Signed Up for the Big Mitzvah Yet?
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Dear Havurahniks, If you’ve ever found yourself far from home during High Holy Days, you know that most cities don't have a Jewish community that opens its doors to everyone for services, year after year. What a mitzvah! You can read about Havurah’s welcoming services in this month’s Oregon Jewish Life. It takes our entire community to make this happen! We currently have only 16% of our High Holy Days roles filled. Please sign up for at least one volunteer position through our Signup.com website. It's simple. Just click here or on the button below and enter your email. You do not need to create an account to sign up.
We’re looking for ushers for all services. This 45-minute role is a key part of creating a welcoming environment at the Tiffany Center. It’s great for both new Havurahniks and experienced volunteers. We also need volunteers to help us move items from Havurah to the Tiffany Center on Thursday, Sept. 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm – people to load at Havurah and people to unload at the Tiffany Center. It’s the perfect role for the strong high schoolers in your life! Many other roles are still open, too, so please commit to what you can. RSVP Deadline for Childcare is Monday, Sept. 19 The RSVP deadline for High Holy Days childcare is Monday, Sept. 19. Registration forms must be in the office by Monday to qualify for a pre-registration discount. Forms can be downloaded here. Pre-registration costs are $20 per service for the first child and $15 for each additional child. Drop-in costs are $25 for the first child and $20 each additional child. Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner Havurah members can sign up for Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner online here. Space is limited, so please book ahead. It’s a time to celebrate the New Year, see old friends and new, and introduce your growing children to the joys of community! Breakfast on Yom Kippur Join us for a potluck Break Fast on Yom Kippur! Please sign up here to confirm what you will bring. |
Selichot Service with Desserts
Selichot Service with Desserts
Saturday, Sept. 24
9:00 pm
Led by Rabbi Joey & Karen St. Clair, Music by Beth Hamon
This meditative, musical evening will help us usher in the High Holy Days. This year Selichot takes place at a time in which we wonder how we are implicated in envisioning a more equitable and just society. What does it mean to ask for forgiveness amidst the pleas and demands for Black Lives Matter and the scorched-earth conspiracy rhetoric of Donald Trump? Do we see ourselves changing? Letting go – of what? Returning – to what? Praying – with what in mind and in our hearts?
Join us as we begin the process of Teshuvah, of resolving those issues that have been heavy on our hearts and minds. Please arrive early and bring a candle in a container and a dessert to share.
Sept. 7 Community Email
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SELICHOT, HIGH HOLY DAYS HELP, HOUSING, TOT & DOROT SHABBAT
UPCOMING SHABBAT Kabbalat Shabbat Join us for our first Kabbalat Shabbat of the fall on Friday, Sept. 9. Rabbi Joey will join Havurah musicians Ilene Safyan, Scott Snyder, Steven Sandberg-Lewis, Chaim Wolin, and John Duke to lead this short, musical and inspiring service. Childcare is provided.
The above photo was taken at a recent Kabbalat Shabbat Service. Bat Mitzvah of Eleanor Potter This Saturday Eleanor Potter, daughter of Amy Blumenberg and Chris Potter, will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating with Eleanor and her family, and welcome Eleanor to our community. Mazel tov!
HIGH HOLIDAYS MUSIC SHARING TONIGHT Wednesday, Sept. 7
RABBI JOEY & OTHER LEADERS COMMEMORATE 9/11 Sunday, Sept. 11 On Sunday, Sept. 11, Rabbi Joey will join spiritual leaders of many faiths and practices to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11. The service will include music and remembrances.
PLEASE HELP WITH HIGH HOLY DAYS! Sign up now for the best volunteer spots. Havurah can only open our doors to the Portland community for High Holy Days with volunteer support from the entire Havurah community. When many take small roles, and a few take big ones, we can welcome people who might otherwise not attend services. Click on the SignUp button below to find the volunteer position that's right for you!
Learn more about Havurah's High Holidays services here. Please Note: Havurahiks can now register for our Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 2. Register here!
NEXT WEEK AT HAVURAH Morning Minyan, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 8:30 - 9:00 am Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us. Affordable Housing Forum
BYTE - Border Youth Tennis Exchange Charlie Cutler, son of Havurah member Beverlee Cutler and one of Havurah's own "kids" (now grown) is hosting an information session for the NGO that he founded, Border Youth Tennis Exchange (BYTE). BYTE brings young people living on both sides of the border between Arizona and Mexico, in a town divided by a wall, together as they learn about each other as they play tennis. This video and this flier show and explain how BYTE works. Though this event isn't officially sponsored by Havurah through our Tikkun Olam Committee, Havurah has a tradition of encouraging our young people in their social action endeavors. This is an opportunity to see what Charlie is doing to reduce barriers along the border. Learn more about Sept. 15 here.
PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS (PHFS) TIKKUN OLAM DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT NEWS "I am so glad that I was able to learn about this amazing organization through Havurah." - John Devlin, a new Goose Hollow volunteer. Check out in the October Hakol how he and Rachel Devlin helped the children at the Goose Hollow Shelter! Join us in doing this direct service project work. The next orientation at the shelter is Monday, Sept. 12, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson. Parking is behind the church. Questions: To help with meal preparation: Len Shapiro at lenshap@gmail.com. Any other PHFS questions, Gloria Halper, Tikkun Olam Committee member, losninos6@gmail.com.
GETTING DOWN TO TACHLIS (THE NITTY GRITTY) - B'NAI MITZVAH LOGISTICS Thursday, Sept. 15 Presented by Havurah's B’nai Mitzvah Committee, this class is best for those with Bar or Bat Mitzvah dates between December 2016 and December 2017. The class will cover many of the items in the B’nai Mitzvah Handbook and is designed to answer questions for those people concerned with the nuts and bolts of planning, building rental, setting up, catering, etc. Only parents need attend. Led by Rachel Palmer, Office & Facilities Manager. Please RSVP online here.
Photo of Tot Shabbat was taken by Barbara Gundle. TOT SHABBAT Saturday, Sept. 17 Young children (0-5) and their parents celebrate Shabbat with singing, movement, blessings and storytelling. We touch on the main highlights of the Shabbat morning service: wonder, fun, song, listening to the world, dancing and Torah. Tot Shabbat is fashioned for the under 6 crowd, but older kids are welcome (and can help tell a story, etc.) Afterwards we enjoy an informal oneg nosh and the chance to play and schmooze. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Please RSVP by Sept. 12 if you can join us!
BOOK DISCUSSION - MY PROMISED LAND: THE TRIUMPH & TRAGEDY OF ISRAEL Tuesday, Sept. 20 Join the Havurah Book Group to read and discuss both fiction and nonfiction books by Jewish authors on a variety of themes. In our next session, we will discuss My Promised Land: The Triumph & Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit, a prominent Israeli journalist. Unlike many books on Israel, My Promised Land incorporates the views of Israel's Arab minority, Mizrachi Jews, and the Palestinians. The result is a nuanced portrait of a country coming to grips with its past while moving forward into an uncertain future. This book is guaranteed to generate a lot of discussion. Please join us. Feel free to bring a nosh. RSVP here.
DOROT SHABBAT Friday, Sept. 23 Join us for a casual, family-friendly and music-filled service for people of all ages. Beginning with candle lighting, Kiddush and challah, the service continues with prayers and music led by congregants, followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. Please RSVP here if you can come.
Above photo was taken at a recent Dorot Shabbat.
SELICHOT IS SATURDAY, SEPT. 24 Text & Torah Study of Selichot We’ll examine the history of this unique time that precedes Rosh Hashanah, learn about the traditional observances, and recite Selichot poetry. Torah study will be followed by a shortened Saturday morning service led by Rabbi Joey and Havurah members. We will serve breakfast and coffee, including bagels and lox and gluten-free options. Please arrive early to eat before the study begins at 10:00 am. This meditative, musical evening will help us usher in the High Holy Days. This year Selichot takes place at a time in which we wonder how we are implicated in envisioning a more equitable and just society. What does it mean to ask for forgiveness amidst the pleas and demands for Black Lives Matter and the scorched-earth conspiracy rhetoric of Donald Trump? Do we see ourselves changing? Letting go – of what? Returning – to what? Praying – with what in mind and in our hearts? Join us as we begin the process of Teshuvah, of resolving those issues that have been heavy on our hearts and minds. Please arrive early and bring a candle in a container and a dessert to share.
ELUL MEDITATIONS WITH CELLO MUSIC Saturday, Oct. 1 Get into the mood for the High Holy Days with meditative readings and music. Diane Chaplin will play holiday melodies and other Jewish meditative music on the cello. Led by Andrine de la Rocha.
CHANGE IS OUR CHOICE: CREATING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS First Session, "Creating Climate Solutions" Evidence of and impacts from climate change are happening all around us right now. Join us in six-session discussion course on climate action that will help us better understand what is happening and how we can take action to increase resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change. This course will refer to connections in Jewish texts that relate to our impact on the earth. The discussion sessions integrate video and readings compiled by the Northwest Earth Institute’s guide "Change is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions" that will help us choose accessible individual and community actions to build a better tomorrow. The planning committee includes Michael Heumann, Don Caniparoli, Jan Zuckerman and Steve Birkel. The first session of the course will be Thursday, Oct. 20, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. If you are interested in participating or want more information, contact Michael Heumann (heumanncycle@gmail.com).
RABBI SEARCH - THE LATEST For the past several months, the Rabbi Search Committee has been receiving resumes for the position of rabbi starting August 1, 2017. The deadline for resumes to be received is Sept. 30, 2016. During the summer we have been reviewing the resumes already received and are determining which candidates with whom we want to have Skype interviews. We will decide which candidates to invite for the interview weekends by the end of the High Holidays. It will be announced in the community email and on the website. Bios of the candidates will be placed on the website in November. You'll have several opportunities during the interview weekends for you to see the candidates in action and for you to interact with them. The schedule for those weekends will be published in Hakol, the community email, and on the website in November. We are looking forward to seeing you at the different events and getting your feedback. Please remember to put on your calendar the following dates:
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at rabbisearch@havurahshalom.org.
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Kabbalat Shabbat this Friday!
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IT'S OUR FIRST KABBALAT SHABBAT OF THE FALL! DINNER RSVP DUE TODAY, SEPT. 5 Kabbalat Shabbat
Join us for our first Kabbalat Shabbat of the fall on Friday, Sept. 9. Rabbi Joey will join Havurah musicians Ilene Safyan, Scott Snyder, Steven Sandberg-Lewis, Chaim Wolin, and John Duke to lead this musical and inspiring service. Our catered vegetarian dinner begins at 6:30 pm, with vegan, wheat-free and nut-free options. Childcare is available. Register here by Monday, Sept. 5! If you can't attend the dinner, we hope you'll come for the service. It's a wonderful way to reconnect with old friends, make new friends, and welcome Shabbat. |
RSVP by Sept. 5 for Kabbalat Shabbat!
