A Note from the Safety Committee
As we begin to move back into our building, we need to be mindful of our building safety procedures. Please keep in mind that all entry doors need to be closed and locked at all times. If you are organizing an event, please arrange to have either a greeter at the door or a way for attendees to contact someone who can let them into the building. You can find a copy of the greeter guidelines printed on cards in the building foyer.

Email Impersonations
Chevre, As happens periodically, a number of members have received emails impersonating Rabbi Benjamin. Please be assured that his actual email remains secure; these messages are coming from a gmail address using his name as the username. You can tell the difference because anything from the real Rabbi Benjamin will come from an address ending in @havurahshalom.org. If a message ends in @gmail.com, it is fake. If the message asks you for anything, such as money or gift cards, it is also fake. Rabbi Benjamin will never ask for things, and you should never send money in response to an email like this. Instead, you can safely move these messages to your spam folder and block the sender. There’s no need to alert the Havurah office, but if you’re not sure, we’re happy to help verify the sender.  – L'shalom, Havurah Staff

Upcoming Classes and Events

Lev Tahor Chanting Circle
Thursday, Feb. 17, 7 pm – Zoom Room Bet
We’ll gather in community for an evening of contemplative practice, chanting interspersed with silence, guided by teachings from the tradition. Everyone is welcome.

Kabbalat Shabbat Ruach Service
Friday, Feb. 18, 6:30 pm – Zoom Room Aleph and In Person
Kabbalat Shabbat Ruach Service in the Sanctuary! And in Zoom Room Aleph. Songs of rest, reflection, and renewal. Led by J.D. Kleinke with musical guests Daniel Raider and Scott Snyder. Our Covid precautions require that people in the building have up-to-date Covid vaccinations OR a negative test within the past 24 hours. Everyone in the building will be masked and practice social distancing. (Please note the word OR above. If you are up to date on vaccinations, no need for a test.) If you can join us in person, please read the complete Covid Guidelines. RSVP here.

Community Minyan
Saturday, Feb. 19, 10 am – Zoom Room Aleph
Led by community members. Includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion.

Tot Shabbat
Saturday, Feb. 19, 10:30 am – Zoom Room Bet
Led by Adela Basayne, young children (0-5) and parents will celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. Please RSVP if you can join us!

Ma'avar Conversation: Everything is Changing
Sunday, Feb. 20, 4 pm – Zoom Room Bet
The Ma'avar Committee invites you to join us in developing our program for this year. Join us for "A Discussion: Everything is Changing." What opportunities can we open to look at the transitions of life? We want to hear your stories and life experiences to guide the actions of this committee. For more information, contact Karen Erde.

Presidents' Day Holiday
Monday, Feb. 21
Havurah staff have Monday, Feb. 21, off for Presidents' Day.

"Becoming Rooted" Book Group
Tuesdays, Feb. 22, 29, 5:15 pm – Zoom Room Aleph
“Becoming Rooted” explores the connections we have with the land and the tools of nature that allow us to live sustainably and justly on this planet. This book discussion group is an opportunity to be in touch with the spiritual events that occur each day and to be connected to the land we live on. We’ll discuss new chapters every week. Join us whenever you can. For information, reach out to Michael Heumann. RSVPs welcome.

"When Skateboards Will Be Free: A Memoir of a Political Childhood" Book Group Discussion
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 7 pm – Zoom Room Gimel
With a profound gift for capturing the absurd in life and a deadpan wisdom that comes from surviving a surreal childhood in the Socialist Workers Party, Saïd Sayrafiezadeh has crafted an unsentimental, funny, heartbreaking memoir. Discussion led by Mischa and Salome DuPont. Learn more here. 

Morning Minyan
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8:30 am – Zoom Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish.

AlteRocker Happy Hour
Thursday, Feb. 24, 4:30 pm – Zoom Room Heh
Come schmooze with us, and mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes on the last Thursday of the month!

Leadership Development and Middle School Parents
Thursday, Feb. 24, 7:30 pm – Zoom Room Gimel
Have you ever wondered how Havurah makes decisions? Are you curious about the different clusters in Havurah? Do you want to connect with others in the synagogue but don't really know how? Join us for an overview of how Havurah works, find out about the assortment of ways to participate in the Havurah community, and ask any questions you may have. Learn more about this event and RSVP here.

Bar Mitzvah of Abraham Zapp-Meyer
Saturday, Feb. 26, 10 am – Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Abraham Zapp-Meyer as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

B'nei Mitzvah: Beginning the Journey/Date Selection
Sunday, Feb. 27, 10 am – Zoom Room Heh and/or In Person (see below)
This workshop for parents will focus on the rite of passage itself, then on the date-selection process. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, and the B'nei Mitzvah Committee. Please check back close to the date of this event for information on gathering. Depending on circumstances, it may take place in person, on Zoom, or both. RSVP here by Feb. 18. 

