We are looking for folks to share songs at our upcoming monthly song-share on Feb. 21. The theme this month is everything inside-out, upside-down, and all-around Purim! All kinds of songs are encouraged.
Kabbalat ShabbatNOW 7 PM Friday, Feb. 5, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Something new: beginning this Friday, Kabbalat Shabbat will begin earlier. Barbara Slader and Sarah Shine will lead the community in singing, candlelighting, a little Torah, and a lot of oneg (delight). Room Aleph will be open for informal conversation for 10 minutes before, and 10 minutes after the service. See you Friday at 7 pm or 6:50 pm for visiting!
Community Minyan Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! This service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion led by Susan Brenner and J.D. Kleinke.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation Tuesday, Feb. 9, 12 pm – Room Bet We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.
Morning Minyan Wednesday, Feb. 10, 8:30 am – Room Aleph For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.
Text & Torah Shabbat Study Saturday, Feb. 13, 10 am – Room Aleph
Shabbat Shekalim is the first special Shabbat leading up to Pesach. Join us as we explore what these special days are, how we observe them in modern times, and what they meant historically. One-hour of study and discusssion followed by short Shacharit and Torah service. Led by Diane Chaplin.
Refa’einu: A Healing Circle Saturday, Feb. 13, 5-6 pm – Room Aleph Facilitated by Tivona Reith and Rabbi Benjamin
We will gather via Zoom to create sacred space and time to focus on healing and wholeness. Through contemplative teachings, meditation, prayer, and sharing, we encircle ourselves with healing energy—however it is needed in our lives, our families, our communities, our planet. There will be a hand-washing ritual during the gathering, so please have a bowl of water, small pitcher or cup, and towel if you would like. RSVP here.
Mountains of Evidence? Sunday, Feb. 14, 11 am – Room Bet
Nations start out as ideas before they’re anything else: writing history is about the future of the nation as much as it is about the past. There’s no better example than the state of Israel, and no more classically Israeli story than the fall and rise of Masada. But this founding myth of Israel is not always what it seems, and history and political storytelling can be pretty strange bedfellows. We’ll take a hard look at fact and fantasy and ask the difficult questions about what Israel’s 20th Century history needed, and whether those needs are the same today. Taught by David Feder. RSVP here.
Second Meeting of the Israel/Palestine Committee Sunday, Feb. 17, 7 pm– Room Heh
The Israel/Palestine committee will meet to firm up plans for possible film discussions, the beginnings of a list of books to suggest to the Havurah book club, and other tentative programming ideas. This is a working committee not a forum for discussion about Israel/Palestine issues. New committee members are welcome. Contact Elinor Gollay with questions via the Havurah Member Directory.
Poverty & Homelessness Committee Presents Discussions on Homelessness Sunday, Feb. 21, 4 pm – Room Bet Jenn Louis will share her experiences in developing relationships with various homeless camps. Getting to know the regulars, bringing needed food, clothing, and ‘tent’ items. Facing our fears and awkwardness in talking to folks. Learning to acknowledge and respect people whose lives are different from ours, but who share many similar needs. Join us for an honest and probing discussion.
Oyfn Veg by Havurah Members
Our musicians are made a virtual band video for Tu Bishvat! Check out this video of the Yiddish classic, Oyfn Veg. Oyfn Veg is a song about a lonely tree and a little boy who tries to become a bird to bring the tree companionship. Leah Shoshanah, Miriam Reshotko, Andrew Ehrlich, and Shera Sinell have joined forces to bring this song to life in it's original Yiddish AND Hebrew! Click this link to watch the video.
Recording of Rabbi Waskow Event
Between climate change, COVID, great social injustice, and more, we are living in powerfully transformative times. Rabbi Arthur Ocean Waskow’s latest book, Dancing In God’s Earthquake, The Coming Transformation of Religion, can help guide us through. View his talk here.
Planning Classes at Havurah
The Lifelong Learning Committee (LLC) oversees our educational programs for adults. It is our goal to offer classes that fit into one of three categories: historical/cultural, hands-on/expressive, or spiritual/religious. We make sure that each season of classes includes a blend of offerings from each of these categories. We are extremely grateful to all the members who have stepped up to offer their knowledge and skills to keep Havurahniks engaged in meaningful Jewish learning experiences. Do you have an idea for a class you would be in- terested in teaching? Please email Eve Berry or Joel Beinin via the Havurah Member Directory.
