Being Each Other's Anchors "It is good to name the mensches."
Last week I was sitting, by video, with one of our wise elders. I shared with her that I had recently connected with a mutual friend of ours. Upon hearing this, she repeated the person’s name and smiled broadly. Pausing for a moment, she then offered, “It is good to name the mensches.” I agreed, smiling back at that response. She wasn’t done, though. “They’re like prayer beads,” she mused, “like jewels, each time we say their names.”
I have been carrying this beautiful image with me since then. What a suggestion: that we each can be “prayer beads” for one another. Like the grounding gesture of sliding each bead down a row, each mention of someone dear to us, or someone we respect and admire, can help reorient us toward who we are and what we know deep in our hearts. And I will share that in difficult moments during this destabilizing time, I have found that the image of a dear friend or someone who inspires me can serve as an anchor, drawing me back to connection and resilience.
You might try this as a practice. Even if you do not have many people with whom you regularly connect, call to mind someone toward whom your heart opens or whose example lifts your spirit. It is quite understandable that in this time of isolation we will feel disconnected, and in those moments experience fear or despair or other heavy burdens. So maybe when that happens, say the name of one of your mensches. Invoke their presence — their kindness, their integrity, or their courage.
In the passages following the Shema, we say le-ma’an tizkeru — we have these rituals and utter these words “so that [we] remember” that we are connected, that none of us is alone. So let us be reminders for each other. In moments of aloneness or darkness, may our names be jewels, grounding us and easing our burden.
Wishing us all a Shabbat of peace and wholeness,
Rabbi Benjamin
Join a Virtual Seder!
Thanks to Havurah families who are inviting community members to virtually join their Seder! We have a variety of gatherings planned for adults and families with children of all ages. Check below for the options and follow the links to RSVP. Limited space will be available for these gatherings.
Wednesday, April 8 – First-Night Seder Options
Family-friendly Seder hosted by Alicia Jo Rabins, 4:30 – 5:15
Appropriate for all families with kids ages 0-10. Join Alicia Jo to welcome Passover. Information about what you could have on hand to share with your family will be included with your confirmation. We will go through the rituals with matza, charoset, singing and storytelling – plan for your family meal after the Seder. RSVP here.
Seder hosted by Ken Lerner and Katherine McDowell, 5:30 – 9:00
Appropriate for adults and families with kids 10 and older. Ken and Katherine’s Seder will combine some of the usual Haggadah with readings, games, singing and a break for dinner. RSVP here.
Seder hosted by Oren Kosansky and Julie Hastings, 6:00 – 9:00
Appropriate for adults and families with teenagers and young adults. Join Oren and Julie for a "pot-luck" Seder where everyone will be invited to share a song, tradition, teaching, or reflection that is meaningful to them. Dinner break included. RSVP here.
Seder hosted by Debbi Nadell and Steve Birkel, 6:00 – 9:00
Appropriate for adults and families with high schoolers. Seder will include traditional and modern Haggadah readings, music, and a break for dinner. RSVP here.
Thursday, April 9 – Second-Night Seder
Second Night Seder hosted by Sam, Jesse and Zoe Sirkin, 7:00 – 9:30
Appropriate for adults and families with kids 10 and older. Join Sam, Jesse and Zoe to travel through the Reconstructionist Haggadah for the second night of Passover. Come ready to sing and share a favorite tune if you’d like. RSVP here.
Sunday, April 12 – Happy Hour Seder
Seder hosted by David Feder, 4:00 – 5:15
Appropriate for adults and families with high-schoolers. A cocktail-hour read-through of David's innovative Storyteller’s Haggadah, including a short meal break for hors d’oeuvres and snacks. RSVP here.
Sunday, April 12 – ‘Seder’, Songs and Sharing
‘Seder’ hosted by Sacha Reich and Aaron Pearlman, 7:30 – 9:00
Appropriate for adults and families with high schoolers. Join Sacha and Aaron for a "Seder" composed of Songs & Sharing from the group. Have your wine & dessert (this is an after dinner gathering) ready, and each family or person should bring a reading, song or joke to share related to redemption. We will kick things off with "Redemption Song" and then go around the zoom room. RSVP here.
Monday, April 13th – Participatory Seder
Sixth night Seder hosted by Laine and Joel Schipper, 5:00 – 7:00
Appropriate for adults and families with kids B’nai Mitzvah age and older. Laine and Joel will use a Haggadah that is gender inclusive, socially aware, spiritually alive and grounded in tradition connected to history and ritual. We offer thoughtful questions based in the Haggadah so that participants can reflect and share ‘In this Generation and this time of pandemic as we come out of Egypt.’ Dinner on your own after the Seder. RSVP here.
More Passover Resources from Reconstructing Judaism
Virtual Passover Box - Here you will find several additions and suggestions for each step of the traditional Passover seder.
A Night of Questions Haggadah - The digital version of the Reconstructing Judaism haggadah is available for your family to use.
Although we are not publishing these links broadly, please feel free to invite your family and friends to any of our events below.
Shabbat Evening Home Rituals with Alicia Jo Rabins, Tonight, 5:30 pm – Room Bet Join Alicia Jo Rabins and her family for Shabbat blessings and singing. All ages welcome – geared for children ages 0-12 and their parents.
Contemplative Kabbalat Shabbat, Tonight at 7:30 pm – Room Aleph Rabbi Benjamin will facilitate our entering Shabbat through prayer and meditation, interspersed with teachings to support and guide us during this time.
Bar Mitzvah of Saul Drucker, Saturday, 10 am – Room Aleph Please join us in welcoming Saul Drucker as a bar mitzvah and member of our community!
