Hineinu, August 10, 2023

High Holidays: Seeking an Accessibility Volunteer

Seeking an Accessibility Volunteer who can take the lead on following up on the needs identified in the recent High Holidays Accessibility Survey. You would be available for one meeting to help plan space logistics for the Tiffany Center, Havurah Shalom and Tashlich, as well as participate in setup on Friday morning, September 15, at the Tiffany Center. Our ideal candidate enjoys working collaboratively, has a constructive mindset, and cares deeply about what we can do to enhance people's comfort and inclusion at High Holidays. Please contact Rachel Pollak (rachel@havurahshalom.org) to be a leader in this work!

Explore and Sign Up for Havurah's Elul Gatherings

Havurah is celebrating the month of Elul with gatherings spanning spiritual, text-based, political, ecological and creative topics. We hope you will find them enriching, fun, moving, and worthwhile. Elul gatherings have already begun!

RSVP for something interesting today!

Share Your Reflections…Creatively!

This year we are inviting all members to make art in any medium as another way to reflect your thoughts and feelings as we approach the High Holidays.

Your art can be in response to our annual theme or an expresssion of how you see yourself, our community, your connection to it, or anything else you are pondering as we approach the Days of Awe. Deadline is August 23. Send photos of your art via email to Rachel Pollak (rachel@havurahshalom.org) with the subject line Reflection 2023 and complete this form.

Meaningful, Paid Teaching Opportunities at Havurah
 

Hakol Submission Deadline
The submission deadline for the September issue of Hakol, Havurah's monthly newsletter, has been extended to Monday, August 21, 2023. Please use the Hakol submission form (HavurahShalom.org > News > Submit News & Requests > Hakol Submission Form). Reach out to Tara Anderson (tara@havurahshalom.org) if you have questions. 

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023.

If a member's name is hyperlinked below, you can go directly to their contact page in the directory by clicking on their name and then logging into your Havurah account.
Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah are listed in the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays – 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays: Zoom Room Bet only; 2nd and 4th Tuesdays: Havurah Shalom (Sanctuary or Library) and Zoom Room Bet.
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.
​​​​​​​

Upcoming Events

Safety and Situational Awareness: Useful Skills For Greeters, Ushers, and All Members
Session 1: 1 pm, Sunday, Aug. 13 — Zoom Room Heh RSVP or
Session 2: 6:30 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 6 — Zoom Room Heh RSVP or
Session 3: 1 pm, Sunday, Sept. 10 — Havurah Shalom RSVP

During Elul, all Havurah members are warmly encouraged to sign up for our safety and awareness training, listed in the Elul offerings as Greeter and Usher Training. While anyone who is interested in ushering at High Holidays or in being a greeter at High Holidays and at Havurah throughout the year is encouraged to take this training, it’s not just for greeters and ushers! This training gives you valuable skills around situational awareness, welcoming, and de-escalation (among others) that can benefit everyone. You will learn how to respond appropriately to challenging situations that can come up in anyone’s life — at home, at work, at school, or out in the community. There will be three identical offerings of this one-hour class, two on Zoom and one in person at Havurah. Questions? Contact Joel Bettridge or Rachel Pollak (rachel@havurahshalom.org).

Make Your Own Tallit
4 pm to 5:15 pm, Sunday, August 13  – Havurah Shalom
This is a tallit making class for anyone who has ever wanted to create their own, taught in person at Havurah by Laine Barbanell Schipper and Carolina Martinez. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP
 