Tikkun Olam Events
Interfaith Alliance's Monthly Meeting Thursday, Feb. 4, 12-2 pm –RSVP here
Senator Frederick will be speaking at the First Thursday Meeting of the Interfaith Alliance on legislative activity, Reimagine Oregon, education, housing, and economic development. Senator Frederick's experiences as a youth in the 1960s with his parents during the Civil Rights Movement anchor his commitment to service and making people's lives better. His legislative focus is on justice in public safety, education, economic security, and "quality of life."
Letter Writing Party: 100% Zero Emissions Vehicles – the Time is Now! Sunday, Feb. 7, 11 am – Room Bet(RSVP here)
Next Monthly Letter Writing Party topic: “It’s time for 100% Zero-Emission Vehicles.” We provide you with the Jewish connection to this topic, background information and sample letters, along with good company. We will write letters to our U.S. Senators and Representatives, bringing in policy, Jewish values and our own perspectives. These letters are bundled and sent to our elected officials to maximize their impact. More info: Jewish Earth Alliance
Tikkun Olam Updates
Gift Card Donations Needed for Displaced Families Eight families lost everything in a fire at Hacienda's Clara Vista apartments. Several Havurah members, as part of the Tikkun Olam community, have been volunteering for the past four years at the Ortiz Center and many of the families we have served live in these apartments. The Ortiz director, Nabil, explained that one way to help is to donate Visa gift cards or cards for Winco or Fred Meyers. The Ortiz Center will make sure that the displaced families receive the gift cards. For more information, contact Judi Kloper via the Havurah Member Directory; she will deliver them for you when she volunteers every Wednesday, or you can bring them to the Ortiz Center as well. Thank you!
Join In, Join Up!
The Poverty and Homelessness Committee is actively seeking to connect — or reconnect — with members interested in direct service, philanthropy, or advocacy. Highlighted in this document are several on-going activities in keeping with COVID-19 restrictions. Please let me know if you would be interested in talking more about our committee work, or perhaps signing on to join us! Contact Gloria Halper via the Havurah Member Directory for more info.
Lift UP Needs Volunteers
Lift UP always needs volunteers. From working the pantry and packing food bags, to delivering food and stocking the pantry, there are jobs for everyone. If interested email Abby at abby@lifturbanportland.org.
Interfaith Alliance's Monthly Newsletter
Interfaith Alliance on Poverty February Newsletter. Through our Poverty and Homelessness Committee's work, we engage with this Alliance and it's quest to address the root causes of poverty. Read the newsletter here.
Community Events & Offerings
Uncovering the Hidden History of Discrimination in Oregon Feb. 23 & March 8
In this time of national and local reckoning with our country and city’s grim legacy of discrimination and hate, we have come together as a broad coalition of friends and allies to create a series of public programs to confront hate. We have been reminded almost daily that our communities of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ persons, as well as many of our neighbors of various religious faiths, are frequent targets of vicious hatred. Nevertheless, we have also seen seeds of hope. We have witnessed an upsurge of people ready to stand in solidarity with those who are targets of discrimination and hate—people who are eager to listen, to learn, and to take action to make Portland a place that truly protects the lives, well-being, and dignity of all who live here.See more info here.
Through a Reconstructionist Lens: An Adult B- / Re- Mitzvah Program March 1, 2021 - March 27, 2022
As a prequel to our 2022 Convention and in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Judith Kaplan Eisenstein becoming a Bat Mitzvah, we are offering a once-a-month virtual class for those who are studying for their B-Mitzvah or recommitting to Reconstructionist learning. The goal of this class is for adult learners to engage with the movement in exploring evolving Reconstructionist thought and practice. More info on the registration page here.
Community COVID-19 Assistance
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services is here to help! For those who have been exposed to the virus or tested positive and need to quarantine, CNSCOS can assist with and cover costs for things like grocery shopping, finding housing, childcare, or transportation. For those who have been affected by Covid-19 in an indirect way, CNSCOS can help with finding and applying for financial resources, running errands, accessing food assistance, finding other helpful services, or just calling to chat with folks who are feeling isolated or lonely.