FIRST KABBALAT SHABBAT OF THE FALL IS HERE!
Kabbalat Shabbat - RSVP BY MONDAY, SEPT. 5
Friday, Sept. 9
6:30 pm Dinner; 7:30 pm Service
Havurah Shalom
Join us for our first Kabbalat Shabbat of the fall on Friday, Sept. 9. Rabbi Joey will join Havurah musicians Ilene Safyan, Scott Snyder, Steven Sandberg-Lewis, Chaim Wolin, and John Duke to lead this short, musical service.
The catered vegetarian dinner will begin at 6:30 pm. Gluten-free, wheat-free and nut-free options will be provided, and childcare is available. Register here by Monday, Sept. 5.
If you can't join us for dinner, we hope you'll come for the service at 7:30 pm.
Community Email, Aug 31
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KABBALAT SHABBAT-RSVP BY SEPT. 5, MEDITATIVE & MUSICAL SELICHOT
UPCOMING SHABBAT Community Minyan This Saturday we will read and discuss Parsha Re’eh, (Re'eh means 'See'). The parsha reminds us that we can choose whether to receive God’s blessing or God’s curse. In Re’eh we also learn about tithing, helping others who need loans, freeing servants, and honoring the pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. The above photo of Havurah's sukkah was taken by Ellen Regal. Watch for news about Havurah's Sukkot decorating times & celebrations - including a Sunday Sing-a-Long and an October Kabbalat Shabbat!
FIRST KABBALAT SHABBAT OF THE FALL IS HERE! Kabbalat Shabbat - RSVP BY MONDAY, SEPT. 5 Join us for our first Kabbalat Shabbat of the fall on Friday, Sept. 9. Rabbi Joey will join Havurah musicians Ilene Safyan, Scott Snyder, Steven Sandberg-Lewis, Chaim Wolin, and John Duke to lead this short, musical service. The catered vegetarian dinner will begin at 6:30 pm. Gluten-free, wheat-free and nut-free options will be provided. Childcare is provided. Please register here by Monday, Sept. 5. If you can't join us for dinner, we hope you'll join us for the service at 7:30 pm.
Above photo was taken at a recent Kabbalat Shabbat Service.
MEDITATIVE, MUSICAL SELICHOT ON SEPT. 24 Saturday, Sept. 24 This meditative, musical evening will help us usher in the High Holidays. This year Selichot takes place at a time in which we wonder how we are implicated in envisioning a more equitable and just society. What does it mean to ask for forgiveness amidst the pleas and demands for Black Lives Matter and the scorched-earth conspiracy rhetoric of Donald Trump? Do we see ourselves changing? Letting go – of what? Returning – to what? Praying – with what in mind and in our hearts? Join us as we begin the process of Teshuvah, of resolving those issues that have been heavy on our hearts and minds. Please arrive early and bring a candle in a container and a dessert to share.
NEXT WEEK AT HAVURAH Labor Day Office Closure Havurah's office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 5, for Labor Day. Morning Minyan, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 8:30 - 9:00 am Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am. Music Sharing Night, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 7:00 pm Join Havurah Music Coordinator Ilene Safyan and other Havurah members interested in music to begin musical preparations for the upcoming High Holidays.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FORUM Affordable Housing Forum At our Affordable Housing Forum, we will have a fantastic panel of Havurah members who have devoted their lives to housing issues:
We will also have a representative from the Yes for Affordable Homes campaign, who will let us know how we can support the passage in November of a $258 million general obligation bond to provide more money for affordable housing in Portland. The Havurah Steering Committee has endorsed the passage of this bond. What is the scope and impact of the housing problem; what does this bond measure mean to you, to our community? Bring your questions. Bring your friends. Join us! Read more here.
URGENT NEED FOR HOMES FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES Catholic Charities is reaching out to a few congregations that they have been working with as they have three Syrian families of seven arriving next week (one of which they just found out about on Friday). In addition to the generally high number of arrivals this month and next, housing continues to be the greatest challenge. With these families arriving so close together, the need for three-bedroom units is intense. Catholic Charities recognizes that they may not be able to secure and set up that many in the next week and so are reaching out to try to find some temporary housing options and additional support for these families. Any leads or support you may be able to provide is tremendously appreciated. Michelle Welton of Catholic Charities would be happy to answer specific questions or to meet with anyone as it would be helpful to the process. If you have information that would be helpful, please email Michelle at MWelton@CatholicCharitiesOregon.org.
PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS (PHFS) TIKKUN OLAM COMMITTEE DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT NEWS "I am so glad that I was able to learn about this amazing organization through Havurah." - John Devlin, a new Goose Hollow volunteer. Check out in the October Hakol how he and Rachel Devlin helped the children at the Goose Hollow Shelter! Join us in doing this direct service project work. The next orientation at the shelter is Monday, Sept. 12, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson. Parking is behind the church. Questions: To help with meal preparation: Len Shapiro at lenshap@gmail.com. Any other PHFS questions, Gloria Halper, Tikkun Olam Committee member, losninos6@gmail.com.
RABBI JOEY JOINS OTHER LEADERS TO SPEAK AT 9/11 COMMEMORATION Sunday, Sept. 11 On Sunday, Sept. 11, Rabbi Joey will join spiritual leaders of many different faiths and practices to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11. The service will include music, reflections and remembrances.
TOT SHABBAT Saturday, Sept. 17 Young children (0-5) and their parents celebrate Shabbat with singing, movement, blessings and storytelling. We touch on the main highlights of the Shabbat morning service: wonder, fun, song, listening to the world, dancing and Torah. Tot Shabbat is fashioned for the under 6 crowd, but older kids are welcome (and can help tell a story, etc.) Afterwards we enjoy an informal oneg nosh and the chance to play and schmooze. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Please RSVP by Sept. 15 if you can join us!
GETTING DOWN TO TACHLIS (THE NITTY GRITTY) - B'NAI MITZVAH LOGISTICS Thursday, Sept. 15 Presented by Havurah's B’nai Mitzvah Committee, this class is best for those with Bar or Bat Mitzvah dates between December 2016 and December 2017. The class will cover many of the items in the B’nai Mitzvah Handbook and is designed to answer questions for those people concerned with the nuts and bolts of planning, building rental, setting up, catering, etc. Only parents need attend. Led by Rachel Palmer, Office & Facilities Manager. Please RSVP online by Sept. 7.
BOOK DISCUSSION - MY PROMISED LAND: THE TRIUMPH & TRAGEDY OF ISRAEL Tuesday, Sept. 20 Join the Havurah Book Discussion Group to read and discuss both fiction and nonfiction books by Jewish authors on a variety of themes. In our next session, we will discuss My Promised Land: The Triumph & Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit, a prominent Israeli journalist. Unlike many books on Israel, My Promised Land incorporates the views of Israel's Arab minority, Mizrachi Jews, and the Palestinians. The result is a nuanced portrait of a country coming to grips with its past while moving forward into an uncertain future. This book is guaranteed to generate a lot of discussion. Please join us. Feel free to bring a nosh. RSVP here.
DOROT SHABBAT Friday, Sept. 23 Join us for a casual, family-friendly and music-filled service for people of all ages. Beginning with candle lighting, Kiddush and challah, the service continues with prayers and music led by congregants, followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. Please RSVP here if you can come.
Photo was taken at a recent Dorot Shabbat.
EREV ROSH HASHANAH DINNER & HIGH HOLIDAYS VOLUNTEERING Sign up now for your favorite volunteer spots! Havurah can only open our doors to the community for our High Holidays services if each Havurahnik helps in some way! Please click below and find the volunteer position that's right for you.
Learn more about our High Holidays services here. Registration is open for our Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 2. Register here for Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner!
IN OUR COMMUNITY ... BYTE - Border Youth Tennis Exchange Charlie Cutler, son of Havurah member Beverlee Cutler and one of Havurah's own "kids" (now grown) is hosting an information session for the NGO that he founded, Border Youth Tennis Exchange (BYTE). BYTE brings young people living on both sides of the border between Arizona and Mexico, in a town divided by a wall, together as they learn about each other as they play tennis. This video and this flier show and explain how BYTE works. Passport to Jewish Portland Havurah Shalom is participating in a new Passport to Jewish Portland program for young adults ages 22-30. The program provides a one-year synagogue membership (to only one of the participating synagogues), MJCC membership, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education membership, and a subscription to the Oregon Jewish life magazine. The cost is $360 per person. Learn more here. Prayer Project's Month-Long Spiritual Writing for Elul, Sept. 4-30 “This is a fabulous opportunity to help us prepare for the Days of Awe, really starting the New Year with some intention and focus. I highly recommend the work of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, having studied Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation with them for two years. And we can participate here in our own homes on our own time.“ - Deborah Eisenbach-Budner Offered online, you can choose the time that's most convenient for you to watch the weekly half-hour teaching video, engage in the brief but focused daily practice, and post your questions and reflections. Learn more here.
RABBI SEARCH UPDATE For the past several months, the Rabbi Search Committee has been receiving resumes for the position of rabbi starting August 1, 2017. The deadline for resumes to be received is Sept. 30, 2016. During the summer we have been reviewing the resumes already received and are determining which candidates with whom we want to have skype interviews. We will decide which candidates to invite for the interview weekends by the end of the High Holidays. It will be announced in the community email and on the website. Bios of the candidates will be placed on the website in November. You'll have several opportunities during the interview weekends for you to see the candidates in action and for you to interact with them. The schedule for those weekends will be published in Hakol, the community email, and on the website in November. We are looking forward to seeing you at the different events and getting your feedback. Please remember to put on your calendar the following dates:
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at rabbisearch@havurahshalom.org.
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Community Email, Aug 24
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3 UPDATES (IN RED), 2 FRIDAYS IN SEPTEMBER, HIGH HOLIDAYS
UPCOMING SHABBAT Bar Mitzvah of Zev Green This Saturday, Zev Green, son of Johanna Cohen and Doug Green, will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah. Please join us in celebration and welcome him to our community. Mazel tov!
MUSIC SHARING & HAVDALAH WILL BE RESCHEDULED A very dear friend of Ilene Safyan passed away this week, so Ilene regretfully has to reschedule the Music Sharing & Havdalah, which she originally planned for this Saturday.
LIFT URBAN PORTLAND'S "MAKING CONNECTIONS" IS TOMORROW Lift Urban Portland is a local nonprofit that partners with the Oregon Food Bank and aims to reduce hunger and improve the lives of low-income residents of northwest and downtown Portland. We invite you to join Lift Urban Portland for "Making Connections," a casual reception and evening of entertainment, including music, silent auction, drinks and hors d'oeuvres. You will hear stories about our impact on the community and learn more about our path to the future.