Life Story Midrash
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Tuesdays, August 15, 22, and 29 – Zoom Room Dalet
The ancient rabbis used midrash—meaning inquiry—to create new stories that explained contradictions, filled in gaps, or explored deeper meaning in Biblical stories. Using Life Story Midrash developed by Rabbi Dayle Friedman, we will inquire into our own life stories through individual writing and chevruta (paired) discussion. We will study traditional midrash, and then creatively reimagine and rewrite personal stories that—as we approach the High Holy Days—beckon our attention, with an eye toward embracing our fragmented stories as a coherent, meaningful narrative. Each class builds on the next, so participants are strongly encouraged to attend all three sessions. Led by Tivona Reith. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Hebrew for Prayer: A Close Look at Avinu Malkeynu and Other Prayers
6:30 pm to 7:45 pm, Wednesday, August 16 – Havurah Shalom
Led by Patty Magid-Volk. Come explore Avinu Malkeynu and other key prayers of the High Holiday liturgy. We will be looking through the lens of Hebrew grammar and vocabulary in order to gain some translation skills and find essential meanings of the prayer(s). It is helpful to be able to decode the aleph-bet, although not necessary if you are comfortable with transliteration. (Members and non-members welcome.)  RSVP

Family Storytelling for Rosh Hashanah
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Thursday, August 17 – Zoom Room Bet
Eric Kimmel will be telling three stories from his Rosh Hashanah book Days of Awe. Join us on Zoom with your elementary-aged kids for a fun way to welcome in the High Holiday season. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Daily Shofar Blast - Beginning on Rosh Chodesh Elul
Friday, August 18 to Friday, September 15 (except on Shabbat) – Havurah Facebook Page
Daily Elul Kavannah and Shofar blasts will be posted on the Havurah Shalom Facebook page by Diane Chaplin, Howard Patterson & Andrine de la Rocha. Elul Tov! The daily shofar blasts are being offered as part of Havurah Shalom’s celebration of the Hebrew month of Elul. Visit (and sign up for) the Havurah Facebook page here to access the daily shofar post.

Exploring Jewish Humor
2 pm to 3:15 pm, Sunday, August 20 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Dalet
Author and playwright David Fuks will share his perspective on Jewish humor as a source of resilience and as a response to struggle and anger. David will share a few stories and ten-minute one act plays as well as a few favorite jokes. Please join us for an afternoon of affectionately shared insight. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Creative Ways to Express Your Grief
Sunday, August 20 from 12 pm to 2 pm and Sunday, September 3 from 2 pm to 4 pm – Zoom Room Bet
Led by Ericka Kimball and Carolina Martinez. In these sessions, which build off of one another, we will develop creative ways to honor and memorialize loved ones we have lost. We welcome you to come into the space at any place emotionally you are at with grief you hold in your heart. We will share ideas for coping that first year and beyond, from a mental/emotional level to a creative level (however that looks for you—all ways are important and valued), and we will hold a safe space for any feelings that come up during our time together to share stories and memories. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

HCAT Book Group to Begin Reading Under the Sky We Make
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Monday, August 21 (subsequent HCAT Book Group Meetings for Under the Sky We Make will typically take place on the first and third Monday of the month) – Zoom Room Gimel
All Havurah members are welcome to become part of the Havurah Climate Action Team (HCAT) Book Group as we embark on our next book addressing the climate crisis, Under the Sky We Make, by climate scientist Kimberly Nicholas, PhD. In her best-selling book, Dr. Nicholas offers a hopeful, clear-eyed, and sometimes hilarious guide to affecting real change. For the August 21 meeting, please aim to read the book's introduction and first chapter. Details on the reading schedule and subsequent HCAT Book Group meetings, including an online meet-the-author event in September, will be posted in the calendar and Hineinu. Reach out to  Harriet Cooke if you have questions. RSVP