Havdallah: Shabbat School, Saturday (see below for times) – Room Dalet 5 pm - All ages welcome. Havdallah with singing and stories.
Passover Song Singalong, Sunday, 4 pm – Room Aleph Passover is coming! The first seder is April 8. This year may be more difficult than any other year to have a seder since it is unlikely that we can attend a seder at someone else’s house. So why not plan your own and make it fun? Sing silly songs as well as some of the old favorites. Play games. Be creative. Havurah Shalom will offer a sing-along session for anyone interested in learning some seder songs. Led by Ken Lerner and Ben Walters. Copies of the songs can be downloaded here. You can also RSVP here.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation, Tuesday, 12 pm – Room Bet We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Now twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
Morning Minyan, Wednesday, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.
The Havurah Office will be closed Thursday and Friday, April 9 and 10, for Passover. The following week, we will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, April 15 and 16, also for Passover.
This Monday, Rachel will be out of the office.
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Jewish Community Resources for those Seeking Support or Wanting to Give
Portland Homeless Family Solutions is seeking food donations for their shelter and for food boxes to be delivered to clients. More information here. In addition, to help with our monthly food commitment, coordinated by Len and Elayne Shapiro, sign up here.
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Updates Inside Havurah Making changes now that COVID-19 has affected our events
Introducing Neighborhood Groups Our community has grown tremendously in the last few years. We are grateful for the riches that accompany growth. One of those riches is the opportunity to build strong connections among our diverse membership. To further that opportunity, we have grouped members into 26 neighborhoods. with the goal of creating social, emotional, and spiritual connections among neighbors. Soon, you will receive a welcome from a Neighborhood Captain. Once each group is established, there will be opportunities to get together (virtually for now), check in with each other, and ask for assistance, if you need it. We are still building this network and are looking for Neighborhood Captains. Contact Stacy Hankin if you are interested.
Can You Help Others with Technology? Because of the major shift in Havurah activities, a lot of members are still wanting to participate in our programs, but have little to no experience with Zoom or our website. Please contact Brad, our Communications & Membership Coordinator, at brad@havurahshalom.org to be added to this new group devoted to helping members with technology!
Beware of Phishing Scams via Email For some time now, people have been receiving phising emails where scammers obtain free Gmail accounts and impersonate Rabbi Benjamin. Another one of these scams is going around. Please never purchase gift cards for anyone who emails you. If you are not sure whether Rabbi Benjamin is actually emailing you, forward the message to info@havurahshalom.org for verification. If you are certain you have received spam, no need to alert the office.
Book Group Needs Recommendations
Book suggestions are still being accepted until April 15. We encourage people to submit more suggestions until then. After that, we will be compiling and sending the list out for voting in May. Please contact Marjorie Walters via the Havurah member directory on our website if you would like to recommend a book.
Bereavement Group Postponement
At the request of David Molko of JFCS and in light of the current health situation, we are postponing offering the next Bereavement Support Group until the fall. We hope to reconnect with folks then about this. We are also organizing our Bikkur Holim team to make phone calls to those who might feel alone or isolated. We will be reaching out to many of our members, since we all could use the connection, but if you would especially appreciate a call or the chance to spend time digitally visiting with someone, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at 503-248-4662 or benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org.
Our Weekly Email
If you have something you think should be included in Hineinu, please submit to the weekly email form here.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Aug 9th 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, 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.
(ZM) Teen Engagement Committee Meeting Monday, Aug 11th 7:00p to 8:30p Monthly meeting for the Teen Engagement Committee leadership. Havurah teens and their parents are welcome.
(ZM) Healing the Heart, Soothing the Soul: A Grief Process Support Group Tuesday, Aug 12th 5:30p to 7:00p During the month of Elul, we are guided to examine our souls, explore our relationships, reflect on our actions with God and others, and prepare ourselves spiritually to begin a new year. With the Spirit of Elul, we will journey into exploring the aspects of grief. For Havurah members only. Limited to 8 people. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions.
(HYB) Steering Meeting Tuesday, Aug 12th 6:30p to 8:30p Steering members and staff will meet to consider matters of governance. All Havurah Shalom members are invited to attend Steering Committee meetings.
A link to a draft agenda, accessible only to logged-in members, will be posted here in advance of the meeting.
[B'nei Mitzvah Run Through] Wednesday, Aug 13th 4:00p to 6:00p (This is a closed event and is included in our calendar for space reservation reasons and attendee reference.)
[B'nei Mitzvah Run Through] Friday, Aug 15th 12:00p to 2:00p (This is a closed event and is included in our calendar for space reservation reasons and attendee reference.)
Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Natasha Raish Shabbat, Aug 16th 10:00a to 12:00p Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Natasha Raish as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.
(ZM) Climate Change Book Group Slow Reading of "Not Too Late" Monday, Aug 18th 5:30p to 6:30p All are welcome! Havurah members and non-members alike are invited to join us in this slow, section-by-section reading of "Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility." Click and RSVP. Attend any or all of these HCAT (Havurah's Climate Action Team) Book Group discussions about "Not Too Late."
(ZM) Healing the Heart, Soothing the Soul: A Grief Process Support Group Tuesday, Aug 19th 5:30p to 7:00p During the month of Elul, we are guided to examine our souls, explore our relationships, reflect on our actions with God and others, and prepare ourselves spiritually to begin a new year. With the Spirit of Elul, we will journey into exploring the aspects of grief. For Havurah members only. Limited to 8 people. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions.