The event will take place Thursday Aug. 25, 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Montgomery Park Atrium, 2701 NW Vaughn St, Portland. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.LiftUrbanPortland.org or call 503-221-1224. You can also email Michael Feldman (mfeldman@gwu.edu), Havurah's member of the Lift Urban Portland Board of Directors. Above photo is from Lift Urban Portland's website.
MORNING MINYAN NEXT WEDNESDAY Morning Minyan Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. During the summer months, we sometimes have fewer people at the Wednesday service. You could be the one who makes a minyan, making it possible for others to say Kaddish! Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am.
OFFICE CLOSURE ON LABOR DAY Havurah's office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 5, for Labor Day.
RABBI JOEY'S WORDS ABOUT BLACK LIVES MATTER In the September Hakol, which you should receive in a couple of days, you'll find a column by Rabbi Joey on Black Lives Matter. You can also read his column here on our website.
URGENT NEED FOR HOMES FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES Catholic Charities is reaching out to a few congregations that they have been working with as they have three Syrian families of seven arriving next week (one of which they just found out about on Friday). In addition to the generally high number of arrivals this month and next, housing continues to be the greatest challenge. With these families arriving so close together, the need for three-bedroom units is intense. Catholic Charities recognizes that they may not be able to secure and set up that many in the next week and so are reaching out to try to find some temporary housing options and additional support for these families. Any leads or support you may be able to provide is tremendously appreciated. Michelle Welton of Catholic Charities would be happy to answer specific questions or to meet with anyone as it would be helpful to the process. Her email address is MWelton@CatholicCharitiesOregon.org.
PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS (PHFS) GOOSE HOLLOW SHELTER - A TIKKUN OLAM COMMITTEE DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT "My ten-year-old and I volunteered last month and loved it. She made friends with three girls close to her age. They sat and drew together for a couple of hours. It was sweet." - Stacy Shinault, Havurah Goose Hollow Family Shelter Volunteer Join us in doing this Tikkun Olam project volunteer work. The next orientation at the shelter is Wednesday, August 24, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson. Parking is behind the church. Questions: Gloria Halper, Tikkun Olam Committee, losninos6@gmail.com.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FORUM Wednesday, Sept. 14 In November, the residents of Portland will vote on a $258 M general obligation bond that will provide more money for affordable housing in Portland. The Havurah Steering Committee has endorsed the passage of this bond. What is the scope and impact of the housing problem; what does this bond measure mean to you, to our community?
Havurah has organized a panel discussion with our very own Havurah housing experts to give you the information you need to make an informed decision in November. We will also have a representative from Yes for Affordable Homes campaign who will let us know opportunities that they have to support the passage of this bond. Learn more about the forum here on Havurah's website. Above photo is from the Yes for Affordable Homes campaign.
KABBALAT SHABBAT ON SEPT. 9 Join us for the first Kabbalat Shabbat of the 2016-17 year on Friday, Sept. 9. We'll have a catered vegetarian dinner at 6:30 pm and a joy-filled, musical service at 7:30 pm. Please register here for the dinner by Monday, Sept. 5.
Moved to Thursday, Sept. 15 Presented by Havurah's B’nai Mitzvah Committee, this class is best for those with Bar or Bat Mitzvah dates between December 2016 and December 2017. The class will cover many of the items in the B’nai Mitzvah Handbook and is designed to answer questions for those people concerned with the nuts and bolts of planning, building rental, setting up, catering, etc. Only parents need attend. Led by Rachel Palmer, Office & Facilities Manager. Please RSVP online by Sept. 7.
Friday, Sept. 23 Join us for a casual, family-friendly and music-filled service for people of all ages. Beginning with candle lighting, Kiddush and challah, the service continues with prayers and music led by congregants, followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. Please RSVP here if you can join us.
SELICHOT SERVICE Saturday, Sept. 24 Tradition tells us that the heavens are most open to prayer during the Days of Awe. Our Selichot Service will be held in our Bet HaKnesset. We will begin the process of Teshuvah, of resolving those issues that have been heavy on our hearts and minds, and of welcoming the New Year. Please arrive early and bring a pillow to sit on and a candle in a container. Led by Rabbi Joey and Karen St. Clair. Music by Beth Hamon. All are welcome. Learn about all of our High Holidays services and sign up to help. We can only open our doors to the community for the Days of Awe if each Havurahnik helps as a volunteer in some way!
Don't forget to register for the Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner!
If you have a car and pass near the corner of Vista and Burnside on your way to Havurah, please consider giving Havurahnik Karen Labinger, who doesn't have a car, a ride to Wednesday Morning Minyan or Saturday services. Many thanks to those of you who have already been helping her come to our services!
Summer of Hope Concert Sunday, Aug. 28 Passport to Jewish Portland Havurah Shalom is participating in a new Passport to Jewish Portland program for young adults ages 22-30. The program provides a one-year synagogue membership (to only one of the participating synagogues), MJCC membership, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education membership and a subscription to the Oregon Jewish life magazine. The cost is $360 per person ($720 for a couple).
Prayer Project's Month-Long Spiritual Writing for Elul, Sept. 4-30 “This is a fabulous opportunity to help us prepare for the Days of Awe, really starting the New Year with some intention and focus. I highly recommend the work of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, having studied Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation with them for two years. And we can participate here in our own homes on our own time.“ - Deborah Eisenbach-Budner Offered online, you can choose the time that's most convenient for you to watch the weekly half-hour teaching video, engage in the brief but focused daily practice, and post your questions and reflections. Learn more here. Interest Free Loans Interest free loans of up to $2000, repayable over a maximum of two years, are available to qualified individuals. Loans are for tuition, rent, home/car repair, simchas, losses — any of life’s ups and downs for which a hand up could be helpful. Eligibility and application materials are available at www.jewishportland.org/freeloan Mother's Circle The Mothers Circle is a 13-week community-wide empowering program geared to women of other religious backgrounds raising kids in a Jewish family environment. Held at the MJCC, this supportive class is for anyone wanting to learn more about the "how-to's" of tradition, holidays and ritual. There is no cost and childcare is provided. Come learn more at an information session Mothers' Circle style Rosh Hashanah "mini-lesson" and coffee on Sept. 18, 9:30-10:30 am, at the MJCC. Contact programs@nevehshalom.org or 503-293-7313 to RSVP or for more information.
For the past several months, the Rabbi Search Committee has been receiving resumes for the position of rabbi starting August 1, 2017. The deadline for resumes to be received is Sept. 30, 2016. During the summer we have been reviewing the resumes already received and are determining which candidates with whom we want to have skype interviews. We will decide which candidates to invite for the interview weekends by the end of the High Holidays. It will be announced in the community email and on the website. Bios of the candidates will be placed on the website in November. There will be several opportunities during the interview weekends for you to see the candidates in action and for you to interact with them. The schedule for those weekends will be published in Hakol, the community email, and on the website in November. We are looking forward to seeing you at the different events and getting your feedback. Please remember to put on your calendar the following dates:
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at rabbisearch@havurahshalom.org. |
Black Lives Matter, by Rabbi Joey
Earlier this month Black Lives Matter published a platform called A Vision for Black Lives: Policy Demands for Black Power, Freedom & Justice. More than fifty organizations were involved in formulating this document, which is quite long and comprehensive. In terms of it encapsulating a broad range of objectives and recommendations, it answers the need for specificity. Whereas, in the past, it could be said that dreaming and raging, on the one hand, took up a good deal of energy, and the very circumscribed work of local and national organizations in the black community, on the other hand, focused their work with limited cross-consultation.
This is no longer the case, in that a groundswell of agreed upon issues are coming to the fore. Not the least of factors motivating this work is the outpouring of anger about police violence spurred by social media and the willingness of people in the streets to lend transparency to racial crime perpetrated by agencies vested with the responsibility to establish community safety. Crimes against the black body are being documented, whereas earlier they were easily swept under the rug.
Three writers have become relatively well-known names, for those who care to delve into analyses of the racial power imbalance: Michele Alexander, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Charles Blow. They are eminently persuasive and passionate writers, as is another, chronicler of a silent kind of injustice, Matthew Desmond. In his book Evicted, he shines a light on the profiteering long a feature in the inner city – in which landlords, irrespective of color but disproportionately impacting African American communities, are shredding families and neighborhoods. They wreak their own kind of violence by keeping the prices of rentals (often in terrible condition) artificially high. There is money to be made off the poor, thanks to our societal decision to evade tougher policy decisions that would keep people in their homes.
The recently published BLM platform was met with a good deal of controversy in the Jewish community at a moment in which it is riven by cries of hypocrisy about Israel. It shouldn’t have been surprising that mainstream Jewish organizations responded to specific analogies within the document to the plight of the Palestinians and an unjust occupation the way that they did. It is the failure of older American Jews to realize that liberals and progressives will understand that three billion dollars being spent on arms to keep Palestinians under siege is nothing short of state terror. White Ashkenazic Israel, long ascendant over Mizrachi Jews and Arabs, have begun to be perceived as an arm of our own white supremacist regime. The decades in which the state of Israel has continually confiscated Palestinian lands, foreclosed Palestinian statehood, locked down Palestinian freedom of movement – are represented, by dint of dedicated military appropriations and expenditures in Washington, as one of the most vivid examples of unjust American-supported foreign investment.
But – still – what offends so many of us, who cannot be said to live in the Jewish political center, is the unequivocal use of a term in the document that has an international legal conceptual history – genocide. Even more than the references in the BLM platform to the boycott-divestment movement, this term, used to describe what Israel is all about, has been called “unfortunate” by progressive Jewish organizations. For black Americans to refer to Israel as a genocidal regime is shocking, because Israel sprung up as a response to genocide committed against Jews predominantly in the white Christian world. That blacks raised up in black churches (they still play a role, even if not the overridingly powerful role they once did) should foist this charge against the Jewish state goes too far.
And yet – should we be surprised by the willingness of African Americans who articulate a bold array of recommendations for social and economic justice to link America’s gluttonous appetite for military weaponry, surveillance and incarceration with harm being perpetrated by its proxy in the Middle East? And even if genocide has come to be understood as the extreme case, namely the willful annihilation of a people because of its differing racial or ethnic status, isn’t Israel in fact dead set on erasing the Palestinians – their cultural geography, their history, their rootedness in the land?
I am suggesting, as are others, that there’s a spectrum of genocidal operations that should come in for deliberation.
I realize that, in writing this plea for consideration of BLM’s platform, I risk papering over what is, in fact, a total lack of awareness of the causes of antisemitism. It operates in a way that is like and unlike many other prejudices, and it lends itself to one of the most odious types of political formulations – conspiracy theories. For the Jews were always, thanks to Christian teachings, understood to be underminers, germs, exploiters, who syphoned energy from below and above. We are better than everyone else and worse. . . and aberrant. Now it’s true that the Arab presses brandish the same portrayals of Jews that Christian Europe once did.