Songs of Teshuvah/Turning Sing-Along
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, August 21 – Havurah Shalom
Usher in Elul, the month leading up to High Holidays, with song! Join us at Havurah as we get into the spirit of the season with a full-throated group sing-along. We will till the soil of our souls through songs, both familiar and new, in English and in Hebrew, on teshuvah, transformation, and welcoming the new year. No experience necessary. Just bring your enthusiasm for singing in community! (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Kabbalah for T'shuvah
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursdays, August 24 and 31; September 7 and 14 – Havurah Shalom
This is a four-week class for exploring our understanding of and relationship with God for T’shuvah. Through meditation, journaling, reading and discussing excerpts from Rabbi Alan Lew’s book, This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared, and Rabbi Abner Weiss’s book, Connecting to God, Ancient Kabbalah and Modern Psychology, we’ll turn the ideas of Elul into the practice of Elul. Limit 10 participants. Led by Harriet Cooke. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Return of the Beavers: A Walk Along Fanno Creek
8:30 am to 11 am, Sunday, August 27 – Hideaway Park, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District
This walk/hike will focus on the environmental transformation of an urban/suburban watershed by beavers. We'll observe and discuss the rise in the water table and resulting growth in vegetation, underground storage of water, flood control and learn about the positive effects of the return of beaver to the Fanno Creek watershed. Please note this program will require walking about 1.5 miles on uneven and at times muddy ground. Led by Jeffry Gottfried. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Temperature Tapestry Climate Project
Choose a session: 10 am to 11 am at Havurah Shalom or 11:15 am to 12:15 pm in Zoom Room Heh on Sunday, August 27
Want to be part of another meaningful art installation at Havurah? Let's gather and get Creative for the Climate! We will be knitting, crocheting, weaving, etc. a tapestry that tracks the temperature during different times in history up to the present for Portland, Oregon. Coordinating colors, we will make stripes representing the temperature. For example, red for the hottest and purple or blue for the coldest, with other colors representing in-between temps. Using weather data, we will make rows that designate the high temperature for that day in Portland. Yarn will be provided; sliding scale payment. Led by Judi Soloway. (Members and non-members welcome.) 
RSVP for the in-person session. / RSVP for the Zoom session.

Conversation About Our Pilgrimage to the Deep South: Reckoning with Our Shameful History of Racism
3 pm to 4:30 pm, Sunday, August 27 – Havurah Shalom
An informal discussion about the pilgrimage taken by four Havurah members in March to Alabama and Georgia with 200 other Reconstructionist Jews from around the US, including twenty Jews of color, some of whom were rabbis of color. Highlights were Bryan Stevenson’s Legacy Museum and Memorial to lynching victims, the Rosa Parks Museum, hearing from survivors of Bloody Sunday in Selma, and attending Sunday church service at the Ebenezer Baptist church, founded by Martin Luther King, Jr. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Teen Room Mural Painting & Posters
3 pm to 5 pm, Sunday, August 27 – The Havurah Annex
Calling all Havurah teens (7th-12th grade) for mural painting and poster making! We had a fantastic first day painting a mural on one of the walls in the new Teen Room and the entryway at the Havurah Annex. Join us as we continue painting the murals and begin making posters for the Rose Haven Book Drive. Come reconnect with Havurah friends and meet new teens too! Cupcakes, cookies and drinks provided. RSVP

Ice Cream Social with Our Houseless Neighbors
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Sunday, August 27 – Havurah Shalom Courtyard
The Havurah Poverty and Homelessness Committee will be holding a face-to-face social gathering in the Havurah courtyard for Elul as a way of saying thank you to all who appreciate and respect our courtyard space, and to remind us to recognize each other’s basic humanity. We will sit together and enjoy a treat. Not to discuss social problems, not to offer service, just share with folks who so often can feel invisible—a small way of gaining understanding for all who attend. Check out the event flyer. We believe this event is in the spirit of Tikkum Olam and Teshsuvah. Questions? Contact Marcia Suttenberg or Steve Rudman. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP

Peter Beinart: Reparations and the Palestinian Right of Return as a Form of Teshuvah for the Nakba
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Tuesday, August 29 – Offsite Zoom Room
In an event co-sponsored by the Havurah Israel/Palestine Committee, Peter Beinart will take part in a nationally organized conversation with Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman of Reconstructionist Congregation Shaarei Shamayim focused on reparations and the Palestinian Right of Return as a form of teshuvah for the Nakba, a subject which Beinart has also written about here. Questions? Contact Joel Beinin. (Members and non-members welcome.) RSVP here if you'd like to be emailed the sign-up link when it becomes available.

