Hineinu

Dear Hevre,
 

I voted yesterday. I imagine that many of you have already as well. If you haven’t yet, hopefully you have a plan for when you will. And I know that many of us have been working to get out the vote and to help insure fair and safe elections throughout the country. These final two weeks before election day are a period of great anticipation, and also one fraught with anxiety and concern. In this light, we wanted to share some resources to help us navigate this moment.

For one, there are organizations and teachers out there sharing vital spiritual wisdom for this precarious time. Here are a few opportunities to explore within the Jewish community, which can help us stay connected and cultivate resilience:

Spiritual Resources for the Election Season from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Ritual Well’s 30 Days of Harvesting Resilience
 
Ritual Well workshop on Spiritual Tools for Challenging Times
 
Resources though the IOWA Project
 
One of the most effective ways to manage anxiety is to find ways to act, especially in collaboration with others. Thankfully, there are opportunities in this realm as well.
 

Beyond the election itself, there is great uncertainty regarding its aftermath. Several groups nationally are helping us understand the various possibilities and offering time-tested strategies to uphold democratic process and structures in the wake of election day. Local coalitions are forming in this vein, and some Havurah members are involved. If you would like to join a team of us representing Havurah in these coalitions, we will be gathering tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:30pm. If you are interested, please contact Chris Coughlin at chriscoughlin60@gmail.com or Bob Brown at rebrown47@gmail.com. This group will be sharing information with the Havurah community over these weeks, with a diversity of pathways for action. So please look out for ways to engage.
 
One act we can each take right now if we are so moved is to sign this pledge with Choose Democracy. There you will also see opportunities for trainings to learn more. And this guide from Hold the Line is full of vital information and analysis.

May we draw from the essential wisdom within and among us and may we each discover the resources we need.

– Rabbi Benjamin

B'Yachad: Havurah's Participation Pledge
Havurah's mission is to provide a vibrant, diverse, participatory Jewish community steeped in spirituality, learning, and acts of social responsibility. To fulfill this mission, we rely on our congregants to come together — b'yachad — and actively participate in areas of synagogue life that speak to them.

Our emphasis on active involvement allows members to become truly engaged in Jewish community. It enriches individual experiences, deepens friendships and family relationships, and creates a strong, intertwined home for all of us, even in the current time of distancing and uncertainty.

As this year's theme states, our Neshamah, our "breath and soul, is our essence, through which we are connected to one another..." Your participation is the breath that gives life to the Havurah community. Thank you for filling out B'Yachad and allowing Havurah to remain a vital life force for all of us!

If you would like a mail-in version, you can find a PDF of the survey here.

Upcoming Events & Classes

Crochet Your Own Kippah
Wednesday, Oct. 21 & 28, 10:30 - 12 pm in Room Bet // 7:30 - 9 pm in Room Heh
Simple instructions for creating a kippah using single crochet. If you don't already know how to crochet, the first class will introduce novices to that skill, and the second class will be devoted to the kippah itself. Taught by Sarah Rosenberg. RSVP for AM ​​​​​​​ | PM

Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 pm – Room Aleph
Welcome Shabbat in together with music and tefillah! Service led by Rabbi Benjamin.

Community Minyan
Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! Led by community members or Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather on Tuesdays to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, and Nancy Becker.

Book Group: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 - 8:30 pm – Room Bet
Written as a series of letters to his teenage son, his memoir, Between the World and Me, Coates walks the reader through the course of his life. Coates’s writing is direct, insightful and powerful. Discussion led by Marjorie Walters.

Oneg and Kabbalat Shabbat: Welcoming Leah!

Friday, Oct. 30, 7 pm Oneg and Welcome Ritual; 7:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat

Please join us as we welcome Leah Shoshanah, our new Music Coordinator, to Havurah! From 7-7:30 we will share blessings of welcome, followed by a soulful and uplifting Kabbalat Shabbat, led by Leah.

Transfers of Power in Tanach
Mondays, Nov. 2, 16, 30, and Dec. 14, 3-4 pm – Room Bet
How do they happen, who wins or loses, and why? What can our sources and sages teach us to help us navigate these times? Our class will begin with some of the transfers of power in Genesis, move on to Exodus, make a brief stop in Numbers, and finally end with Hanukkah. RSVP to receive precise references. Taught by Emily Simon. RSVP here.

Tikkun Olam Events

Mobilization Meeting for the Defend Democracy Coalition
Thursday, Oct. 22, 6:30 pm

Several groups nationally are analyzing the various possibilities in the wake of election day, and offering strategies to uphold democratic process and structures. Local coalitions are forming in this vein, and some Havurah members are involved. If you would like to join a team of us representing Havurah in these coalitions, please contact Chris Coughlin or Bob Brown via the Havurah member directory.