So, it’s distressing that the most progressive organizations ally themselves post haste with the BLM platform. One local organization to which I belong did so “unreservedly.” I want to be counted in, but with my brakes on. For my part, as someone who has long avowed that the Israeli occupation and the devastation that it enables in Gaza will lead to more antisemitism, heightened animosity to Jews in the world, I will travel on the same highway as Black Lives Matter folks travel. I will join others who praise the work of this large coalition that has come out with an audacious list of demands and recommendations, because the work is ultimately important and I believe we should all listen to one another.
To be sure, I have plenty of reservations about all of this – and the singling out of Israel. I would like to point a finger at autocratic Turkey that persecutes the Kurds, or Myanmar, whose “humanitarian” leader watches as her government tramples the Rohingya people. There are plenty of other examples of supremacists annihilating lesser minorities (indeed committing genocide). But not with the outsize military budget that our US government earmarks for Israel, sadly enough.
The trench warfare we have witnessed by beloved Jewish progressive organizations, one dead set against the other, in recent days over this statement should lead us to be more introspective. Dueling press releases, shots across the bow, seem rather unproductive. It’s time for working out our differences about how to make our societies (from a Jewish vantage point) more equitable. One of my colleagues uses the metaphor of being amenable to travel on an expressway, one on which we get out of our lane every so often, to learn from others who are trying to get somewhere.
I am a Boston driver, alas. I see a lot of swerving without signals, and I know how prone I am to making hasty decisions. If anything, this is the time for Jews who are working to remedy the injustices we see all around us to be kinder to one another. It’s time for us to pay attention to what others are expressing about their struggles, and in this spirit we too will negotiate the turns we need to make in order to get to the right destination. The prophet Isaiah called for the path up ahead to be cleared, as we read in a haftarah this month. It points towards a place where we can express ourselves in accordance with Jewish enlightened teachings, and so can others express themselves with hope, with pride, and with the respect that they richly deserve too.
Above photos are from Wikimedia. Lower photo is by Harald Hoyer from Schwerin, Germany - Security Prison 21.
Community Email, Aug 17
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UNPICNIC THIS SUNDAY, MUSIC SHARING AUG. 27, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
UPCOMING SHABBAT B'nai Mitzvah of Jordan & Dylan Moliken This Saturday, Dylan and Jordan Moliken, daughters of Sharon and Warren Moliken, will be called to the Torah as B'nai Mitzvah. Please join us in celebration and welcome them to our community. Mazel tov!
MAH JONGG, SETTLERS, BAGEL EATERS, BEAN BAGGERS, MORE! Havurah Unpicnic Join us this Sunday for our annual Havurah Unpicnic! Hot weather is predicted, but we'll be cool indoors (and bee-free too). We will have tables for Mah Jongg and Settlers of Cataan, and lots of other games for people of all ages. Please bring your own game if you have a favorite! We'll have coffee, juice, bagels, schmear, cream cheese, fruit and sweets at 10:00 am, and we'll wrap up with a potluck vegetarian lunch. (Please bring a dish to share.) To make sure we have enough food and drinks for breakfast, please RSVP here if you plan to come. Thanks! The above photo from Wikimedia does not represent the kind of bagels we will serve this Sunday. But if you know how to make this kind of bagel, please feel free to bring some to the Unpicnic!
MUSIC SHARING & HAVDALAH WITH ILENE SAFYAN Saturday, Aug. 27 Please RSVP here so Ilene can plan for this musical evening where Havurah members interested in music will have an opportunity to share music, jam and sing. It will be a potluck of music and nibbles. Also, please bring a dessert or beverage to share with others. Could some of you bring gluten-free, parve or dairy desserts, or wine or soft drinks? (Coffee and tea will be provided.) Thanks!
BEGINNING HEBREW TEACHER OPENING Do you have teaching experience with children and Hebrew reading fluency? Havurah usually offers three levels of Youth Hebrew before Shabbat School, 15 Saturdays, 1:30-2:40 pm. Teachers use a well-developed curriculum, which focuses on learning how to read prayer and biblical Hebrew. This is a paid position. If you're interested, please contact Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. The above photo is of Havurah's courtyard, which received some loving care from Havurah gardeners this week. The entire grounds look beautiful. Thank you to all who have watered the plants this summer and to all who pruned our plants this week, including but not limited to Josh Erde-Wollheim, Marlene Salon, Barbara Gundle, Monica Moriarty, and Deborah Kallen.
COMING TO YOUR MAILBOX SOON Watch your mailboxes for our bright new community brochure for 5777, designed by Hannah Westerman, and for important information about our High Holidays services. If you can't wait for snail mail and need to learn more NOW, you can visit this page on our website. You can even register for the Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner today, if you wish! Many thanks to the Havurahniks who packaged and prepared the mailing this morning, including Marian Rhys, Roz Basin, Linda Zuckerman, Sandy Ramirez, Adele Thompson, Sandy Ramirez, Arleen Slive, Sue Danielson, Debbi Nadell, and Fran Berg. And thank you to Susan Lazareck for many weeks of important data entry assistance. (Please let the office know if anyone's name was missed.)
MINYAN & MAILING NEXT WEDNESDAY Morning Minyan Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. During the summer months, we sometimes have fewer people at the Wednesday service. You could be the one who makes a minyan, making it possible for others to say Kaddish! Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am. Hakol Mailing Right after our minyan next Wednesday morning, we'll have a Hakol mailing party in the foyer. This is a big month for mailings, so we're especially thankful for our wonderful mailing volunteers! Please email Rachel if you can come.
LIFT URBAN PORTLAND "MAKING CONNECTIONS" AUG. 25 Lift Urban Portland is a local nonprofit that partners with the Oregon Food Bank and aims to reduce hunger and improve the lives of low-income residents of northwest and downtown Portland. We invite you to join Lift Urban Portland for "Making Connections," a casual reception and evening of entertainment, including music, silent auction, drinks and hors d'oeuvres. You will hear stories about our impact on the community and learn more about our path to the future. The event will take place Thursday Aug. 25, 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Montgomery Park Atrium, 2701 NW Vaughn St, Portland. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.LiftUrbanPortland.org or call 503-221-1224. You can also email Michael Feldman (mfeldman@gwu.edu), Havurah's member of the Lift Urban Portland Board of Directors. Above photo is from Lift Urban Portland's website.
PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SHELTER (PHFS) TIKKUN OLAM DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT At the Goose Hollow homeless family shelter last week, a five-year-old told me that she lived in two places ... one during the days (PHFS day shelter at 13 Salmon) and one for nights (Goose Hollow). -Gloria Halper Join us in doing this Tikkun Olam direct service work. The next orientations at Goose Hollow are Wednesday, Sept. 12 & 28, 5:00 – 6:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson, with parking behind the church. Questions: For Meals: Len Shapiro (One can participate in the meal preparation without attending an orientation.) All other PHFS questions: Gloria Halper, Tikkun Olam committee member.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FORUM Wednesday, Sept. 14 In November, the residents of Portland will vote on a $258 M general obligation bond that will provide more money for affordable housing in Portland. The Havurah Steering Committee has endorsed the passage of this bond. What is the scope and impact of the housing problem; what does this bond measure mean to you, to our community? We have organized a panel discussion with our very own Havurah housing experts to give you the information you need to make an informed decision in November. We will also have a representative from Yes for Affordable Homes campaign who will let us know opportunities that they have to support the passage of this bond. Learn more about the forum here on Havurah's website. Above photo from Street Roots shows housing advocates presenting City Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury with requests from Portlanders to address the shortage of affordable housing in our area.
GETTING DOWN TO TACHLIS (THE NITTY GRITTY) - B'NAI MITZVAH LOGISTICS Wednesday, Sept. 14 Presented by Havurah's B’nai Mitzvah Committee, this class is best for those with Bar or Bat Mitzvah dates between December 2016 and December 2017. The class will cover many of the items in the B’nai Mitzvah Handbook and is designed to answer questions for those people concerned with the nuts and bolts of planning, building rental, setting up, catering, etc. Only parents need attend. Led by Rachel Palmer, Office & Facilities Manager. Please RSVP online by Sept. 7.
BOOK DISCUSSION - MY PROMISED LAND: THE TRIUMPH & TRAGEDY OF ISRAEL Tuesday, Sept. 20 Join the Havurah Book Discussion Group to read and discuss both fiction and nonfiction books by Jewish authors on a variety of themes. In our next session, we will discuss My Promised Land: The Triumph & Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit, a prominent Israeli journalist. Unlike many books on Israel, My Promised Land incorporates the views of Israel's Arab minority, Mizrachi Jews, and the Palestinians. The result is a nuanced portrait of a country coming to grips with its past while moving forward into an uncertain future. This book is guaranteed to generate a lot of discussion. Please join us. Feel free to bring a nosh. RSVP here.
RIDE FOR HAVURAHNIK, NEXT-DOOR PARKING, OTHER OPTIONS If you have a car and the South Park Blocks are on or near your path to Havurah, please consider giving Havurahnik Karen Labinger, who doesn't have a car, a ride to Wednesday Morning Minyans or Saturday services. Many thanks to those of you who have already been helping her come to our services! For members experiencing mobility challenges (whether temporary or permanent) finding parking near Havurah on Saturday mornings can be a barrier to attending Shabbat services. Neighbors to the rescue! One of our neighboring businesses has offered us the use of ten spots on Saturdays, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. There are certain rules and restrictions. If you have mobility issues, and a nearby spot would make it easier for you to attend Saturday morning services, please contact the office, and we will provide more information. Other ways to travel to Havurah include public transportation (scroll to bottom of page) and Portland's new Biketown bicycles.
