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) Shabbat Morning with Music Shabbaton (w/ Aly Halpert) Shabbat, May 10th 10:00a to 12:00p This community minyan will feature the musical contributions of Aly Halpert who is in residence with us this Shabbat. 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.
(IP) Tot Shabbat Shabbat, May 10th 10:30a to 11:15a Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome! Please RSVP when you plan to come. We provide free childcare for those staying to enjoy the full Shabbat service that ends at noon and which is followed by a light community brunch. Email info@havurahshalom.org to learn more.
(IP) Songs for Liberation Song Circle (w/ Aly Halpert) Shabbat, May 10th 4:30p to 6:30p (Currently this event is for Havurah members only, as registrations are capped at 80 people. Havurah members, be sure to RSVP.) Rising Song Records artist Aly Halpert concludes our music shabbaton with a Song Circle, a space to enjoy our voices together as we learn new and ancient Jewish songs and niggunim together. Aly Halpert is at the epicenter of a resurgence of Jewish music-making– introducing new tunes, new words, and new ways of bringing music into davening and community-building.
Rose Haven Walk (register at their 2025 Reigning Roses Walk site) Sunday, May 11th 10:00a to 1:00p Rose Haven supporters and guests will unite to stride a beautiful route through NW Portland on Mother’s Day at the 12th Annual Reigning Roses Walk. Walk with, or in honor of, a special woman in your life – a mother, grandmother, daughter, partner, or friend. 10 am check-in, 11 am begin walking. (We've cancelled the Havurah Teen Engagement plan for this event; just go to the Rose Haven 2025 Reigning Roses Walk website to register!)
(IP) Jewish Ethical Responses to the Problem of Racism Monday, May 12th 6:30p to 7:45p We will address topics such as countering white nationalism and antisemitism, Jewish perspectives on reparations, repairing Jewish pioneer memory, and responding to racial microaggressions. Facilitated by Karen Sherman and Adela Basayne.
(HYB) Steering Meeting Tuesday, May 13th 6:30p to 8:30p Steering members and staff will meet to consider matters of governance. All Havurah Shalom members are invited to attend Steering Committee meetings. For Zoom join links, visit havurahshalom.org/zoom (must be logged in) or call the office in advance for assistance (503-248-4662).
(IP) Hebrew as a Tool: Prayer and Torah (registration closed) Wednesday, May 14th 7:00p to 8:15p (This class will now be starting on January 8.) Using an in-depth, word-by-word approach, we discover literal meaning(s), ancient layers of understanding, and our own personal interpretations that stem from the nuances of the Hebrew text. Basic Hebrew decoding skills necessary.
(IP) B’nei Mitzvah Drash and Service Workshop Thursday, May 15th 7:00p to 8:00p Students and parents are guided through responding to Torah in a drash. You will also take a walk through the Shabbat Morning service. Led by Sarah Shine.
(HYB) Text and Torah Shabbat: "Forgotten" Jewish Rituals Shabbat, May 17th 10:00a to 12:00p One hour of text study with Diane Chaplin on special topics, followed by a brief service. 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.