More Tikkun Olam 

A New Request for Maria and Carlos
Well, our ask for a bed for Rosa, Maria's cousin, was answered! But now we are seeking someone with a small pickup to transport it from the Pearl to their Beaverton apartment. We will work on getting young backs to move the bed. Also, they need twin sheets and blankets–and some pillows would be great. If you can help in any way, please contact Kathy Gordon or Debbi Nadel; there may be other ways you can support the family as well.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Out in the Community

"Bookish: Ceramic Sculpture & Photography" (an exhibition by Havurahnik Willa Schneberg)

Saturday August 12 - Sunday, September 3 – Astoria Visual Arts (Gallery) (1000 Duane St., Astoria, Oregon)

There will be a 5 pm artist talk at the August 12 opening. On September 2, at 2 pm, Havurahnik Willa Schneberg will read from her new collection, The Naked Room, and offer a free poetry workshop from 3 to 4:30 pm, “Developing Radical Empathy Through the Persona Poem.” There will be a 12-participants maximum. Each participant will receive a copy of The Naked Room. If you are interested, please register by emailing astoriavisualarts@gmail.com. Funded in part by a grant by the Ford Family Foundation.
 

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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

The event listings for our Elul goings-on is here! See the over two dozen classes, gatherings, talks, hikes and more being offered by Havurahniks for the month of Elul!

Hineinu, July 19, 2023

(The HavurahShalom.org website is expected to be down for repairs from about 7 pm to 9:30 pm tonight, July 19, 2023.
Many of the links below may not work during that time!)

High Holidays Accessibility Survey is Open

The High Holidays Planning Team is reaching out to our members to learn more about any accessibility challenges that you may anticipate having or that you may have had in the past in Havurah spaces, such as the Tiffany Center, Havurah Shalom, and Youtube/Zoom.

Please help us make the High Holidays welcoming and accessible by taking this anonymous survey. Your input will help improve everyone's experience during High Holidays.

Please respond by this Friday (July 21). Thank you!

Check out these meaningful, paid teaching opportunities at Havurah:
 

Hakol Submission Deadline: Thursday, July 20
Havurahniks, the deadline to get in your completed submissions for the August 2023 issue of Hakol, Havurah's monthly newsletter, is Thursday, July 20.Click to learn more.

Tisha B'av Service
7 pm, Wednesday, July 26 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph

On Erev Tisha B'av, Havurah will hold a brief (one-hour) evening service with readings and contemplation about the losses we’ve experienced and the meanings we can make of loss as a community. Click to learn more.

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023.

If a member's name is hyperlinked below, you can go directly to their contact page in the directory by clicking on their name and then logging into your Havurah account.
Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Quinn Mafchir-Werth, July 22) are listed in the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays – 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays: Zoom Room Bet only; 2nd and 4th Tuesdays: Havurah Shalom (Sanctuary or Library) and Zoom Room Bet.
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.

Upcoming Events

More Tikkun Olam 

Maria & Carlos: Seeking a Bed for a Guatemalan Family We Sponsor
For over three years, Havurah has been accompanying Maria and Carlos, a Guatemalan family seeking asylum. Very recently, they were joined by Rosa, Maria's 27-year-old cousin who fled Guatemala to seek asylum in the U.S. She is living with Maria and Carlos and the family is short one twin bed. There may be other ways to support the family as well. If you are interested in helping, please contact either Kathy Gordon or Debbi Nadel.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Out in the Community

Disarming Danger: BeAware Situational Awareness Training
11 am to 12:15 pm (Pacific Time), Thursday, July 27 – Zoom (register below)

Join the Secure Community Network for a webinar to learn how to disarm danger before it occurs with our national BeAware situational awareness training curriculum. Led by Jewish communal security training experts, this webinar will also include insight from former FBI Special Agent and Threat Assessment Expert Molly Amman. Click here to register. Questions? Contact Rachel Pollak, Havurah Office & Facilities Manager, at rachel@havurahshalom.org.