IN THE COMMUNITY ... Summer of Hope Concert Saturday, Aug. 28 Moishe House Without Walls Kick-Off Thursday, Aug. 25 Moishe House Without Walls (MHWOW) empowers young adults to build Jewish community as they envision it by planning and hosting programs for their peers. Thanks to a grant from the Jewish Federation, MHWOW is now open to any Portlander who is 22-32 years old. In the past it was only available to Moishe House Resident Alumni and Moishe House Retreat Participants. Check out the Facebook event or email Moishe House to learn more. Prayer Project's Month-Long Spiritual Writing for Elul, Sept. 4-30 “This is a fabulous opportunity to help us prepare for the Days of Awe, really starting the New Year with some intention and focus. I highly recommend the work of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, having studied Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation with them for two years. And we can participate here in our own homes on our own time.“ - Deborah Eisenbach-Budner Offered online, you can choose the time that's most convenient for you to watch the weekly half-hour teaching video, engage in the brief but focused daily practice, and post your questions and reflections. Learn more here. Birthright Israel Reconstructionist Adventure Camp JRF, the Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College invite you and your friends (ages 21 to 26) to explore Israel over ten days this December. Hike, learn, sing and connect with the land, people, history and culture. Whether you’ve visited before or this will be your first time, you’ll have an incredible experience. Learn more here. Mother's Circle The Mothers Circle is a 13-week community-wide empowering program geared to women of other religious backgrounds raising kids in a Jewish family environment. Held at the MJCC, this supportive class is for anyone wanting to learn more about the "how-to's" of tradition, holidays and ritual. There is no cost and childcare is provided. Come learn more at an information session Mothers' Circle style Rosh Hashanah "mini-lesson" and coffee on Sept. 18, 9:30-10:30 am, at the MJCC. Contact programs@nevehshalom.org or 503 293-7313 to RSVP or for more information. Tivnu The Tivnu: Building Justice gap year program, directed by Havurah member Steven Eisenbach-Budner, has one spot left for the program beginning on August 31. Do you know a 17-20-year-old whom you'd love to see spend nine months here in Portland, doing important social justice work? Tivnu is also offering a new option for enrolled college students: having a college student live in the Tivnu bayit in NE Portland with Tivnu participants for the year. They could live in the bayit, cook and shop with the group, enjoy Shabbat and holidays together, and participate in some of Tivnu's educational and social activities including hikes and day trips. Tivnu already has one college student ready to claim a spot. Know someone who should snatch up the other one? Email Adina Miller to learn more.
RABBI SEARCH UPDATE For the past several months, the Rabbi Search Committee has been receiving resumes for the position of rabbi starting August 1, 2017. The deadline for resumes to be received is Sept. 30, 2016. During the summer we have been reviewing the resumes already received and are determining which candidates with whom we want to have skype interviews. We will decide which candidates to invite for the interview weekends by the end of the High Holidays. It will be announced in the community email and on the website. Bios of the candidates will be placed on the website in November. There will be several opportunities during the interview weekends for you to see the candidates in action and for you to interact with them. The schedule for those weekends will be published in Hakol, the community email, and on the website in November. We are looking forward to seeing you at the different events and getting your feedback. Please remember to put on your calendar the following dates:
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at rabbisearch@havurahshalom.org. |
Affordable Housing Forum on Sept. 14
Affordable Housing Forum
Wednesday, Sept. 14
7:00 to 9:00 pm
Havurah Shalom
At our Affordable Housing Forum, we will have a fantastic panel of Havurah members who have devoted their lives to housing issues:
- Steve Rudman - Former Head of Portland's Housing Bureau and Home Forward
- Janet Byrd - Executive Director of Neighborhood Partnerships
- David Fuks - CEO Emeritus of Cedar Sinai Park
We will also have a representative from the Yes for Affordable Homes campaign, who will let us know about opportunities to support the passage of this bond.
Housing is THE issue in Portland and among Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good (MACG) institutions. MACG has been organizing about the housing issues (affordability, availability) in both Multnomah and Clackamas counties. We were instrumental in getting the City of Portland to increase the money set aside for affordable housing in urban renewal areas from 30% to 45% (an increase of $67 M), by testifying in Salem for the Inclusionary Zoning bill and by making sure the new construction excise tax was used only for affordable housing.
In November, the residents of Portland will be voting on a $258 M general obligation bond that will provide more money for affordable housing in Portland. The Havurah Steering Committee has endorsed the passage of this bond. What is the scope and impact of the housing problem; what does this bond measure mean to you, to our community?
Please plan on attending this forum. Bring your questions, bring your friends.
For more information: contact Bob Brown (rebrown47@gmail.com) or Steve Goldberg (stevengoldberg@comcast.net).
Community Email, Aug 10
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TISHA B'AV, SETTLERS OF CATAAN, MORE GAMES, BAGELS & LUNCH
UPCOMING SHABBAT Community Minyan Leaders and Torah readers at our Community Minyan this Saturday include Maria Lisa Johnson, Susan Brenner, Jake Birkel, Sam Sirkin, and Roger Brewer. We will begin Devarim (Deuteronomy), which means "words." The first parsha of Devarim is also named Devarim, and it includes the words of Moses as he recounts the tribes’ journeys and battles – including the battles they won and the battles they lost, and the battles that they avoided. What did the rabbis say about the wandering and the fighting? What can we add to their conversation from our current perspectives? Join us!
TISHA B'AV SERVICE THIS SATURDAY - BRING A FLASHLIGHT Saturday, Aug. 13 We come together as mourners grieving over the destruction of the first and second temples around the ninth of Av as well as a host of other catastrophes that afflicted the Jewish people on that date. We enter and depart without greetings; we sit low to the floor in darkness. The Ark is empty of its Torahs, illuminated only by a sole candle. We read parts of Eicha (Alas!) Lamentations. We sing mournful songs of our heart sickness at the destruction and desolation. Come for an experience unlike any other during the rest of the year. Led by Roger Brewer and Susan Brenner. Learn more about Tisha b'Av here. Above photo is from Wikimedia.
SETTLERS OF CATAAN, MORE GAMES, BAGELS & LUNCH Havurah Unpicnic We will have at least one table of Settlers of Cataan at the Unpicnic on Aug. 21. We have a volunteer who will teach for those who want to learn, and otherwise, just come to play! See you at Havurah Sunday, Aug. 21. The Unpicnic starts at 10:00 am (with bagels), and be sure to bring something for the vegetarian potluck lunch! Please RSVP here. The photo above was taken at last year's Unpicnic. PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS UPDATE "My ten-year-old and I volunteered last month and loved it. She made friends with three girls close to her age. They sat and drew together for a couple of hours. It was sweet." - Stacy Shinault, Havurah Goose Hollow Family Shelter Volunteer Join us in doing this Tikkun Olam project volunteer work. The next orientation at the shelter is Wednesday, Aug. 24, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson; parking is behind the church. Questions: Gloria Halper, Tikkun Olam Committee Member, losninos6@gmail.com HAKOL DEADLINE The deadline for the September Hakol is Monday, Aug. 15 at NOON. Thank you in advance for your articles (& photos)! Please submit them to Rachel. MORNING MINYAN - HELP OTHERS SAY KADDISH Wednesday, Aug. 17 Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. During the summer months fewer people attend the Wednesday service. You could be the one who makes a minyan, making it possible for others to say Kaddish! Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am.
HIGH HOLIDAYS MUSIC SHARING Havurah's musical High Holiday preparations will begin in earnest later this month. The next music sharing session will be Saturday, Aug. 27, for Havdalah & Music Sharing. The time and place will be determined. More sessions on different nights will begin later in August, and we’ll do our best to accommodate everyone’s schedule with regard to scheduling the music sharing sessions. Come join us! - Ilene Safyan Above photo from Wikimedia is from a painting by Israeli artist Elena Kotliarker. SAVE THE DATE! HAVURAH BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, Sept. 20 Join the Havurah Book Discussion Group to read and discuss both fiction and nonfiction books by Jewish authors on a variety of themes. In our next session, we will discuss My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel by Ari Shavit, a prominent Israeli journalist. Drawing on historical documents, interviews, and personal family history, Shavit examines the complexity of modern Israel with an unflinching look at the difficult issues it faces. Unlike many books on Israel. My Promised Land incorporates the views of Israel's Arab minority, Mizrachi Jews, and the Palestinians. The result is a nuanced portrait of a country coming to grips with its past while moving forward into an uncertain future. This book is guaranteed to generate a lot of discussion. Please join us. Feel free to bring a nosh. IN THE COMMUNITY ... Moishe House Without Walls Kick-Off Thursday, Aug. 25 Moishe House Without Walls (MHWOW) empowers young adults to build Jewish community as they envision it by planning and hosting programs for their peers. Thanks to a grant from the Jewish Federation, MHWOW is now open to any Portlander who is 22-32 years old. In the past it was only available to Moishe House Resident Alumni and Moishe House Retreat Participants. Check out the Facebook event or email Moishe House to learn more. Summer of Hope Concert Saturday, Aug. 28 Prayer Project's Month-Long Spiritual Writing for Elul, Sept. 4-30 “This is a fabulous opportunity to help us prepare for the Days of Awe, really starting the New Year with some intention and focus. I highly recommend the work of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, having studied Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation with them for two years. And we can participate here in our own homes on our own time.“ - Deborah Eisenbach-Budner Offered online, you can choose the time that's most convenient for you to watch the weekly half-hour teaching video, engage in the brief but focused daily practice, and post your questions and reflections. Learn more here. Birthright Israel Reconstructionist Adventure Camp JRF, the Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College invite you and your friends (ages 21 to 26) to explore Israel over ten days this December. Hike, learn, sing and connect with the land, people, history and culture. Whether you’ve visited before or this will be your first time, you’ll have an incredible experience. Learn more here. Mother's Circle, An Empowering Program for Moms Without a Jewish Background The Mothers Circle is a 13-week community-wide empowering program geared to women of other religious backgrounds raising kids in a Jewish family environment. Held at the MJCC, this supportive class is for anyone wanting to learn more about the "how-to's" of tradition, holidays and ritual. There is no cost and childcare is provided. Come learn more at an information session Mothers' Circle style Rosh Hashanah "mini-lesson" and coffee on Sept. 18, 9:30-10:30 am, at the MJCC. Contact programs@nevehshalom.org or 503 293-7313 to RSVP or for more information. Sindyanna of Galilee Sindyanna of Galilee is a women-led, fair-trade, Jewish-Arab association in Israel, which has been active since 1997, creating economic opportunities for women. Sindyanna is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO). Its staff consists of Arab and Jewish women who share a vision of peaceful coexistence and work side by side to achieve this vision. In Portland, you can find Sindyanna products at Whole Foods Market and 10,000 Villages. Sindyanna now has a Visitors Center above its warehouse, which serves as a meeting point for Jews, Arabs, and visitors from abroad. You can learn more about Sindyanna's products and gifts here. RABBI SEARCH UPDATE For the past several months, the Rabbi Search Committee has been receiving resumes for the position of rabbi starting August 1, 2017. The deadline for resumes to be received is Sept. 30, 2016. During the summer we have been reviewing the resumes already received and are determining which candidates with whom we want to have skype interviews. We will decide which candidates to invite for the interview weekends by the end of the High Holidays. It will be announced in the community email and on the website. Bios of the candidates will be placed on the website in November. There will be several opportunities during the interview weekends for you to see the candidates in action and for you to interact with them. The schedule for those weekends will be published in Hakol, the community email, and on the website in November. We are looking forward to seeing you at the different events and getting your feedback. Please remember to put on your calendar the following dates:
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact us at rabbisearch@havurahshalom.org. |
Community Email, Aug 3
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BLACK LIVES MATTER TONIGHT, NEW BABY, MUSIC, TISHA B'AV
UPCOMING SHABBAT Community Minyan This week’s Torah portions are Matot (“Tribes”) and Masei (“Journeys”). Since we’re in the second year of the triennial cycle, this Saturday we’ll read the last part of Matot and the first part of Masei: Numbers 32:1 through 33:49. In these verses, two tribes persuade Moses to let them settle on land east of the Jordan and all the Israelites’ journeys are recapped, from the Exodus to their current location in Moab. Come join a lively discussion about these passages or other parts of Matot and Masei, which include both one of the saddest stories and one of the most inspiring stories in the Torah. In the saddest, Moses orders the killing of the Midianite women and baby boys. In the inspiring story, Moses gives permission to the daughters of Zelaphehed to inherit land. Above photo of the daughters of Zelaphehed is from rastafarirenaissance.com. Shabbat in the Pool - Spaces Still Available - Join Us! We will have the Sellwood Park Pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. In order to defray the major cost of renting the pool/lifeguards, please consider making a donation of $5–$15. The photo below was taken at last year's Shabbat in the Pool.
