Hineinu, April 6, 2022

A Message From Our Anti-Racism and Belonging Consultants

Dear Havurah Members,

As was mentioned in the April Hakol (page 3) and will be described in a standalone email tomorrow, we invite you to embark with us on gaining a better understanding of how anti-racism and belonging shows up within the Havurah community through small group conversations. The groups are structured by self-selected shared identity. Great intention has been taken to find dates and times that are convenient for each group. If you are not able to join your desired group, please let us know here and we will follow up. 

Please see dates and times for the conversation groups in the PDF file linked below and self-select for the group that most closely matches your identity. You’ll notice that not all the RSVP links are open right now. The RSVP link for each group will be live on the website calendar about six weeks before the group will be held. You will have future opportunities to select the group which best matches your identity. We will have more notices in Hineinu and Hakol as well.

Thank you,
Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs and Adam St. Bernard Jacobs

Upcoming Classes & Events

Please follow our safety requirements at all in-person gatherings.

Weekly Happenings ...

Shabbat Morning Service – Zoom Room Aleph & In Person
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.

Kabbalat Shabbat – Zoom Room Aleph & In Person
Friday, April 8, 6:30 pm
A spirited, all-ages service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians. All are welcome! Door greeters are needed for 15-minute shifts ahead of and during the service. Please sign up here. Unfortunately we will not yet be able to include an oneg or dinner, but stay tuned – plans are in the works! 

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. The family has requested that people attending in person wear masks.

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 about the meaning(s) of B'nei Mitzvah and its power as a rite of passage for the whole family. We will explore the hopes and fears that inspire, inform, and complicate the preparation and planning process. 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's time for an in-person activity! We will meet at the Oregon Jewish Museum, 725 NW Davis St, for a private tour conducted by Havurah’s own Joan Weil, who serves as a docent there. The tour will take 60-90 minutes. 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) $5 will be collected from those who aren't museum members; 4) We may gather nearby after the tour; and 5) RSVPs to Ted Scheinman are required.

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 who experience it. 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. RSVP 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.

Office Closures
Friday, April 22, and Monday-Friday, April 25-29
Havurah's office will be closed for Passover on Friday, April 22, and for systems updates April 25-29.

Anti-Racism and Belonging Conversation for BIPOC Members – Zoom Room Bet
Sunday, April 24, 10 am
We invite you to embark with us on gaining a better understanding of how anti-racism and belonging show up within Havurah through this small group conversation. All conversation groups are structured by self-selected shared identity. Led by Havurah consultants Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs and Adam St. Bernard Jacobs. (See story at top of this Hineinu for more information.) RSVP here.

Earth Day Outing – In Person
Sunday, April 24, 10 am to Noon
Celebrate Earth Day with a leisurely outing at Smith and Bybee Lakes Wildlife Area, in Portland, to enjoy the woods, meadows, and spring flowers, and to look for woodland and water birds and other creatures. Join us for this family-friendly adventure. We will walk about one mile in, but you are welcome to finish your walk sooner. Binoculars and spotting scopes are welcome. Please RSVP for directions, carpool info, and the exact meeting place.

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 ask exactly who her family aided during the difficult years of the war. Discussion led by Sandy Bacharach. Learn more here.

Yom HaShoah Commemoration on Zoom
Wednesday, April 27, 7 pm
Join Havurah and four other west coast congregations for an evening to remember and honor those who were lost in the Holocaust. Special guest speaker will be Julie Kohner, a child of Holocaust survivors whose mother’s story was one of the first to be shared in the U.S. after the war. Julie is the founder of the organization Voices of the Generations, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the stories of Holocaust survivors. The program will also include prayers, songs, Mourner’s Kaddish, and other meaningful remembrances. A Zoom link to the event will be included in upcoming emails.

Tikkun Olam Updates & Passover Resources

Passover Resources from Tikkun Olam
Find Passover recipes (and/or submit your own), seder hosting opportunities, Haggadot, seder readings, and Passover songs on Page 7 of Hakol.

