Havurah’s Core Crisis Team will be holding Community Forums on the topic of re-opening our building. We want to hear your thoughts, hopes and concerns as we move towards being together again for services, simchas, meetings, and meals. Please join us at one or both events:
• Sunday, July 11 at 10 am in Room Aleph:RSVP here
• Monday, July 19 at 7 pm in Room Aleph:RSVP here
If you have any questions for the Core Crisis Team about our current Guidelines, re-opening, or the upcoming Community Forum events, please email info@havurahshalom.org and a member of the committee will get back to you.
Sincerely,
Loree Devery, Ben Walters, Julia Lager-Mesulam, Miriam Reshotko, Oren Kosansky, Rabbi Benjamin Barnett, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Adela Basayne, Rachel Pollak, Brad Pector, Carrie Kirschner, Michael Heumann, Richard Goldenberg, Rachel Plotinsky, Joe Sullivan
Upcoming Events
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.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation Tuesday, July 13, 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 14, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.
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.
Bat Mitzvah of Ella Bendsneyder-Koven Saturday, July 17, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Ella Bendsneyder-Koven as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.
Tisha B'Av: 40 Day of Teshuvah film screening, panel, and discussion
Sunday, July 18, 10 am
On Tisha B’Av we commemorate the darkest moments in our Jewish history and begin to move from brokenness towards redemption. “Zion will be redeemed through justice” (Isaiah 1:27). As we emerge from the losses of the COVID pandemic, we have a fresh opportunity to reengage in the work of repair both at the level of our intimate communities and in the broader society. Havurah joins the Inside Out Wisdom and Action Project and the Reconstructing Judaism movement in showing the film, 40 Days of Teshuvah, Last summer, Yehudah Webster and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) protested for 40 days culminating with Tisha B'Av. The film offers a powerful model for integrating Jewish spiritual tools and technologies like prayer, teshuvah and Mussar into the work of social change in general and racial justice in particular. RSVP here.
Maria & Carlos: Donations Needed
Maria and Carlos, Guatemalan asylum-seekers sponsored by Havurah (organization work done by the Sanctuary Committee), moved into their own apartment last week. This is a major step for them. Many thanks to all in our community who donated furnishings (most recently an air conditioner) and helped them get settled. We are very grateful! Currently, we are seeking contributions toward Maria’s monthly Trimet Hop Card so she can get to work. If you can help, 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 who 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.
(HYB) Solidarity Shabbat Friday, Jun 27th 5:45p to 8:30p 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) Climate Change Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Jun 28th 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin (who is on sabbatical until July 1, 2025), 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@havurhshalom.org.
(HYB) Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual Sunday, Jun 29th 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.
(ZM) Palestinian Justice Letter Writing Group Monday, Jun 30th 6:00p to 7:30p We hold monthly letter writing group Zoom gatherings to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Questions? Email Dale Oller (member log-in required to access directory). Feel free to drop in any time! There’s no need to RSVP, but please do RSVP if you need the Zoom login. Non-Havurah-members very welcome as well.
(IP) Pride Kabbalat Shabbat in the Park Friday, Jul 11th 6:30p to 8:30p Celebrate queer and Jewish joy with a special Kabbalat Shabbat service at Columbia Park! We’ll enjoy a potluck dinner together afterward. Beverages will be provided. BYOB. All are welcome.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, Jul 12th 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin (who is on sabbatical until July 1, 2025), 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.