BLACK LIVES MATTER OPEN CONVERSATION TONIGHT
Wednesday, Aug. 3 The Tikkun Olam Committee is hosting an open conversation about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and police violence on Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Havurah. This gathering, open to the Havurah community, is intended to provide a safe space to discuss issues and share feelings. Please RSVP here so we know how many people to expect. Questions? Contact Tikkun Olam Co-Chair Liz Schwartz. Read about other upcoming BLM-related events here.
MAZEL TOV TO BECKY, JARED, LENA & NEW BABY JONAH Becky Seel and Jared Goodman, and their daughter Lena, recently welcomed a new member of their family - Jonah. Welcome to our community, Jonah, and mazel tov to the entire family!
MAH JONGG Sunday, Aug. 7 Join us for a fun afternoon of Mah Jongg. Beginners and experts are welcome. Questions? Email Gloria Halper.
HIGH HOLIDAYS MUSIC SHARING Our musical High Holiday preparations will begin in earnest later this month, but we will meet this Monday, Aug. 8, to continue what we started last week — deciding what music we might wish to include this year and sharing new melodies and ideas with each other. Upcoming music sharing sessions are: Monday, Aug. 8 — 7:00 pm at Havurah Saturday, Aug. 27 — Havdalah and Music Sharing — time and place to be determined More sessions on different nights will begin later in August, and we’ll do our best to accommodate everyone’s schedule with regard to scheduling the music sharing sessions. In the meantime, come join us this Monday! - Ilene Safyan
MORNING MINYAN Wednesday, Aug. 10 Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am.
TISHA B'AV SERVICE Saturday, Aug. 13 Susan Brenner and Roger Brewer have kindly offered to lead a Tisha B'Av Service at Havurah on Saturday, Aug. 13, beginning at 8:30 pm. If you're interested in helping, please contact Susan. She's looking for Havurahniks to help with the planning!
Tisha B'Av means Ninth of Av. It is a day of mourning to commemorate the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which have occurred on the Ninth of Av. Learn more about Tisha B'Av here. If you can attend the service on Aug. 13, please bring a flashlight. The above photo is from Wikimedia.
HAKOL DEADLINE Please submit your stories, story titles, and any accompanying artwork for the next Hakol to Rachel by Monday, Aug. 15.
HOW WE CAN HELP REFUGEES Refugee Protection Act
Rachel Oh, Ken Lerner, and Chris Coughlin have continued to stay in touch with the Hassan family as their Cultural Navigator team. Between the three of them, some of the ways they have supported the family have been to go to the Social Security Administration office to help Aden unravel the delay with getting a social security number, drive Aden to an informational interview at Portland Public Schools, locate a donated computer and help Aden get it set up, revise Aden's resume, take the whole family to the zoo, and try to check in on a regular basis to see how they are doing. Overall they seem to be adjusting. But they can use our help. Learn how you can help. Above photo of the Hassan Family was taken by Chris Coughlin.
PARKING NEAR HAVURAH FOR THE MOBILITY-CHALLENGED For members experiencing mobility challenges (whether temporary or permanent) finding parking near Havurah on Saturday mornings can be a barrier to attending Shabbat services. Neighbors to the rescue! One of our neighboring businesses has offered us the use of ten spots on Saturdays, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. There are certain rules and restrictions. If you have mobility issues, and a nearby spot would make it easier for you to attend Saturday morning services, please contact the office, and we will provide more information. Other ways to travel to Havurah include these public transportation options (scroll to bottom of page) and Portland's new Biketown bicycles.
UNPICNIC IS COMING! GAMES, FRIENDS, FOOD & FUN Havurah Annual Unpicnic The Unpicnic is Coming! We will start with bagels at 10:00 am, then games, either the standing and moving kind (bean bag toss or other games) or the intellectual sort (board games, Settlers of Cataan, chess, Mah Jongg), or just catch up with old and new friends.
Organized games for children – any volunteers to help with this would be appreciated! If you'd like to lead an art project so people of all ages can create collages from leaves, sticks, grass, and other outdoor items, please contact Sarah Rosenberg. Games will be followed by a vegetarian potluck lunch at 12:30 pm. Please come and join us. And if you have any games or activities to bring, please do. The more the merrier! RSVP here. Questions? Email Sarah Rosenberg. Above photo is from Wikimedia. IN THE COMMUNITY ... Summer of Hope Concert Your ticket purchase to Beth Hamon's private house concert on Aug. 28 will raise funds to fight hunger in Oregon and Beth's new album (which is ready to be recorded!). The Portland Food Project concert is Sunday, Aug. 28, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in NE Portland. Tickets: http://bethhamonaug28.bpt.me Birthright Israel: Israel Experts – Reconstructionist Adventure Camp JRF, the Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College invite you and your friends (ages 21 to 26) to explore Israel over ten days this December. Hike, learn, sing and connect with the land, people, history and culture. Whether you’ve visited before or this will be your first time, you’ll have an incredible experience. Learn more here.
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RABBI THROUGH SEPTEMBER Based on information from all who participated in Havurah’s rabbi search survey and focus groups, Havurah Shalom has posted this job description on our website for the position of rabbi. The Rabbi Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on July 17, 2016, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016. All inquiries about the job should be directed to Rabbi Joel Alpert, Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Placement Center. His contact number is 215-576-0800 ext 304. Please do not send resumes to the committee! |
Thorns Game is Saturday, July 30!
Community Email, July 27
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THORNS GAME SATURDAY, BLACK LIVES MATTER, SHABBAT IN THE POOL
UPCOMING SHABBAT, TORAH-TALK & WEDNESDAY MINYAN Bat Mitzvah of Talia Sibilla This Saturday Talia Sibilla, daughter of Brynna and Dana Sibilla, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah. Join us in celebrating with Talia and her family, and welcome her to our community. Mazel tov, Talia! Rabbi Joey's Video Interview by L.A.'s Jewish Journal (Torah-Talk) Rabbi Joey spoke about last week's Torah portion Balak and how it connects to our chagrin with political speech during election season in this video interview by L.A.'s Jewish Journal. Morning Minyan Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am.
ROSES, THORNS & HAVURAH - THIS SATURDAY! Thorns Game is this Saturday - Tickets Still Available Reserve seats for you, your friends and your family HERE. Enjoy a fun night with your friends, watch our winning women's team, and enter your name in a raffle to win a handsome Portland Timbers scarf.
This is Havurah's only fundraiser in 2016! Interested in bringing your family or looking for financial assistance? Contact Debbi Nadell. HIGH HOLIDAYS MUSIC SHARING TONIGHT Our musical High Holiday preparations will begin in earnest later in August, but we have scheduled a couple of opportunities to come together to begin to think about some of our favorite music that we might wish to include this year, and to share some new melodies and ideas with one another. Upcoming music sharing sessions at Havurah are: Wednesday, July 27 — 7:00 to 8:30 pm, at Havurah Monday, Aug. 8 — 7:00 pm at Havurah Saturday, Aug. 27 — Havdalah and Music Sharing — time and place to be determined More sessions on different nights will begin later in August. We’ll do our best to accommodate everyone’s schedule with regard to the evenings we schedule our music sharing. In the meantime, come join us for a summer singalong tonight. - Ilene Safyan PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS NEWS RE: HAVURAH'S TIKKUN OLAM COMMITTEE'S DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT AT GOOSE HOLLOW SHELTER Goose Hollow Shelter Orientation Come see the shelter and how a basement space with basketball hoops gets transformed into private sleeping quarters for eight families every night of the year. Questions regarding this project? Contact Gloria Halper. SHABBAT IN THE POOL – RSVP BY THIS MONDAY! Saturday, Aug. 6
We will have the Sellwood Park Pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. RSVP here by this Monday, Aug. 1 with family name(s) and ages of any children so we can reserve enough lifeguards. In order to defray the major cost of renting the pool/lifeguards, please consider making a donation of $5–$15. The above photo was taken at last year's Shabbat in the Pool. BLACK LIVES MATTER Wednesday, Aug. 3 The Tikkun Olam Committee is hosting an open conversation about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and police violence on Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Havurah. This gathering, open to the Havurah community, is intended to provide a safe space to discuss issues and share feelings. Please RSVP here so we know how many people to expect. Questions? Contact Tikkun Olam Co-Chair Liz Schwartz. Read about other upcoming BLM-related events here. TISHA B'AV SERVICE Saturday, Aug. 13 Susan Brenner and Roger Brewer have kindly offered to lead a Tisha B'Av Service at Havurah on Saturday, Aug. 13, beginning at 8:30 pm. If you're interested in helping, please contact Susan. She's looking for Havurahniks to help with the planning! Tisha B'Av means Ninth of Av. It is a day of mourning to commemorate the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which have occurred on the Ninth of Av. Learn more about Tisha B'Av here. If you can attend the service on Aug. 13, please bring a flashlight. HASSAN FAMILY UPDATE & HOW YOU CAN HELP Refugee Protection Act
Rachel Oh, Ken Lerner, and Chris Coughlin have continued to stay in touch with the Hassan family as their Cultural Navigator team. Between the three of them, some of the ways they have supported the family have been to go to the Social Security Administration office to help Aden unravel the delay with getting a social security number, drive Aden to an informational interview at Portland Public Schools, locate a donated computer and help Aden get it set up, revise Aden's resume, take the whole family to the zoo, and try to check in on a regular basis to see how they are doing. Overall they seem to be adjusting. But they can use our help. Read more here. Above photo of the Hassan Family was taken by Chris Coughlin. PARKING NEAR HAVURAH FOR THE MOBILITY-CHALLENGED For members experiencing mobility challenges (whether temporary or permanent) finding parking near Havurah on Saturday mornings can be a barrier to attending Shabbat services. Neighbors to the rescue! One of our neighboring businesses has offered us the use of ten spots on Saturdays, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. There are certain rules and restrictions. If you have mobility issues, and a nearby spot would make it easier for you to attend Saturday morning services, please contact the office, and we will provide more information. Other ways to travel to Havurah include these public transportation options (scroll to bottom of page) and Portland's new Biketown bicycles. GREAT FOOD, GREAT GAMES & FUN WITH FRIENDS Havurah Unpicnic Mark your calendars – Congregational Unpicnic at Havurah! We are starting with bagels at 10:00 am, then games, either the standing and moving kind (bean bag toss or other games) or the intellectual sort (board games, Settlers of Cataan, chess, Mah Jongg), or just catching up with old and new friends.