Matzo, Mitzvah, and Maror
The Pesach Planning Committee hopes to receive a few more offers to host Seder guests. Please consider doing this mitzvah, live or virtually. People looking for a Seder can call or email me to check on the current situation. Some hosts have mentioned Covid safety criteria. Be sure to check with your host. ***** Horseradish cuttings from our garden are available for your Seder plate. After Passover, you can plant them! – Adele Thompson

Help Support an Afghan Refugee Family
The Sanctuary Committee has received approval from the Steering Committee to support an Afghan refugee family being resettled here in Portland. This family's first need will be housing, and we are calling on the generosity of the Havurah community. If you or someone you know might be willing to donate housing or rent at a reduced rate, please contact the Afghan Family Support Group core team at the link below. Preference is for 2BR housing on the west side or Beaverton. Click here for more information about this project and more ways to help. – Michael Rice

Constructive Conversations about Race Workshop
Thursday - Saturday, April 21-23
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1624 NE Hancock
Havurah is a co-sponsor in bringing David Campt and Allison Mahaley of The Dialogue Company to Portland. The training will encourage and inspire people to have constructive conversations about race and give them the tools to do so. The Dialogue Company is committed to building the capacity of people, organizations, and communities to defuse racism by engaging in positive, inclusive dialogue through listening, storytelling, and compassion. For calendar and ticket prices, and to register, click here. Financial hardship should not be a barrier. Contact Kathy Gordon or Bob Brown for more information or if cost is a barrier to your participation.

News From the Streets: Poverty & Homelessness
Interfaith Alliance on Poverty's First Thursday Noon Meeting
Thursday, April 7, 12 noon
The topic: "Misappropriated or Stolen? Emanuel Legacy Property"
Click here to register for offsite Zoom meeting. Contact: Steve Rudman

Donations For The Common Good Project
Sunday, April 17, 12:30-4:30 pm, at Havurah
On April 17, canned food will be collected for The Common Good Project, feeding the homeless, a project supported by Tikkun Olam. Click here for a list of foods to bring.

News & Events From Our Tikkun Olam Partners

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

Havurah Announcements

Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner/Oneg Committee Needs Help!
Remember our sweet (pre-Covid) Kabbalat Shabbat services with dinner before and Oneg afterward? Plans are afoot for something a little different in the Fall. We'll start earlier, have a simple Oneg before our lovely musical services, and enjoy a relaxed dinner afterwards. We need new co-chairs, as our current ones are stepping back (but will be available for consultation and advice!). Please contact Rachel Shimshak if you are interested.

Jeff Gottfried Needs a Stem Cells Donor
Longtime Havurah member Jeff Gottfried needs a bone marrow transplant. Please urge anyone you know who is between 18 and 40 to sign up to be a donor. The transplant would be of blood stem cells, not bone marrow. This could be lifesaving for Jeff or any of the 18,000 people who need such transplants annually. Sign up here. Questions? Contact Marcia Danab.

Deadline for May Hakol
Friday, April 15
Please email Rachel Pollak or use this form to submit your articles and photos for the May Hakol.

Deadline for Havurah Book Group Suggestions
Friday, 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, please 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 your book is chosen, you will be expected to lead the discussion. Please send a 250-350 word description of your suggested book to David Newman by April 15.

Community Events

Cancer Support Group – Zoom (offsite)
Begins April 13, 11 am - 12 pm (and continues every 2nd Wed. of month)
Recognizing that community is important and cancer is lonely, Jewish Family & Child Service and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland have created a support group open to anyone with a cancer diagnosis. The group offers a safe space where people can be honest with one another and themselves – and where they are not taking care of others. There is no cost but registration is required. For questions or to register, contact Caitlin DeBoer, LCSW, at 971-400-3533 or cdeboer@jfcs-portland.org. More here.

Help Local Somali Family/Father Killed by Gun Violence
Donations Accepted Sunday, April 17, 1-4 pm, at Havurah
As you may have seen in local news, Shaani Mohamed, 39, was shot and killed on March 27 in NE Portland while driving for Uber. He leaves behind eight children, ages 7 months-18 years, and a wife. Mr. Mohamed immigrated here 20 years ago to escape violence in his home country. Donations are being collected to comfort this bereft family. Grief support items (books, stuffed animals, etc.) will also be purchased with monetary contributions. (Checks must be made to Kristine Munholland, not Havurah.) Donations can also be made through this GoFundMe site. Questions? Contact Kristine Munholland.

Walking Beside You: A Grief Processing Group – Zoom (offsite)
April 28; May 5, 12, 19, and 26; June 2, 9, 16; 11 am - 12 pm
Grief affects every part of our lives and can be a lonely road to travel. Jewish Family & Child Service and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland invite you to an 8-week grief processing group for adults. We will have the opportunity to share our own experiences with grief, connect with others, and learn strategies for moving through loss. There is no cost but registration is required. For questions or to register, contact Missy Fry at 503-226-7079 ext 133 or MissyFry@jfcs-portland.org. More here.

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@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.