"Bookish: Ceramic Sculpture & Photography" (an exhibition by Willa Schneberg)

Saturday August 12 - Sunday, September 3 – Astoria Visual Arts (Gallery) (1000 Duane St., Astoria, Oregon)

There will be a 5 pm artist talk at the August 12 opening. On September 2, at 2 pm, Havurahnik Willa Schneberg will read from her new collection, The Naked Room, and offer a free poetry workshop from 3 to 4:30 pm, “Developing Radical Empathy Through the Persona Poem.” There will be a 12-participants maximum. Each participant will receive a copy of The Naked Room. If you are interested, please register by emailing astoriavisualarts@gmail.com. Funded in part by a grant by the Ford Family Foundation.
 

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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

Hineinu, July 5, 2023

Havurah at the Portland Pride Parade - Sunday, July 16
(parade begins at 11 am; we'll line up at NW Flanders & Park)

Do you want to bring our Havurah banner down to the Portland Pride Parade and help coordinate with Havurahniks wanting to march together on the day of the parade? Or are you a Havurahnik who just wants to march together for any part of the parade? Contact Adela Basayne, Havurah Program Director, at adela@havurahshalom.org or (503) 248-4662, ext. 6 and/or click to RSVP.

And for the afternoon of Sunday, July 16...
​​​​​An Intimate Afternoon with David Fuks: Short Stories and a One-Act Play from a Child of Holocaust Survivors

The postponed short story reading by Havurah member and author/playwright David Fuks will now take place at Havurah and on Zoom on July 16. The program will now also feature the premier reading of David’s 45-minute, one-act play, “For Love," directed by Sarah Lucht and starring Erin Jackson and Tyler Hunt. Co-sponsored by Havurah, Next Generations Group, and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Holocaust Resource Center. Click to learn more and RSVP.

• ​​​Check out the new Havurah Community Mikvah webpage

  (part of the Avodah cluster).

• Learn more on the Rachel's Well Community Mikvah website, including how to schedule and prepare for your visit.
• Reach out to Evan King, our Havurah liason to the Community Mikvah, if you want help or have questions – Evan is a trained mikvah guide whose gender-queer identity has made them a valuable resource for those who have not traditionally felt welcome at mikvahs.

Havurahniks, want to get more involved in building and sustaining the Havurah community?

Go to HavurahShalom.org/HelpWanted for the latest on specific requests for help and involvement from Havurah's committees and groups.

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023.

If a member's name is hyperlinked below, you can go directly to their contact page in the directory by clicking on their name and then logging into your Havurah account.
Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Marissa Keys, July 8; Quinn Mafchir-Werth, July 22) are listed in the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet, with some exceptions (check the calendar).
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.

Upcoming Events

More Tikkun Olam 

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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

Hineinu, June 21, 2023

Opportunities to Lead, Engage, and Contribute to Our Havurah Community

Click here to view the colorful Havurahnik Help Wanted (June 2023) flyer (updated June 21, 2023). 

Could any of these opportunities to volunteer within Havurah be right for you?

(For the most up-to-date version of the Havurahnik Help Wanted list, check outHavurahShalom.org/HelpWanted.)
 

Reminder to Renew Your Havurah Membership!

If you haven't already, please renew your membership in Havurah Shalom and make your dues commitment for next year. Annual dues are based on the 2023-24 budget approved at the Congregational Meeting on June 11.

Please renew by June 30. Click here to renew.

Knowing what you've committed helps us with planning!

The Fourth of July is a Havurah Staff Holiday (Office Closed) 

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our safety requirements at in-person gatherings. 

Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Hugo Emile Ungar-Gutierrez, June 24; Marissa Keys, July 8) are listed in the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah Hershey to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet, with some exceptions (check the calendar).
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.

Upcoming Events

More Tikkun Olam 

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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

Hineinu, June 7, 2023

Havurahniks: Come to Our Annual Congregational Meeting This Sunday Morning

10 am to 12 noon, Sunday, June 11 – Havurah Shalom & Zoom Room Aleph

Please plan to join us—virtually or in person! All Havurah members in good standing are welcome to attend, participate, and vote on the budget. As is our custom, we will connect with each other through music, discussion, and learning.

Attending in person at Havurah? That’s wonderful! We encourage you to arrive about 15 minutes early for a schmooze and schmear (bagels and coffee). 