Organized games for children – any volunteers to help with this would be appreciated! If you'd like to lead an art project so people of all ages can create collages from leaves, sticks, grass, and other outdoor items, please contact Sarah Rosenberg. Games will be followed by a vegetarian potluck lunch at 12:30 pm. Please come and join us. And if you have any games or activities to bring, please do. The more the merrier! RSVP here. Questions? Email Sarah Rosenberg. Above photo is from Wikimedia. IN THE COMMUNITY ... Summer of Hope Concerts On July 31 and August 28, you will have two opportunities to spend Sunday afternoons listening to some inspirational music AND support two important agencies in our community. Beth Hamon will perform in concerts featuring her original music, and a portion of the proceeds from each concert will support the Oregon Food Bank and the Portland Food Projects. If your summer plans have you in Portland on either of these dates, I encourage you to please add these events to your calendar and to reserve your tickets now! - Ilene Safyan Award-winning songwriter and Havurah member Beth Hamon leads at many of Havurah's services. Your ticket purchase to one of two private house concerts will raise funds to fight hunger in Oregon and Beth's new album (which is ready to be recorded!). The Oregon Food Bank concert is Sunday, July 31, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in SW Portland. Tickets: http://bethhamonjuly31.bpt.me The Portland Food Project concert is Sunday, Aug. 28, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in NE Portland. Tickets: http://bethhamonaug28.bpt.me Birthright Israel: Israel Experts – Reconstructionist Adventure Camp JRF, the Jewish Reconstructionist Communities, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College invite you and your friends (ages 21 to 26) to explore Israel over ten days this December. Hike, learn, sing and connect with the land, people, history and culture. Whether you’ve visited before or this will be your first time, you’ll have an incredible experience. Learn more here. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RABBI THROUGH SEPTEMBER Based on information from all who participated in Havurah’s rabbi search survey and focus groups, Havurah Shalom has posted this job description on our website for the position of rabbi. The Rabbi Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on July 17, 2016, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016. All inquiries about the job should be directed to Rabbi Joel Alpert, Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Placement Center. His contact number is 215-576-0800 ext 304. Please do not send resumes to the committee! |
Open Conversation About BLM
Open Conversation About the Black Lives Matter Movement
Wednesday, Aug. 3
6:30 – 8:30 pm
Havurah Shalom
The Tikkun Olam Committee is hosting an open conversation about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and police violence on Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Havurah. This gathering, open to the Havurah community, is intended to provide a safe space to discuss issues and share feelings. Please RSVP here so we know how many people to expect. Questions? Contact Tikkun Olam Co-Chair Liz Schwartz.
Other BLM-related events:
For all those interested in hearing perspectives of African Americans on police brutality and racial profiling, don't miss Hands Up: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments, which has added two more FREE Portland shows to their traveling tour.
This show is powerful, searing and absolutely worth experiencing, and will give you plenty to think about. It also makes an excellent prelude to our Tikkun Olam gathering/discussion on Black Lives Matter on Aug. 3.
NOTE: the shows are free, but you MUST RSVP to get on the guest list, as seats are limited. Reserve your seats today!
Unveiling the Truth: Institutional Racism in Oregon
Vigil at the Oregon State Penitentiary
Friday, July 29
6:00 pm
2605 State Street, Salem
This Friday, July 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, there will be a vigil held in front of the Oregon State Penitentiary to raise awareness about the institutional racism in our state, which results in the disproportionate incarceration of black and brown people.
1,827 Latino inmates and 1,366 Black inmates are incarcerated at Oregon Correctional Institutions. We demand an end to Mass Incarceration, Deportations and Extrajudicial Killings by police and vigilantes in the United States.
Organized by Don’t Shoot Portland, Voz Hispana Cambio Comunitario and Black Lives Matter. For more information please contact: dontshootportland@gmail.com or vozhispana.woregon@gmail.com
How We Can Help Our Refugee Friends
Refugee Protection Act
HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and other groups recently sent out action alerts asking people to contact their elected officials in Congress and ask them to cosponsor the Refugee Protection Act (S.3241/H.R.5851).
I am sure that many of us feel that our elected officials are good on the issues we care about, so question whether it makes any difference if we respond to action alerts like these. But even though I am pretty confident they would vote for the legislation, they won’t necessarily cosponsor legislation or make it a priority, without hearing from constituents. This is an easy way for you to let your Representative and our Senators know that refugee resettlement is a priority issue for you.
I just checked the bill websites, and Rep. Blumenauer is the only member of the Oregon delegation listed as a cosponsor. So, it is time to take action. This HIAS link makes it very easy to send a note. If you live in Rep. Blumenauer’s district, please add a thank you to your message! You can find out who your Representative is here - http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/.
Hassan Family Update and Requests
Rachel Oh, Ken Lerner, and I have continued to stay in touch with the Hassan family as their Cultural Navigator team. Between the three of us, some of the ways we have supported the family have been to go to the Social Security Administration office to help Aden unravel the delay with getting a social security number, drive Aden to an informational interview at Portland Public Schools, locate a donated computer and help Aden get it set up, revise Aden's resume, take the whole family to the zoo, and try to check in on a regular basis to see how they are doing. Overall they seem to be adjusting.
We are trying to be as responsive to their needs as possible, and Aden has told us two ways we can help him, and we could use some help to meet his requests:
- Help him learn how to drive. He has his driver’s permit, and his brother has an extra car that he will let him use, but he needs someone to go driving with him.Do you have time to go driving with him? His English is very good, and he is smart and personable. He has been watching videos about driving, but like anyone learning to drive, needs a lot of practice to feel comfortable.
- He has a MAC, and is using it for basic email, etc. However, he knows he doesn’t know how to take advantage of all the features.Would you have time for some computer tutoring on a MAC?
The final ask did not come directly from him, but all of our conversations with him focus on his desire to get a job as quickly as possible. In Kenya he was a teacher, but it would be a very long road for him to get his teaching license here. We are helping him figure out what the steps for that would be, but in the meantime he needs a job. He has been applying for warehouse jobs, but if you own a business, or know someone who does, and might have a job Aden could apply for, PLEASE let us know!
Please let me, Rachel or Ken know if you can help with any of the request for the Hassan family.
The above photo of the Hassans was taken by Chris Coughlin.
Rabbi Joey Interview Video, Jewish Journal
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Rabbi Joey on the Torah portion Balak and how it connects to our chagrin with political speech during election season. Video interview in L.A.'s Jewish Journal. More on the L.A.'s Jewish Journal website.
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Community Email, July 20
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ROSES & THORNS, SHABBAT IN THE POOL, BLACK LIVES MATTER, BDS
UPCOMING SHABBAT, WEDNESDAY MINYAN, LAST SHABBAT Community Minyan Join us this Saturday as Beth Hamon, Susan Brenner, Maria Lisa Johnson, Chris Coughlin and Debbi Nadell lead and drash. In this week's Torah portion, King Balak of Moab hires Balaam to curse the Jewish people. But instead of cursing them, Balaam blesses them – three times. This occurs after Balaam, on his journey to Balak, cursed his donkey three times for stopping when the donkey saw an angel that Balaam couldn’t see.
Above photo is from Wikimedia. Wednesday Morning Minyan Our weekly Wednesday Morning Minyan is for people who want to incorporate a regular prayer practice in their lives and for people saying Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am. Last Saturday's Community Minyan About 40 people, including Reconstructionist Rabbinical College President Deborah Waxman, joined our Community Minyan last Saturday, as Havurah member (and Deborah Waxman's brother) Andy Waxman and Havurahnik Heidi Bader were called to the Torah for a blessing for their marriage on Sunday. Mazel tov, Heidi and Andy! LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH ON BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Against Israel) Mitchell Plitnick His writing has appeared in Ha’aretz, the New Republic, the Jordan Times, Middle East Report, the San Francisco Chronicle, +972 Magazine, Outlook, and other outlets. He was a columnist for Tikkun Magazine, Zeek Magazine and Souciant. He has spoken across the country on Middle East politics, and regularly offers commentary through a wide range of radio and television outlets including PBS News Hour, the O’Reilly Factor and CNBC Asia. Sponsored by J-Street & Havurah Shalom DRASH WRITING WITH RABBI JOEY Tuesday, July 26 If you ever found someone else’s comments springing from Torah on contemporary issues compelling – but were too unsure to give a drash (d’var Torah) yourself – this will lay out the steps you can take to spark your community’s reflection on a Shabbat morning or at a meeting or whenever you’d like others to wrap their heads around an important issue. For beginners & others! Male-identifying individuals are especially encouraged to attend. Please prepare for the workshop by reading Numbers 22:1–25:2 in advance. RSVP here. ROSES, THORNS & HAVURAHNIKS Saturday, July 30
Adults - $54 Reserve your seats (and seats for friends and family) HERE. In addition to enjoying a fun evening with your friends, your name will be entered in a raffle to win a handsome Portland Timbers scarf. This is Havurah's only fundraiser in 2016! It's a chance to have fun with friends, watch and cheer your winning team, and support your favorite Jewish community - all at the same time! To inquire about reduced-price tickets, please contact Debbi Nadell. SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE Wednesday, Aug. 3 Eleyna Fugman will facilitate a congregational discussion to process recent events related to racial injustice. Eleyna Fugman is a Havurah member and political activist working with SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) PDX, part of a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. The time (6:30 to 8:30) is tentative, so please check the calendar at havurahshalom.org for updates. SHABBAT IN THE POOL Saturday, Aug. 6
We will have the Sellwood Park Pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. RSVP here by Monday, Aug. 1 with family name(s) and ages of any children so we can reserve enough lifeguards. In order to defray the major cost of renting the pool/lifeguards, please consider making a donation of $5–$15. The above photo was taken at last year's Shabbat in the Pool.
