Hineinu: Israel-Palestine Film Discussion & New Racial Justice Committee
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Renew Your Dues Commitment
If you haven’t already renewed your membership and made your dues commitment for 2021-22, please do so by June 30 by completing this form.
By taking time to fill out the Havurah Dues Renewal Form for 2021-22 or sending an e-mail with a note indicating your commitment to karen.westerman@havurahshalom.org, you will save lots of volunteer time! Havurah has 480 households now and that is a lot of renewals. Thank you!
– Karen Westerman, past Havurah President
Upcoming Events
AlteRockers Happy Hour Thursday, June 24, 4:30-6 pm – Room Heh
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes — last Thursday of the month!
Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, June 25, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service led by J.D. Kleinke. Music will be provided by our talented Havurah musicians.
Bat Mitzvah of RozaBess Eisenbach-Budner Saturday, June 26, 8:30-10:30 am – Room AlephTIME CHANGE
Please join us in welcoming RozaBess Eisenbach-Budner as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community!
Annual Cemetery Cleanup CANCELLED Sunday, June 27
Fourth Israel/Palestine Film Discussion Sunday, June 27, 7-8:30 pm – Room Heh
Film discussion of "Dancing Arabs" / "A Borrowed Identity" from 2014. The screenplay is based on the semi-autobiographical novel Dancing Arabs. An academically talented Palestinian-Israeli attends a prestigious boarding school in Jerusalem where he is the only Arab. He and a Jewish girl who is a schoolmate fall in love. The film explores Israeli identity and shows the difficulties and eventually the impossibility of them maintaining a relationship. Amazon Prime; Strand Releasing; Vudu; Apple TV. After the film discussion, Joel Beinin will make a brief presentation about the recent Israeli election and we will then have a discussion about the implications. RSVP here.
Help Launch the Racial Justice Committee Monday, June 28, 7 pm – Room Bet
Please join us as we continue to explore forming a Racial Justice Committee at Havurah. One organizing meeting was held a few weeks ago, but we are early in the process, so this is a great time to join and share your suggestions and interests. All are welcome! Contact Bob Brown with any questions, and please RSVP to Bob Brown if you plan to attend. Bob's info can be found via the Havurah Member Directory.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation Tuesday, June 29, 12 pm – Room Bet
We gather to find some moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.
LGBTQIA+ Advance Care Planning Tuesday, June 29, 7-8:30 pm– Room Bet
The Ma'avar Committee is hosting an Advance Care Planning workshop on creating an Advance Directive with a special focus for the LGBTQI+ community. Advance care planning is a process of considering the types of healthcare decisions that may need to be made in a medical crisis or at the end-of-life then writing those decisions and preferences into an Advance Directive. Space is limited and RSVP is required. Please contact Ericka Kimball via the Havurah Member Directory with questions. RSVP here.
Morning Minyan Wednesday, June 30, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Rabbi Benjamin this week.
Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, July 2, 7 pm – Room Aleph
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service. Music will be provided by our talented Havurah musicians.
Bar Mitzvah of Rami Mandelsberg Saturday, July 3, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Rami Mandelsberg as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community!
Core Crisis Team Update
Wednesday Morning Minyan & B'nei Mitzvah The Core Crisis Team met on June 15 to further discuss issues around opening our space. Havurah’s COVID Safety Guidelines have been updated to reflect our decision to allow limited use of the sanctuary for B’nei Mitzvahs and the Wednesday Morning Minyan Group. A copy of the updated Guidelines can be found here. As we continue to balance various needs and values, the Core Crisis Team has solicited input from the Steering Committee and our Transparency & Inclusivity Committee. We are also planning on organizing community forums in July and August to hear directly from our members. Look for publicity and details about those events in the coming weeks!
Help Resettle A Family
Maria and Carlos are close to moving into their own apartment. We have a big need for a couple of strong people to help move the heavier pieces from storage to a truck. This will be on June 30 during the late afternoon and evening and also from the truck into the apartment on July 1. The kindness of our community has secured almost all of the needed furnishings for their apartment. As of writing this, we lack a twin-sized mattress and box springs. Please contact me if you might be able to help with either need and I’ll provide details. Thank you!
Nicholas Kristoff's Book Discussion
If you missed the discussion of Tightrope author Nicholas Kristoff and would like to view the event, click the link below.
This discussion was sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty with whom Havurah partners through the work of the Tikkun Olam Poverty & Homelessness Committee. Please contact Havurah member Gloria Halper via the Havurah Member Directory for more info.
Opportunity to Connect with Progressive Israeli Organizations Tuesday, June 29, 9:30 am - RSVP here
The Israel/Palestine Committee wants to alert you about an exciting new initiative from the Joint Israel Commission of the Reconstructionist movement called Shutafut, a simple way for Reconstructionist communities to partner with progressive, creative Israeli organizations working for peace, justice, and pluralism. The initiative launches with a panel discussion of representatives from three Israeli organizations.
COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS)
CNSCOS can help you make sense of all there is to know about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines. 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.
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.
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 anonymously publish your question in Hakol and then answer that question. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!
(IP) Elul Gallery Art Drop-Off Sunday, Aug 17th 12:00p to 3:00p As part of our annual holiday cycle, Havurah members are invited to share our own reflections on the themes and stories of the High Holiday season. In addition to prose or poetry that may be shared on the bima at High Holiday services, we are putting out a call for artistic expressions in any visual medium, including paintings, drawings and photography. We welcome your reflections on any aspect of the High Holidays experience, whether they arise from our tradition’s core concepts of teshuvah (return) or seliḥah (forgiveness), or from any other aspect of your own process of looking inward during the time leading into the holiday season. The Elul and High Holiday Gallery is a project of the High Holidays Committee and the Design Committee, led by Joan Peck and Marcia Suttenberg.
(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 **Note: Registration for this group is now closed.** 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.
(IP) Israeli Dancing Wednesday, Aug 20th 7:30p to 8:30p Join us to learn Israeli dancing! We’ll teach the steps and tell the stories behind Israeli dances while you enjoy the catchy rhythms, creative body movements, and spending time with friends.
Led by Havurah members Cindy Merrill and Gail Schwartz with dance instructor Rhona Feldman.
Hakol Deadline is Thursday, August 21 Thursday, Aug 21st (All day) Havurah members, click to learn how to submit your contributions to our monthly newsletter, Hakol.
(HYB) Solidarity Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, Aug 22nd 5:45p to 8:00p Join Havurah members and friends for a Solidarity Shabbat service and potluck nosh. This is a spiritual space for community members working in solidarity with Palestinians - and for the liberation of all peoples - to come together to pray, build connections, and renew ourselves on Shabbat to continue our justice work. Please review Havurah's Brit Kavod for our community guidelines. Masks strongly encouraged and provided.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Aug 23rd 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.
(HYB) Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual Sunday, Aug 24th 7:00p to 8:15p A gender-inclusive New Moon group, learning and celebrating each Rosh Ḥodesh with ancient and contemporary ritual. Open to any and all genders, inviting each to connect with our closest heavenly body, the Moon. An introductory meeting will happen on the full moon of Elul on Wednesday, Aug. 30 outdoors—weather permitting—in North Portland. Subsequent meetings will be on or near the new moon of each month either in person in North Portland or on Zoom, depending on seasonal shifts in the weather. Attend any or all sessions. RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year.