• Please RSVP here. Be sure to indicate whether you will be joining in person or virtually.
• You can find the proposed budget at this link.
• You can read more about the proposed 2023-24 budget in these two recent Hakol articles.

Pride Parade * Save the Date * Help Organize

Sunday, July 16, 11 am, Meet on the Parade Route

Havurah Shalom will be once again showing up for Pride
with the Jewish Federation of Portland. Save the date (July 16), and march together in the parade in downtown Portland.

Want to help organize this event? We need you!
Contact Adela Basayne (adela@havurahshalom.org).

Submission Deadline for the July Hakol is Friday, June 16.

Submit your articles for Hakol, Havurah's monthly newsletter, and feel free to follow up with Tara Anderson with questions (tara@havurahshalom.org).

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our safety requirements at in-person gatherings. 

Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Shoshana Eisner, June 10; Hugo Emile Ungar-Gutierrez, June 24) are listed in the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. To receive Mahjong Group updates, askLeah Hershey to add you to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet, with some exceptions (check the calendar).
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.

Upcoming Events

More Tikkun Olam 

What We Can Harvest Together: Read the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice Shavuot Newsletter
Help JCIJ celebrate our new nonprofit status, learn of latest legislative wins, and read about other ways to engage in immigrant justice actions.
Click to read the May 2023 Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice newsletter - Note: The link has now been fixed.

News & Events From Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): Volunteer for our monthly Path Home dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Out in the Community

Jewish Community Orchestra Season Finale
3 pm to 5 pm (ticket counter opens at 2:15 pm), Sunday, June 11 – Mittleman Jewish Community Center (6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon)
This season finale concert is particularly special because the orchestra will be playing the world premiere of a new piece by Frederick Naftel, a living Jewish composer who resides in the U.K. Tickets will be available at the door starting at 2:15 pm on June 11. There is special ticket pricing for students and senior citizens. Check out the flyer and event page.

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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

Hineinu, May 24, 2023

Celebrate the start of Shavuot with all-night learning and lots of cheesecake!
(You don't actually have to stay all night, and cheesecake is just part of it.)

Havurahniks: We hope to have many people come for Tikkun Leyl Shavuot. We need more desserts and helpers. Please sign up!
 

Thursday, May 25, 2023
7 pm to 8 pm: Dessert Potluck (at Havurah Shalom)
8 pm and on: Learning/Tikkun Leyl Shavuot - Learn with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and others (at Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Aleph)

Click here to sign up for this Havurah Shalom Tikkun Leyl Shavuot event.
 

On Saturday, May 27—the second day of Shavuot—there will be:
 

• a joint, multi-synagogue Shavuot Torah study at 9am (at Havurah and through a special May 27 Torah study Zoom login) and
   
• a Shavuot Shabbat Morning Service at 10am that will include Hallel and Yizkor.

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our safety requirements at in-person gatherings. 

Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

On May 27, there will be a special Weekly Torah Study and Shabbat Morning Service for Shavuot.
On May 29, Mahjong Group is cancelled for Memorial Day. 
On June 6, Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation will only take place in person at Havurah.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays (Usually: Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet; on May 27: Havurah Shalom and an offsite Zoom)
An in-depth look at the weekly parsha; no prior knowledge or study is necessary.
(On May 27, the usual weekly Torah study will be replaced by a joint, multi-synagogue Torah study for Shavuot led by Havurah's Emily Simon. May 27 Torah Study Zoom login and event info.)

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Shoshana Eisner, June 10) are listed in the website calendar. (On May 27, we will mark Shavuot in prayer, and the service will include Hallel and Yizkor.)

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays, Havurah Shalom Library (to receive updates and changes, contact Leah Hershey to be put on the email list)
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar. (The May 29 mahjong meet-up is cancelled for Memorial Day.)

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet, with some exceptions (check the calendar).
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. (On June 6, Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation will only take place in person at Havurah.)

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish.

Upcoming Events

• 7 pm to 8 pm: Dessert Potluck (at Havurah Shalom)
• 8 pm and on: Learning/Tikkun Leyl Shavuot - Learn with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and others 
  (at Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Aleph)