I am wishing you each blessings of shalom amidst these shifting times. I am struck by the level of uncertainty that pervades this moment. None of us knows how this situation will unfold, which of course, can feel quite unsettling. This sense of uncertainty is something we deeply share right now.
I have been drawn once again by the moment when the Divine calls out to Moshe from the Burning Bush. I spoke about it this past Yom Kippur, and it felt appropriate to share some of that again here:
Hineini (Here I am), Moses answers. And God tells him to return to Pharaoh and demand that he let the people go… Understandably, Moses asks for God’s name…
God’s answer: “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh — I Will Be What I Will Be.”
The closest I can get [to my name] is, Becoming. That is my name. My essence — which is to say, the nature of Reality — is in flux. I cannot tell you exactly what you are getting into here. I cannot give you a picture of precisely what will happen.
To say Hineini often means stepping out into the unknown…
But then God adds: Eyheh imakh — I will be with you. And, I will send your brother Aaron to meet you. To say Hineini is to place ourselves in relationship. When we truly say it, we remind ourselves that we are not alone.
This past Shabbat, I was so moved by the sense of connection we co-created. I have heard from several of you who felt similarly. It felt like a powerful reminder of how life-giving it is when we genuinely reach across whatever divides exist and find one another. While we do not know what will happen, we know that collectively we can continue to do this, and that it will continue to sustain us and bring meaning and healing into our lives. This we know.
In response to those feelings of uncertainty, I have been turning (as best I can!) to kindness. I have been moving toward whatever small way I can let someone know I am with them and thinking about how I can alleviate someone’s burden. I have been touched by the various ways in which I have witnessed others (including many of you) do the same. In this great unknowing, we can help each other remember that while we do not know where this road will lead, we know that we can travel it together.
Many of you have asked about the kindness we can extend toward those in our community who are in need right now. Thank you. Please contact me at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org if you are able to help.
Lastly, one of the greatest acts of kindness and care we can exhibit right now is helping to slow the spread of this virus. I imagine that many of you have seen this article by now. The author, a physician and public health leader, is a good friend of my brother’s and someone whose perspective I greatly respect. I know that his recommendations may feel austere to some of you, but I urge us all to take them seriously and follow them as best we can. One of the most powerful and effective means we have to ease the discomfort of uncertainty is to be able to act. And right now we can. What we do over these days and weeks can actually save lives. So please, for the benefit of all who are vulnerable, for everyone we know and everyone we do not know, let us each play our part by being physically distant and finding other ways to be in relationship.
To those of you for whom these steps present particular difficulty, please be in touch with me or another staff member and let’s see how our Havurah network can provide you support.
L'shalom, Rabbi Benjamin
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Upcoming Virtual Events Dates, Times, and Zoom Rooms Listed Below
Morning Minyan, Wednesday, 8:30 am – Room Aleph Deborah’s Returning to Israel Talk, Wednesday, 5:45 pm –Room Aleph Shabbat Evening Home Rituals with Alicia Jo Rabins, Friday, 5:30 pm –Room Bet HIAS Refugee Shabbat, Saturday, 10 am –Room Aleph
If you're a member, login here to access these virtual rooms.
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Other Resources You May Like From Meditations to Reconstructing Judaism Articles
(ZM) Palestinian Justice Letter Writing Group Monday, Jun 30th 6:00p to 7:30p We hold monthly letter writing group Zoom gatherings to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Questions? Email Dale Oller (member log-in required to access directory). Feel free to drop in any time! There’s no need to RSVP, but please do RSVP if you need the Zoom login. Non-Havurah-members very welcome as well.
(IP) Pride Kabbalat Shabbat in the Park Friday, Jul 11th 6:30p to 8:30p Celebrate queer and Jewish joy and resistance with a special Kabbalat Shabbat service at Columbia Park! We’ll enjoy a potluck dinner together afterward. Beverages will be provided. BYOB. All are welcome.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Jul 12th 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin (who is on sabbatical until July 1, 2025), this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. Join us afterward for a light community brunch provided by the Lunches and Noshes Committee! Free childcare is provided. For Zoom information, please email info@havurahshalom.org.
(HYB) Steering Meeting on July 15 Tuesday, Jul 15th 6:30p to 8:30p **Our Steering Meeting this month will be held on Tuesday, July 15 instead of on the usual day (second Tuesdays).** Steering members and staff will meet to consider matters of governance. All Havurah Shalom members are invited to attend Steering Committee meetings. For Zoom join links, visit havurahshalom.org/zoom (must be logged in) or call the office in advance for assistance (503-248-4662).
Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Sylvia Hartman Shabbat, Jul 19th 10:00a to 12:00p Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Sylvia Hartman as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.