The CNSCOS team also provides timely information online here and via a weekly email here. Contact covid19@nevehshalom.org or call 971-990-5652 if you need COVID-19 assistance.
COVID-19 Vaccine Waitlist
Kaiser Permanente is offering to sign up members and non-members of their insurance program to a waitlist for COVID-19 vaccines. Visit their webpage here to sign up. Vaccines will be based on priority groups. See more information about priority groups and the vaccine at the OHA COVID-19 vaccine website here.
Adult B'nei Mitzvah Group Forming
We have a new Adult B’nei Mitzvah Group forming! Are you interested in deepening your knowledge and commitment to Torah, Tefillah (Prayer) and Kehillah (Community)? Expanding your Jewish literacy skills, confidence, and sense of connection with Judaism? Nourishing your intellect and spirit, individually and within the context of an ongoing learning community. Then consider joining the new Adult B'nei Mitzvah Group!
This group will study together from early April 2021 – February 2023, almost two years, with Havurah Education Director, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and other teachers. If anything above sparks your interest, please contact the Havurah Education Director, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner at deborah@havurahshalom.org soon!
Questions About Havurah?
The Transparency & Inclusivity Committee is an avenue within Havurah Shalom to help members find the answers to question they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will publish your question in Hakol anonymously, and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!
Do You Need Help?
If you are facing emotional or 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 or emotional 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 Rabbi Benjamin.
Havurah Zoom Rooms
To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.
Shabbat HaGadol: Special Multi-synagogue Torah Study Led by Emily Simon Shabbat, Apr 20th 9:00a to 10:00a We will be discussing why this shabbes is called Shabbat HaGadol, and the special Haftarah, which is Malachi 3:4-24. Interestingly enough, there is no special Torah reading for what would seem like such a special occasion. In addition to Havurah Shalom, other congregations are being invited, and we may even have some folks joining us from other parts of the country and maybe the world. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from our holy books
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Apr 20th 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. For Zoom link (Zoom Room Aleph), email info@havurahshalom.org.
(IP) Tot Shabbat Shabbat, Apr 20th 10:30a to 11:30a Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome.
Shabbat School Shabbat, Apr 20th 3:00p to 5:15p This program gives children a foundation for lifelong Jewish learning and engagement while integrating parents and children in a caring Jewish community.
(HYB) Meeting of Palestine Justice working group Sunday, Apr 21st 7:00p to 8:30p Our regular monthly meeting of the Palestine Justice working group will take place on the third Sunday of every month, at Havurah and in Zoom Room Bet. The agenda will be distributed in advance on the listserv. If you are interested in being added to the listserv, please email David Lewis.
Experience the Omer: Making it Count! Tuesday, Apr 23rd 7:00p to 7:30p [RSVP to be emailed a recording of the April 9 intro session.] The Omer is an ancient tradition marking time between the Exodus from the Narrow Place to the Expanse at Sinai. Explore tools and practices to facilitate your own learning and experience from Liberation to Revelation. We will have an intro class followed by half-hour check-ins, one for each Sephira. Led by Andrine de la Rocha. 7 pm, Tuesdays, Apr. 9 (Intro), 23 (Chesed), 30 (Gevurah); May 7 (Tiferet), 14 (Netzach), 21 (Hod), 28 (Yesod); Jun. 4 (Malchut) Led by Andrine de la Rocha.
Passover Minyan Wednesday, Apr 24th 8:00a to 9:15a For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org for join info.
Prayer Flags for Our Planet Thursday, Apr 25th 11:00a to 3:00p This exhibit is about science and art.
It is meant to be a learning experience, about the top 60 solutions to climate change, as researched by over 5,000 scientists.
And most importantly it is about hope.
It is about learning about these solutions to climate change and
changing the hearts and minds of those around us,
so that we can all work together.
Anne Nesse, 2024
(ZM) Racial Justice Committee Meeting Thursday, Apr 25th 7:00p to 8:30p Please join us for our monthly Racial Justice Committee Meeting. We will learn of upcoming events and plan new ones.
