Sign up starting August 4 for engaging, provocative, meaningful classes, discussions, and presentations led by our talented and knowledgeable fellow Havurahniks.
You’ll get an email on August 4 with a link to register for access to Havurah’s High Holidays website, the portal we will be using for all Elul events and High Holiday services. After registering, you can RSVP for these exciting offerings! In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peek.
Core Crisis Team: Two Updates
1. Masks are now required in the building. In light of recent Multnomah County health guidance, Havurah will now require masking in the building, including Wednesday Morning Minyan and B’nei Mitzvah gatherings.
2. In addition to the masking options, the Core Crisis Team will also consider a re-opening protocol that factors in vaccination status. In response to community member requests and recommendations from our health professionals, the CCT will be evaluating a reopening policy that takes vaccine status into consideration.
For more details about these updates, click here to read a longer explanation. If you have any questions about these updates, or have a comment or question for the CCT, please send an email to info@havurahshalom.org. Your email will be shared with the committee and one of the members will get back to you.
Upcoming Events
Looking for Elul programming? You'll be invited to RSVP in an email you'll receive on August 4.
You can also find the event details on our Havurah calendar.
AlteRockers Happy Hour Thursday, July 29, 4:30-6 pm – Room Heh
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes the last Thursday of the month!
Community Minyan Saturday, July 31, 10 am – Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning! Led by J.D. Kleinke, Barbara Slader, and Emily Simon this week. This service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation Tuesday, August 3, 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, August 4, 8:30 am – Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Led by Rabbi Benjamin this week.
Text & Torah: Moving into Elul from Parashah Re'eh Saturday, August 7, 10 am – Room Aleph We’ll look at the wealth of guidelines for a Jewish life as outlined in Parashah Re’eh, and discuss what it means to open our hearts during the month of Elul. Study session led by Diane Chaplin, followed by a shortened Shabbat service.
Havurah's High Holidays Website Launch Party Sunday, August 8, 7-8 pm
Sign in and say hi to all your friends at our High Holidays Website Launch Party. There will be games, schmoozing, and more as we welcome in the month of Elul. The party will take place on Havurah’s High Holidays website. Register for free when it opens on August 4! Visit this page for more information.
A "Still in Prison" Campaign Teach-In Thursday, August 12, 12 pm – RSVP here
Do you want to work toward restoring justice? Learn about Oregon’s history with a racist law supported by the Ku Klux Klan that was recently declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Sadly, despite the decision, the work to undo the injustice of this racist Oregon law is not finished. You can take action to seek justice for all Oregonians. No one should remain wrongfully imprisoned by an explicitly racist, antisemitic, xenophobic discriminatory law. After nearly 90 years of injustice by an inequitable judicial system, the opportunity for justice should not be ignored. Speakers include Dr. Aliza Kaplan, Professor of Lawyering and Director, Criminal Justice Reform Clinic, and Terrence Hayes. Sponsored by Shir Tikvah, P'nai Or, Bend the Arc, Never Again Action - Portland, EJC, Tisch PDX, Alberta Shul, Matzah Block, and Havurah Shalom.
Havurah Needs Consulting
Havurah is hiring a consulting team to help us move our anti-racism and belonging work forward. While we think it is best to engage a consulting team that doesn’t include Havurah members, we are asking for help to find a consulting team. If you have contacts who you think would be a good match, please share our Statement of Work. If you have questions, please contact Bob Brown or Chris Coughlin. Watch for more information in the August Hakol.
Tikkun Olam
Volunteer Opportunities
1. Havurah partners with Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS): The first step is an orientation. New volunteers complete an application, a background check, and attend a training. Volunteers must be 18+ and vaccinated. Those under 18 may volunteer with their parent or guardian. Virtual orientations: August 9, 5:30-6:30pm; August 11, 12-1pm; August 11, 5:30-6:30pm. RSVP to PHFS staff: TC Schumacher at tc@pdxhfs.org.
2. Helping to distribute clothing at homeless shelters on Tuesdays. Contact Gloria Halper via the Havurah member directory for more info.
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.
(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.