HIAS Refugee Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, March 4, 6:30 pm – Zoom Room Aleph
The 4th annual HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) Refugee Shabbat will take place on the weekend of March 4-5, 2022. Please join Rabbi Benjamin and the Sanctuary Committee as we dedicate sacred time and space to refugees and asylum seekers. We will speak aloud our commitment to welcoming the stranger and our dedication to working towards safety for all communities. Learn more and RSVP here.  

Tikkun Olam Updates

News From the Streets

International Women's Day Open House, Tuesday, March 8, 5 pm – Rose Haven Day Shelter and Community Center, 1740 NW Glisan, will hold an open house to celebrate moving into a new expanded location. They are our neighbors, and the Havurah Poverty and Homelessness Committee is developing an active, ongoing relationship with their program. We invite anyone at Havurah to attend this open house and learn more about Rose Haven. Parking is available at NW Davis between NW 17th and 18th. Contact Marcia Suttenberg for more information.

Please Consider Donating Blood
Our national blood supply is at an all-time shortage. Please consider donating. The American Red Cross can set up a Sunday Havurah blood donation schedule sometime in the next few months at their N. Vancouver location. A minimum of 35 donors needed. If you're interested, please email Gloria Halper to tell her which time on a Sunday works best for you.
 
Reduce Gun Violence in Oregon: Volunteers Needed
Havurah has recently joined an interfaith coalition to place two initiatives to reduce gun violence on the fall ballot. Click here to learn how you can help by collecting signatures or by signing the initiative petition online yourself. The first signature gathering training is Thursday, March 3. Questions? Contact Barbara Gundle.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG

Weekend In Quest 2022

How the Soviet Jew Was Made: Literature, Culture, Humor

with scholar-in-residence Sasha Senderovich
March 5-6, 2022 | Registration $18 per household

Now open for registration, the program will be presented virtually, in Zoom format, over the course of two days, honoring the program’s roots as a Shabbaton Study Weekend.

Lectures include:

• Hammer and Pickle, How Soviet Jews Joked - And Were Joked About
• Rooted and Rootless: History, Memory and Cultural Mythology
• Scenes of Encounter: How American Jews Imagined Soviet Jews — and Vice Versa

See more about our program at the Jewish Review.

Havdalah service will be led by Cantor Barbara Slader.

This is the second year Weekend in Quest is held under the auspices of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. The program was arranged by the Weekend in Quest planning committee, chaired by Mimi Epstein.

Detailed Information and Registration | Questions? Email Gail Mandel.

Reconstructing Judaism

Reconstructing Judaism Convention

March 23-27, 2022 in Washington, DC, and Online

We will come together, both in person and virtually, from March 23 to 27, for B'Yachad: Reconstructing Judaism Together in the Washington, D.C. metro area. During the convention, we will learn from and with experts, scholars and lay leaders. We will engage in conversations, ask questions, and listen. We will pray together, sing together, dance together, and celebrate all that we do every day in our communities to reconstruct Judaism.

Our convention will take place in the versatile spaces of the beautiful Hilton McLean Tysons Corner hotel, located in the Chesapeake region. The hotel is five minutes from the Metro Silver Line, putting D.C. destinations within reach. A free shuttle stops at Tysons Galleria and other locations within a mile. Reserve a hotel room for our convention at a special rate. Learn more. 

Special Trip to Israel with Reconstructionist Congregations
April 24 to May 6, 2022
Join travelers from other Reconstructionist congregations on this Israel trip geared towards people who want a thorough first introduction to Israel and its complexities. The trip is organized in conjunction with Regarding Israel, a dynamic and reputable tour company, and will introduce participants to key sites and important themes connected to Israeli civil society and conflict and co-existence that will allow people to gain a deeper understanding of some of the key issues affecting Israelis today. Participants must have received their booster shot by March 15. More details and itinerary coming soon. More info here.

Community Happenings

National Discussions About Israel/Palestine
Ongoing – RSVP Offsite
The Havurah Israel/Palestine Committee is encouraging Havurah members to register for and attend all or some of the nine 1½ hour national sessions of Reconstructionists Expanding Our Conversation about Israel/Palestine being offered by Reconstructionist rabbis with a range of perspectives.

Resources

COVID-19 Vaccines & Assistance
Congregation Neveh Shalom COVID-19 Outreach and Services (CNSCOS) provides information about the pandemic, testing, and vaccines, and helps 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. Contact cnscos@nevehshalom.org or call (971) 990-5652.

How can we support each other during the pandemic?
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 questions or concerns  they have wondered about. Please send your questions to transparency@havurahshalom.org. We will anonymously answer your question in Hakol. Everyone in our community benefits from this clarity!

Havurah Zoom Rooms

Room Aleph
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 604560503 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 604560503.
 
Room Bet
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 291215092 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 291215092.
 
Room Gimel
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 502586440 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 502586440.

Room Dalet
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 472484392 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 472484392.

Room Heh
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 87852542099 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 87852542099.

To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.