I don't know about you, but I am sure interested in how you have been during our quarantine since March. How have you been using your time? Have you come up with new food dishes? What do you plan to do this summer? If you have any questions, please contact Ted Scheinman.

Bar Mitzvah of Jonathan Williams
Saturday, June 27, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Jonathan Williams as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Should We Buy a Building?
Sunday, June 28, 1 pm – Room Aleph

The Long-Term Space (“Space Jam”) Committee made a presentation at the congregational meeting about our space crunch. If you are interested in learning more about a potential purchase of the property behind Havurah to accommodate our (joyously!) growing congregation, or you would like to lend your voice to this important decision in our midst, please attend this Zoom meeting. It would be helpful if those wishing to attend would RSVP here. Members of Havurah’s Space Jam committee will provide information we have gathered about our needs, the Bage Building as a possible solution, and the effort needed to accomplish this goal. We will also answer questions from members and take a poll. You are all welcome and encouraged to participate. The more voices, the better, so mark your calendars!

Thinking About the Futures of Israel/Palestine
Part II: Sunday, June 28, 10:30 am – Room Dalet
This discussion will focus on the implications of the ambition of the current Israeli government to annex large parts of the West Bank with the approval of the Trump Administration. We will be joined by a panel of progressive Israeli activists and academics, names to be announced. Each of the panelists will speak for 10 minutes and then we will have a general Q&A. RSVP here. 

Uprooting and Rooting: A Jewish Meditation Retreat with Rabbis Benjamin Barnett, Joshua Boettiger, and Yael Levy
July 23-25
Honoring the reality of this time, we are shifting to a three-day retreat guided online. While our contact will be virtual, we will still build a very real community of retreat. A detailed schedule will guide us, including: sitting and walking meditation, prayer, chanting, teachings and instructions, and check-ins with teachers. Information and registration here.

Updates Inside Havurah

Reconstructing Judaism Resources
Visit ReconstructingJudaism.org and click on Recon Connect or the Virtual Shabbat Box. There you will find the community, innovation, spirit and depth that embody Reconstructionist Judaism. Recon Connect is an online hub updated regularly!

COVID-19 Resources
Check out our COVID-19 resource page on our website for more information.

Our Weekly Emails
If you have something you think should be included in Hineinu, please submit to the regular weekly email form here.

Photo by James Eades on Unsplash

Resources for Anti-Racism
Let's Inform Ourselves & Our Community

Juneteenth: Circle Round for Justice
Friday, June 19, 5pm – Schrunk Plaza
Portland Interfaith Clergy Resistance calls for “Juneteenth: Circle Round for Justice" – a sacred space to lift up our voices in prayer for justice, in solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives. Our gathering will include 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence.

Check Out the Demands and Resources from Local Groups
Care Not Cops and Don't Shoot Portland are both local groups taking a look at how police affects our communities.

Educating Ourselves About Police Accountability & Funding
The Portland African American Leadership Forum has teamed up with Unite Oregon to articulate demands for change regarding the Portland Police Bureau. You can read an analysis from PAALF here, and see details of the campaign here. 

Reconstructing Judaism: Standing Up for Racial Justice & Against Racial Violence
Read RJ's statement on the death of George Floyd and the protests here.

1619: A New York Times Podcast
Exploring American slavery and its legacy. Listen here.

Listening to Jews of Color
Be’chol Lashon
13 Jews of Color to Follow Right Now
I’m a black rabbi. I’ve never been in a Jewish space where I wasn’t questioned
Black Jews Are Grieving, and We Need You to Help Us Mourn​​​​​​​  
‘Believe us’: Black Jews respond to the George Floyd protests, in their own words  
Jews of Color and the Policing of White Space​​​​​​​  

Let's Help Each Other
Do You Need Help or Would You Like to Offer Help?

If you are facing financial hardship from a loss of employment, decrease in income, or any other impact of this crisis; or, if you would benefit from the support of community members for grocery shopping, errands, or any other concrete needs, for any reason, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3.

If you would like to be on a list of people to support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Susan Lazareck or Rabbi Benjamin at the email above.

Dear Havurah Members,

Below you will find the slate identified by the Nominating Committee for the 2020-2021 Steering Committee.  The new term for Steering members begins July 1, 2020.  

Note that people listed as 'Continuing' will not be part of the ballot you will receive in approximately two weeks, but we have included them to show the complete membership of the Steering Committee.

Nominations for 2020 – 2022 terms:
·       Bob Brown, Tikkun Olam Lead
·       Steve Birkel, Makom Lead
·       Galit Reilly, Limud Lead (2nd term in this position)
·       Shari Raider, Treasurer (2nd term in this position)

Nomination for 2020 - 2021 terms:
·       Beth Kaye, Corporate Secretary  (completing 2nd year of term)
·       Loree Devery, Vice President
·       Ben Walters, Co-president (1st year)
·       Miriam Reshotko, Co-president (2nd year)

Continuing on Steering (terms end 2021):
·       Sacha Reich, Avodah Lead
·       Stefanie Hausman, Kehillah Lead
·       Julia Lager-Mesulam, Immediate Past President

In accordance with our bylaws, the next step is to have a 10-day period where additional nominations may be made to the Nominating Committee. If you would like to nominate a congregation member not listed above, please email Debbi Nadell by 5 pm on June 19. Debbi will need the person's name, the role he or she is being nominated for, and a confirmation that the person is willing to serve, if elected.

On June 22, you will receive an official ballot so you can vote electronically on the slate of candidates. Each member of the congregation who is older than 18 can vote, though votes are limited to two per member household.  If you have provided Havurah Shalom with only one email for your household but wish to receive two ballots, please email info@havurahshalom.org by June 22 so we can add the additional email address to the list of members receiving ballots.

To be counted, your vote must be received at Havurah Shalom by 5 pm on June 29.


Respectfully Submitted,

2020-2021 Nominating Committee
Eve Berry
Janice Kettler
Julia Lager-Mesulam
Debbi Nadell
Aaron Pearlman
Ben Walters