COVID Management Team Update
Last week, the COVID Management Team announced a number of significant changes to our COVID Safety Guidelines. A stand-alone email was sent out to the entire community, and an article was linked to last week’s Hineinu. Here is a link to that communication.
One question we have received since sharing these updates is “Why is Havurah eliminating the testing and notification requirements in our COVID Safety rules?” We asked our medical and public health professionals to give us a full explanation of the rationale behind this change and you can read it here.
As always, the COVID Management Team is here to answer your questions and address your concerns. Please reach out to us by email at info@havurahshalom.org. Your email will be shared with the entire group and a member of the CMT will get back to you.
Shabbat Morning Service – Zoom Room Aleph Saturdays, 10 am
Check our online calendar for details.
Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation – Zoom Room Bet Tuesdays, 12 pm
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, or Nancy Becker.
Morning Minyan – Zoom Room Aleph & In Person Wednesdays, 8:30 am
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish.
IT'S A PURIM PARTY!!!– Zoom Room Aleph & In Person TONIGHT, Wednesday, March 16, 6:30-8:30 pm
We’ll dance, we’ll play, we’ll schmooze, we’ll be together. DJ Saulomite (Saul Korin) will set the party rocking. Pizza will be served in the courtyard at 6:30. RSVP required. (We want to order enough pizza!)
Havurah safety requirements apply,
except that Covid-protective masks are required.
One of the central mitzvot of Purim is matanot la’evyonim — gifts to those who are in need. This year at Havurah we will fulfill that mitzvah by collecting funds to aid Ukrainians in this dire time. HIAS is one organization working with partners on the ground in Ukraine providing humanitarian aid. Please consider bringing some cash or a check (made out to Havurah) to the Purim celebration to support this effort.
Book Group: The God of Small Things– Zoom Room Bet Tuesday, March 22, 7 pm The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is equal parts a perfectly paced mystery story, family saga, forbidden love story, and piercing political drama. Set in 1969 in Kerela, India, against a background of sexual, racial, and caste conflict that seethes around it like a threatening ocean, it centers on a dysfunctional family. Through the eyes of seven-year-old twins Esta and Rachel, we see the fragilities, contradictions, pettiness, and cruelty of the adult world. Discussion led by David Newman.
Lev Tahor Chanting Circle– Zoom Room Aleph & In Person Tuesday, March 29, 7 pm
We’ll gather in community for an evening of contemplative practice, chanting interspersed with silence, guided by teachings from the tradition. Everyone is welcome. While we will still be on Zoom for those who wish, we will also gather in the sanctuary. Facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin. If you are interested in being present in person, please contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org.
AlteRockers Happy Hour – Zoom Room Heh Thursday, March 31, 4:30 pm
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes the last Thursday of the month!
Basic Hebrew Conversation– In Person Thursday, March 31, 7 pm (and the following four Thursdays)
Let's have a party in Hebrew! We will spend five classes learning and practicing our conversational Hebrew while planning a party. And for the last class, we will hold a party and celebrate together. Hebrew level required: Basic reading and writing (can read and write single words and short sentences), and a vocabulary of about 50 words or more. (If you're unsure, try to list the words you know including colors, simple phrases, food, animals, and some verbs.) Taught by Racheli Ross.Class will meet in person at Havurah Shalom, Covid conditions permitting. Register here.
Discovering Shabbat Morning: Learner's Minyan– In Person Saturday, April 2, 10 am
Rabbi Benjamin will lead this upbeat, interactive service focusing on the structure, key themes, and prayers of the morning service, especially for families with youth in Grades 5-6. All those hoping to become B’nei Mitzvah at Havurah are expected to attend. This is a Shabbat School and Hebrew class day. Talia Stein (Grade 6) and Hannah Treuhaft (Grade 5) are coordinating informal activities for those students staying around between the service and afternoon classes. Please include names of parent(s) and children attending in the notes box when you RSVP.
Tot Shabbat– Zoom Room Bet Saturday, April 2, 10:30 am
Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. RSVP here.
The Song Circle– In Person Monday, April 4, 7:30 pm, Havurah Shalom
The Song Circle is based on a program designed by Joey Weisenberg and the Rising Song Institute focusing on communal songs and niggunim, wordless melodies. The group meets on the first Monday of the month (through June) and is open to all who wish to learn, share music, and grow their personal leadership techniques. The Rising Song program is a guided self-study using a library of Joey’s music videos, written materials, and short instructional videos. Access to the library costs $18/month per person, but cost should not be a deterrent as limited subsidies will be available. Questions? Contact Ken Lerner.
Kabbalat Shabbat – In Person & Zoom Room Aleph Friday, April 8, 6:30 pm
A family-friendly oneg followed by a spirited, all-ages service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians. All are welcome!
Whose B'nei Mitzvah Is It Anyway?– In Person Saturday, April 9, 3:10-4:35 pm
Like any life-cycle ceremony, B’nei Mitzvah come to be about much more than the stated purpose – marking a passage of a child coming of age. What are some of the important explicit – and sometimes hidden – factors, choices, and messages? This workshop is not about logistics or expectations: it is about the meaning(s) of B'nei Mitzvah and its power as a rite of passage for the whole family. Together we will explore the hopes and fears that inspire, inform, and complicate the preparation and planning process. This frank and nonjudgmental workshop is about the big questions and how they impact the concrete decisions that parents and youth are called upon to make. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director, and Laura Orgel, Child & Family Therapist. RSVP here.