Above photo is from Wikimedia. BAGELS, BOARD GAMES, KIDS GAMES, ADULT GAMES & JUST PLAIN FUN GAMES Sunday, Aug. 21 Join fellow Havurahniks on Sunday, Aug. 21, for bagels, board games, kids games, adult games, strategy games, luck games, and just plain fun games from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. All ages welcome! After bagels, lox and a morning of games, we'll enjoy a potluck vegetarian lunch. Please tell us when you RSVP if you can bring a vegetarian item for the potluck lunch. RSVP here. If you'd like to lead an earth-friendly art project so people of all ages can create collages from leaves, sticks, grass, and other outdoor items, please email Sarah Rosenberg. HAVURAHNIK IMPACTS JCPA ON WAGE THEFT Many at Havurah appreciate the work Nancy Becker does on our behalf as Havurah’s representative to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. Havurah member Hank Kaplan is also an “at large” member of the council. A few years ago, at the urging of Havurah member Bob Brown, the JCRC joined the Oregon Coalition Against Wage Theft, which is comprised of other faith-based organizations and labor unions. As a labor lawyer, Hank took action himself, both in Oregon and nationally through the JCRC’s national umbrella agency, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). Read the full story here. PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS GOOSE HOLLOW SHELTER TIKKUN OLAM DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT NEWS Three out of five families with low incomes can't find a home they can afford in Multnomah County because we lack 36,000 affordable housing units. Join other Havurahniks at Goose Hollow to let these families know we care about their situation. Children of any age are allowed to come volunteer with a parent or guardian. Goose Hollow volunteer orientation: July 27, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, at Goose Hollow, 1838 SW Jefferson. Park behind the church, in their lot. No orientation is needed to help with the dinner meal. For more information about the meal planning, please contact Len Shapiro. For general PHFS info, contact Gloria Halper. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO HAVURAH Did you know that you can take public transportation to Havurah Shalom, and you won't have to work hard to find a parking space? Here are some tips for taking public transportation to Havurah: These streetcar stops are near Havurah Shalom:
These bus stops are near Havurah:
These links provide helpful information about timing: IN THE COMMUNITY ... Summer of Hope Concerts Sunday, Aug. 28 Have you heard? It's the Summer of Hope... This summer, Portland's beloved Jewish singer-songwriter and Havurah member, Beth Hamon, is fighting hunger in our community. Your ticket purchase to one of two private house concerts will raise funds for the Oregon Food Bank, the Portland Food Project, and Beth's new album (which is ready to be recorded!) The Oregon Food Bank concert is Sunday, July 31, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in SW Portland. Tickets: http://bethhamonjuly31.bpt.me The Portland Food Project concert is Sunday, Aug. 28, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in NE Portland. Tickets: http://bethhamonaug28.bpt.me Immerse yourself in Beth's original songs of hope, love, justice and peace while helping to make a difference in our community. July Reconstructionism Today You can read the July issue of Reconstructionism Today here. The Bridge, an International Exhibition of Interfaith Works Trinity Episcopal Cathedral will host a ground-breaking exhibition this summer of 47 premier Arab, Persian and Jewish contemporary artists from 15 countries of Muslim, Christian and Jewish traditions, exploring the theme of what "bridges" us to each other and what we have in common. Conversation Cafes: Compassionate Listening Delegation to Israel & Palestine Head Start Programs Accepting Applications Neighborhood House's Head Start Program is accepting applications for several westside locations. Help your children prepare for success in school with free services for low-income families with children ages 0-5. Call 503-246-1663 ext 7307 or email lavakyan@nhweb.org. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RABBI THROUGH SEPTEMBER Based on information from all who participated in Havurah’s rabbi search survey and focus groups, Havurah Shalom has posted this job description on our website for the position of rabbi. The Rabbi Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on July 17, 2016, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016. All inquiries about the job should be directed to Rabbi Joel Alpert, Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Placement Center. His contact number is 215-576-0800 ext 304. Please do not send resumes to the committee! |
Havurah Member Impacts JCPA
Many at Havurah appreciate the work Nancy Becker does on our behalf as Havurah’s representative to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. Havurah member Hank Kaplan is also an “at large” member of the council.
A few years ago, at the urging of Havurah member Bob Brown, the JCRC joined the Oregon Coalition Against Wage Theft, which is comprised of other faith-based organizations and labor unions. As a labor lawyer, Hank took action himself, both in Oregon and nationally through the JCRC’s national umbrella agency, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA).
For the past two legislative sessions, as part of the JCRC's partnership with the Oregon Wage Theft Coalition, Hank has advocated for the passage of wage theft legislation in Salem. He has spoken to many State senators and representatives and given testimony before House and Senate committees. Despite significant resistance from the business lobbies, headway has been made.
In addition, realizing that the JCPA had no advocacy position on wage theft, Hank drafted a resolution, lined up other chapters and organizations that are part of the JCPA to co-sponsor it, worked through some revisions with them, then presented the resolution at the national conference of the JCPA this year in Cleveland. It passed overwhelmingly.
The resolution explains that wage theft not only violates Jewish law, but should be considered a form of property crime. And crime can be deterred by increasing the likelihood of getting caught and raising the cost to the employers who violate the law. That requires more funding for enforcement agencies so the agencies can do the following: impose penalty wages, not just reimbursement of what is owed; require employers to issue detailed pay stubs, making it less difficult to prove retaliation claims; tighten the legal standards for independent contractors; shift attorney fees to employers found to have violated the law; and create an effective lien mechanism for collecting on judgments. These and other remedies are part of the attached resolution.
Mazel tov to Hank Kaplan for advocating for wage theft legislation in Salem and for ensuring that the JCPA will advocate for wage theft legislation on a national level.
Community Email, July 13
 Wedding Blessings, Drash Workshop, Thorns Game, BDS, Shabbat in the Pool
UPCOMING SHABBAT Community Minyan So much is happening this Saturday at our Community Minyan! Rabbi Joey, Sam Sirkin, Andy Waxman, Marty Brown, Susan Brenner, and Maria Lisa Johnson will lead and read Torah. And Heidi Bader and Andy Waxman will be called to the Torah for an aliyah and blessing for their wedding. Several significant events occur in parsha Chukat, which we will read and discuss this Saturday. One is the sad moment when Moses strikes the rock to make water, and by not fully trusting God to make water flow without anger and drama, seals his and Aaron’s fate – they won’t enter the Promised Land. Above photo of painting is from Wikimedia. WEDNESDAY MORNING MINYAN Wednesday, July 20 Since it's summer, we need Havurah members more than ever at our Wednesday Morning Minyans, so people can say Kaddish for their loved ones. Please join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:30 am! LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH ON BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions Against Israel) Mitchell Plitnick His writing has appeared in Ha’aretz, the New Republic, the Jordan Times, Middle East Report, the San Francisco Chronicle, +972 Magazine, Outlook, and other outlets. He was a columnist for Tikkun Magazine, Zeek Magazine and Souciant. He has spoken across the country on Middle East politics, and regularly offers commentary through a wide range of radio and television outlets including PBS News Hour, the O’Reilly Factor and CNBC Asia. DRASH WRITING WITH RABBI JOEY Tuesday, July 26 If you ever found someone else’s comments springing from Torah on contemporary issues compelling – but were too unsure to give a drash (d’var Torah) yourself – this will lay out the steps you can take to spark your community’s reflection on a Shabbat morning or at a meeting or whenever you’d like others to wrap their heads around an important issue. For beginners & others! Male-identifying individuals are especially encouraged to attend. Please RSVP here if you plan to come. PORTLAND THORNS ARE FIRED UP! WATCH THEM WIN ON JULY 30! Saturday, July 30 Adults - $54 Reserve your seats (and seats for friends and family) HERE. The Portland Thorns are Fired Up! They've won 12 of the 13 games they’ve played this season, and they’re at the top of the National Women's Soccer League. On July 30, the Thorns will play Seattle Reign to a sold-out crowd. Fortunately, forward-thinking Havurah leaders reserved tickets for us in advance, so Havurah members can still watch the Thorns on their way to winning the championship! And if you join us on July 30, your name will be entered in a raffle to win a handsome Portland Timbers scarf. This is Havurah's only fundraiser this year. It's a chance to have fun with friends, watch and cheer your winning team, and support your favorite Jewish community - all at the same time! To ask about possible reduced-price tickets, please contact Debbi Nadell.
The above photo is of Thorns forward Nadia Nadim after making the winning goal of last Saturday’s game at Providence Park. (Thorns website.) Nadia grew up in Afghanistan, lost her father to the Taliban, and escaped with her family to Denmark, where she started her soccer career. Now she’s a shining star of the Portland Thorns! PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS GOOSE HOLLOW SHELTER TIKKUN OLAM DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT NEWS This July marks our one year anniversary for our Havurah-Adopt-A-Night direct service Tikkun Olam project at the Goose Hollow homeless family shelter in SW Portland. All of the volunteer positions are filled by Havurahniks one evening each month. We can only continue this service to these families with your help. If you are interested in helping provide the dinner meal, (which does not require attending an orientation), please contact Len or Elayne Shapiro at lenshap@gmail.com or elayneshapiro@gmail.com. For general Goose Hollow information: Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com Next Goose Hollow orientations: July 27, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, and August 24, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, at the shelter: 1838 SW Jefferson, parking is available behind the church.
SHABBAT IN THE POOL Saturday, Aug. 6 We will have the Sellwood Park Pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. RSVP below by Monday, Aug. 1 with family name(s) and ages of any children so we can reserve enough lifeguards. Even if you already told your Shabbat School group you are coming, please RSVP here. In order to defray the major cost of renting the pool/lifeguards, please consider making a donation of $5–$15. The above photo was taken at last year's Shabbat in the Pool. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO HAVURAH Did you know that you can take public transportation to Havurah Shalom, and you won't have to work hard to find a parking space? Here are some tips for taking public transportation to Havurah: These streetcar stops are near Havurah Shalom:
These bus stops are near Havurah:
These links provide helpful information about timing: 36TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON JEWISH GENEALOGY August 7-12
HAVURAH UNPICNIC Sunday, Aug. 21 We are starting with bagels at 10:00 am, then games, either the standing and moving kind (bean bag toss, or other games in the courtyard) or the intellectual sort (board games, Settlers of Cataan, chess, Mah Jongg) or just catching up with old and new friends. Followed by a potluck vegetarian lunch at 12:30 pm. Please come and join us! RSVP here. The photo above was taken at last year's "UnPicnic" game day. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RABBI THROUGH SEPTEMBER Based on information from all who participated in Havurah’s rabbi search survey and focus groups, Havurah Shalom has posted this job description on our website for the position of rabbi. The Rabbi Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on July 17, 2016, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016. All inquiries about the job should be directed to Rabbi Joel Alpert, Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Placement Center. His contact number is 215-576-0800 ext 304. Please do not send resumes to the committee! |
