Oregon has lifted its COVID gathering restrictions. What does that mean for Havurah? The Core Crisis Team is meeting on July 7 to address this question and we are planning Community Forum gatherings to get input from our members. In the past month, we moved forward within the limits of OHA restrictions and expanded Havurah's “opening” guidelines for B’nei Mitzvah families and the Wednesday Morning Minyan group. The elimination of those OHA rules now gives us the opportunity to open our doors more widely – literally and figuratively.
What do we want?
• We want to return to our building.
• We want our community to feel safe.
• We want to be inclusive and welcoming.
The Core Crisis Team will be trying to meet all these goals as we look to and rely on scientific research and recommendations to inform and shape our re-opening policies.
Do you have questions or comments for the Core Crisis Team? Send them to info@havurahshalom.org and someone from the committee will get back to you.
Renew Your Dues Commitment
Please try and renew by the end of the day today!
If not today, ASAP. This helps us conserve volunteer time.
If you haven’t already renewed your membership and made your dues commitment for 2021-22, please do so by completing this form. You can also send an email with a note indicating your commitment to karen.westerman@havurahshalom.org.
Upcoming Events
Kabbalat ShabbatCANCELLED Friday, July 2
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!
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation Tuesday, July 6, 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, July 7, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Ken Lerner.
Community Minyan Saturday, July 10, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion.
Israel/Palestine Committee Meeting Sunday, July 11, 7 pm – Room Bet
The Israel/Palestine Committee will meet to assess our activities to date; discuss how we want to move forward – after the High Holy Days; discuss how we want the committee to operate in the future – how often we want to meet and who can be considered a ‘member’ of the comittee; and discuss what types of resources to share through the committee webpage. Meeting open to all Havurah members.
Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, July 16, 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.
Maria & Carlos: Moving Week!
It's an exciting week for Maria and Carlos, Guatemalan asylum seekers being sponsored by Havurah. They move to their own apartment, and Maria starts her first job. Thanks to everyone who donated furnishings - we appreciate your generosity! Still needed: an AC unit. Also, Maria will take the bus to work and needs $100/month on her Hop Card for this expense. If you can help cover these items, please contact David Newman via the Havurah Member Directory.
Tikkun Olam
Particpate in the Racial Justice Committee There is a group of people who have been meeting to discuss and define a Racial Justice Committee within the Tikkun Olam Cluster. We have met twice. If you are interested in participating and have not been included in the previous meetings, contact Bob Brown via email at tikkunolam@havurahshalom.org and he will include you in communications about this effort.
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.
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!
Havurah Zoom Rooms
To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.
(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.