Literature & Trauma Class – Zoom Room Bet Monday, April 18, 7 pm (and the following five Mondays)
The ways that we respond, survive or, succumb to trauma are as varied as the individuals that experience it. Together we will delve into three novels that ponder the human response to severe trauma: Sophie’s Choice by William Styron, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. We will pay attention to the historical context of each novel and look at the interplay between personal and collective trauma. We will look at how particular aspects of language allow characters to minimize, assuage, confront, or transform trauma’s impact. We’ll consider some classic and more contemporary theories of trauma and how they do or don’t apply to elements in the books. This six-session class begins on April 18. Class size limited to 12. Register here.
Tikkun Olam Updates
Passover Recipe Collection
The Tikkun Olam Passover Planning Committee is putting together a recipe box to give our seders some new flavors, and we need your help! If you have favorite Passover recipes– old family favorites, new variations on an old theme, or simply meaningful recipes for the season, please share them with us here. Please share your recipes with us by March 25so we can include them in the finished recipe collection that will be made available to the entire community. – Beka Feathers
Seeking Seder Hosts
Continuing the biblical and congregational tradition of welcoming the stranger, the Tikkun Olam Passover Planning Committee is looking for Seder hosts. If you can open your home either virtually or in person, please contact me. (Contact information is in the membership directory.) Please let us know what you are considering, such as which day? How many? Child-friendly? Zoomed? As well as any other specifics. The committee will have some fresh resources and other Seder supports ready next month. – Adele Thompson
Order Passover Chocolate – Support T’ruah The turmoil in the world today is a reminder of why we must continue to celebrate the liberation from Egypt on Passover year after year: So many people are still not free, including the people who grow our food while facing unsafe and unfair working conditions. That’s why T'ruah is delighted to be partnering with Equal Exchange to sell fairly traded, kosher-for-Passover chocolate that allows us to celebrate our freedom without relying on the slave and child labor endemic in the cocoa supply chain. When you order any combination of products from Equal Exchange from March 1 to April 15, 10% of your purchase will be donated to T'ruah. Use this code when you check out: PESACH22. Order here.
What is MACG? Orientations (Both orientation options are identical.) Wednesday, March 23, 4 pm– Register here. Monday, March 28, 7 pm– Register here.
Havurah is a member of the Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good (MACG). Many of the ways we do things at Havurah come from their organizing model. We have many members for whom this orientation would be helpful. These two orientations will answer these questions: What is MACG? What is institutional organizing? How does it strengthen my institution? How does it reduce isolation and build connection? How does it lessen polarization and strengthen the center? How does being part of MACG lead to real positive changes in the public arena? Questions? Contact Bob Brown.
Seven Doors: Stories of Immigration Detention Thursday-Saturday, March 24-26, Zidell Yards, 3121 S Moody Ave
A pop-up exhibition installed in a 26-foot-long truck, Seven Doors is a long-term documentary photography and storytelling project by award-winning photographer Greg Constantine. It exposes the impact and trauma of immigration detention and shows how such detention practices are used as a central component of immigration and asylum policy in the U.S. and other countries. Promoted by Havurah's Sanctuary Committee. Learn more here.
News from the Streets
Our national blood supply is at an all-time shortage. Ill individuals are not receiving essential quantities. Please consider donating to Red Cross. If interested in being a part of a Havurah Blood Drive in the Spring, date TBD, contact Gloria Halper.
Gratitude and Presence: An Omer Shabbat Retreat Friday to Sunday, May 20-22, In Person & Online Friday In this three-day Jewish meditation retreat with Rabbis Yael Levy, Benjamin Barnett, and Joshua Boettiger, we will travel deeply into gratitude and presence. Guided by teachings, we will practice sitting and walking meditation, heart-full prayer, and spend a Shabbat together. The retreat begins at 8 am PT, Friday, May 20, and ends at 11 am PT, Sunday, May 22. Questions? Contact Rabbi Benjamin. Details and registration here.
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.
B'nei Mitzvah Committee Seeking New Members
Have you had children go through the B’nei Mitzvah journey? Are you interested in collaborating with others to help future B’nei Mitzvah families? The B'nei Mitzvah Committee is seeking 4 or 5 new members who can take on specific tasks and help carry the work of the committee forward as longtime members step away, as the congregation continues to grow, and as Covid continues to shape the way we gather to celebrate this significant rite of passage. We invite you to complete this Committee Interest Form by March 31, 2022. Questions? Contact Amanda Coffey, Committee Chair.
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
To see our full Zoom room instructions, click here. Member sign-in required.
(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.
(ZM) Israel-Palestine Committee Monthly Planning Meeting Sunday, Aug 24th 7:00p to 8:30p Havurah members, you are welcome to join the Israel-Palestine Committee planning group. We meet monthly in Zoom Room Dalet (fourth Sundays, 7 pm to 8:30 pm). For Zoom Room info, visit havurahshalom.org/zoom (be sure you log in to your Havurah member account).
Daily Shofar Blast Monday, Aug 25th (All day) Hear the Sound of the Shofar each day of Elul (except Shabbat): Andrine, Diane & Howard (& sometimes Dominic & Wesley) help prepare us for Rosh Hashanah with shofar, deep thoughts, and a touch of kavanah (intention). Videos will be posted daily on Havurah's YouTube and Facebook pages.
