Spring Garden Work Party – In Person
Sunday, April 3, 10 am
Semi-annual work party to prune and spruce up our shul landscaping, rain or shine. All are welcome. Please bring pruners and garden gloves if you can.
Using Israeli Flavors in Vegetable Dishes – Zoom Room Bet
Sunday, April 3, 2 pm
**This class will meet on Zoom only.**
As many of us tend to eat a vegetable-forward diet these days, the Jewish holiday question becomes: How do we celebrate Jewish cuisine while eliminating the meat? Spend an hour with Jenn Louis to expand your knowledge of vegetable dishes from Israel and the Diaspora. Class will be a combination of demonstration, lecture, and Q & A. Led by Jenn Louis. RSVP here.
The Song Circle – Zoom Room Dalet & In Person
Monday, April 4, 7:30 pm
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.
Israel/Palestine Meeting – Zoom Room Bet
Tuesday, April 5, 5 pm
We will discuss plans for future activities, including suggestions from the Film Working Group for possible films for us to discuss. All Havurah members are welcome to attend the meeting. RSVP here.
Kabbalat Shabbat – Zoom Room Aleph & In Person
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!
Bar Mitzvah of Julian Luker – Zoom Room Aleph & In Person
Saturday, April 9, 10 am
Please join us in welcoming Julian Luker as a bar mitzvah and member of our community.
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.
AlteRockers Tour of Oregon Jewish Museum – In Person
Wednesday, April 13, 1 pm
Now that Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted, it is time for our AlteRockers group to have an in-person activity! We will meet at the Oregon Jewish Museum (OJMCHE), 725 NW Davis St, for a private tour of the museum conducted by Havurah’s own Joan Weil, who serves as a docent there. The tour will take 60-90 minutes. A few details: 1) The tour is limited to 15 participants on a first come, first served basis, so RSVP ASAP; 2) You must show proof of Covid-19 vaccinations; 3) An admission fee of $5 per person will be collected at the museum from those who aren't museum members; 4) We may gather nearby after the tour for coffee/tea; 5) RSVPs to Ted Scheinman are required. (See member directory.)
Suggestions for Havurah Book Group Due by April 15
The time has come to choose the books we will read next year. If you've read a book that you would like to share, we hope you will consider submitting a suggestion to the Havurah Book Group. We read both fiction and non-fiction. Many of our books have Jewish authors or Jewish themes. However, we also read books that are chosen because their subjects interest the group. If you submit a suggestion and your book is chosen, the expectation is that you will lead the discussion. Along with your suggestion, please submit a short description of the book. Please keep descriptions between 250 and 350 words, and send your suggestions to David Newman before April 15.
Literature & Trauma Class – Zoom Room Bet & In Person
Begins Monday, April 18, 7 pm
(Classes also on April 25, May 9, May 16, May 30, June 13)
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. Learn more and register here.
Lev Tahor Chanting Circle – Zoom Room Bet & In Person
Thursday, April 21, 7 pm
Facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin. We’ll gather in community for an evening of contemplative practice, chanting interspersed with silence, guided by teachings from the tradition. Everyone is welcome.
Book Group: The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah – Zoom Room Bet
Tuesday, April 26, 7 pm
In The Lost Vintage, a woman returns to her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy and unexpectedly uncovers a lost diary, an unknown relative, and a secret her family has been keeping since World War II. As she learns more about her family, the line between Resistance and Collaboration blurs, driving Kate to find the answers to two crucial questions: Who, exactly, did her family aid during the difficult years of the war? And what happened to six valuable bottles of wine that seem to be missing from the cellar's collection? Discussion led by Sandy Bacharach. Learn more here.