Reconstructing Judaism: Emotional Support During the Election

Sunday, Oct. 25, 1-2:30 pm

Please join Reconstructing Judaism congregations in its first meeting for political, spiritual and emotional support during pre-Election days, Election Day itself, and post-Election days. Join here.

Post-Election Community Gathering
Thursday, Nov. 5, 7 - 8:30 pm – Room Aleph
There are so many unknowns about what will happen on our next election day, November 3. You are invited to a facilitated community gathering so that we can be together for mutual support at a time when there may be some answers about the election outcome. Please email Bob Brown if you have any questions. RSVP here.

Havurah Updates

Havurah Shalom Media Library
Looking for service recordings, drashot from Rabbi Benjamin and other community members, music albums, videos, class recordings, Jewish ritual how-to and more? All of our On Demand content from High Holidays is now on its own page on our website. We'll add more media as it becomes available. Find it on our website under "About" too!

Havurah Shalom 2020-2021 Community Brochure
We hope you’re excited about what we have in store this year at Havurah. All of our events and classes will still be on Zoom until further notice. See the Havurah Calendar on our website for Zoom details. As we have seen over the past seven months and over High Holidays, we can make meaningful connections, even if it means meeting over Zoom. We have more possibilities in store too, so look forward to new opportunities! If you haven’t seen the community brochure yet, click here.

Tikkun Olam Updates

What's Up with Lift UP?

Partner with Lift UP for the Fall Food and Fund Drive! Help us provide healthy, nutritious foods to our neighbors in need. To learn more, visit www.lifturbanportland.org or contact brett@lifturbanportland.org

URGENT NEEDS FOR PANTRY
o   Proteins (Peanut Butters/Tuna/Canned chicken/etc)
o   Breakfast Items (Cereal, Oats, Granola)
o   Canned vegetables
o   Low sodium items (tunas/pastas/ canned beans or veggies)
o   Ensure/Protein Bars
o   Dairy/Non-dairy shelf stable milk
o   Whole grain pasta/Brown Rice
o   Gluten Free Pastas/Gluten Free breakfast items
o   Kosher items of all the items listed above (if applicable) 
o   Paper bags, egg cartons, rubber bands, sharpies

You can also drink wine and help Lift UP! Erath Vineyard’s new tasting room in the Pearl District will be donating $1 from each bottle sale to Lift UP, now through November. Visit the new location at 1439 NW Marshall Street Portland, OR 97209.

Portland Homeless Family Solutions Update
We are hosting a week-long Harvest Festival for the week leading up to Halloween for families in shelter. There has been so much disappointment this year that we are really trying to do something fun and special for the families at Family Village. Since we have such a large campus, we are able to host some socially-distanced activities. We are collecting the following in-kind items, if you are interested in participating:

- Kids Halloween Costumes (all sizes, can be used or new. One-size-fits all pieces also encouraged, such as animal ears, wings, capes, hats, etc.)
- Halloween decorations (stickers, spiderwebs, little Halloween toys, etc.)
- Halloween Candy
- Pumpkins to paint

If you are interested, we are asking that everything be donated by October 24. As always, thank you for everything you do for PHFS! We are so grateful for you.

Virtual Tutors Needed for All Grades!

The Ortiz Community Center has received many requests for tutors, from students in all grades (K-12). In response, we are organizing a "virtual" tutoring program. We are interviewing the parents and students, to verify their computer and Internet access, to establish scheduling needs/preferences, and to learn about specific homework needs (e.g., specific subjects for high school students). We will then match each student to the preferences of each tutor. We plan to start with a commitment of one session per week per student. Initially, we will be utilizing free Zoom accounts, which means a limit of 40 minutes per session. (Help with people new to Zoom will be available.) We have a growing number of student requests, so taking on more than one student (in separate sessions) would be great. These students are almost all children of immigrants, very motivated to succeed in school just like all of our own families and ancestors. Any questions? Contact Jay Moskovitz.

Havurah's BLM Resource Page
Check out our Black Lives Matter resource page!

In the Community

21st Annual Reading of Oregon Jewish Voices
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 6:30 pm, on Zoom, sponsored by OJMCHE
Started in 1999, and organized by Havurah member Willa Schneberg, this annual event features readings by prominent Oregon Jewish poets and writers. The writers in the 2020 program are Jacob Boas, Sherri Levine, Willa Schneberg, Betsy Fogelman Tighe and Leslie What. They will share selections from their work in a virtual reading on Zoom. Register here.

ReJewvenation 2020

October 23-25

ReJewvenation is BB Camp’s women’s retreat held at our beautiful lakeside location on the Oregon Coast, each fall. ReJewvenation started in 2004 through the shared vision of five BB Camp alumna wanting to rekindle the fun and magic they experienced as campers. ReJewvenation is for women of all ages and backgrounds. Thanks to this year’s virtual format, we are excited to welcome new friends to the ReJewvenation community, from all around the world! Find out more here. RSVP here.

Do You Need Help?

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

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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