These and other resources are available on the Havurah website under Holidays/Pesach. Please check out the Tikkun Olam cluster on our website for more information about each committee and who to contact for more information. All the committees welcome and encourage participation from the community. There are many ways to be involved and contribute to our work for social justice.
We hope that you have a meaningful Passover this year.
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.
IN THE COMING WEEKS ...
Office Closures Friday, April 15 & Monday-Friday, April 18-22
Havurah’s office will be closed for Passover this Friday, April 15, and next Friday, April 22. The office will also be closed next week, April 18 to 21, for systems updates, during which staff will be focusing on the administrative systems that make Havurah run smoothly. Your patience with email response times next week is appreciated.
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)
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.
Early Deadline for Hineinu Thursday, April 21, 5 pm
Communications Manager Teri Ruch will be away the week of April 25-29. Please submit your Hineinu posts by 5 pm on Thursday, April 21 so she can prepare the April 27 Hineinu in advance. Thank you!
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. 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. We will enjoy the woods, meadows, and spring flowers, and look for woodland and water birds. Join us for this family-friendly adventure. We will walk about one mile in, but you are welcome to finish your walk sooner. RSVP here.
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.
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 Voices of the Generations founder 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. 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.
AlteRocker Happy Hour– Zoom Room Heh Thursday, April 28, 4:30 pm
Come schmooze with us. And mark your calendars for monthly schmoozes – the last Thursday of the month!
Mah Jongg Group Meeting– In Person Sunday, May 1, 1 pm
At this first meeting in person at Havurah since the pandemic began, we will get acquainted and settle on a tentative schedule. Experienced players and people new to the game are welcome. If you have questions or would like to be added to the email list, please contact Leah Hershey.
The Song Circle– Zoom Room Dalet & In Person Monday, May 2, 7:30 pm
The Song Circle meets on the first Monday of the month and is open to all who wish to learn, share music, and grow their leadership skills. Based on Joey Weisenberg and the Rising Song Institute's program, it involves guided self-study of communal songs and niggunim using Joey’s videos and written materials. Access to Joey's library costs $18/month per person, but limited subsidies are available. Contact: Ken Lerner
Tikkun Olam Updates
News From the Streets: Poverty & Homelessness Committee RESCHEDULING for Canned Food Donations/For The Common Good
Canned food donations were originally scheduled for April 17. A new date TBD will be posted in Hineinu with food list. Contact: Gloria Halper
Constructive Conversations about Race Workshop Thursday-Saturday, April 21-23, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Havurah is co-sponsoring this workshop by The Dialogue Company, whose goal is to provide the inspiration and tools to have conversations about race. Learn more on this flier and click here for a calendar of events, pricing, and registration. Financial hardship should not be a barrier to participating. For more information or to ask about financial assistance, contact Kathy Gordon or Bob Brown.
Chase Bank: Stop Funding Fossil Fuels! Passover Action Friday, April 22, 12 pm, Chase Bank, 811 SW Sixth Ave This Passover we will work to free ourselves from the destruction of the fossil fuel economy and create a world where everyone can thrive. Joining Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, we will proclaim today's fossil-fueled plagues and lift matzah as a symbol of urgency, calling on Chase Bank, which invests in oil, gas, and coal companies, to move its dough. Promoted by Havurah's Climate Action Committee. Contact: Judi Soloway.RSVP here.
"Youth v Gov" Discussion – Offsite Webinar Wednesday, April 27, 4:30 pm
Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) will host a webinar with filmmaker Christi Cooper and two youth plaintiffs from the film "Youth v Gov" – Nathan Baring, a Quaker, and Miko Vergun, who is Jewish. The film traces the lawsuit filed by a Eugene-based group, Our Children's Trust, and is the featured film of IPL's Faith Climate Action Week, April 22-May 1. Promoted by Havurah's Climate Action Committee. Register here.
Jenn Louis's Presentation on Israeli Flavors
On Sunday, April 3, Jenn Louis gave a presentation on Zoom titled: Using Israeli Flavors in Vegetable Dishes. Click here if you wish to review the recipes or to watch the presentation.
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.
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!
Community News
Help Local Somali Family/Father Killed by Gun Violence Donations Accepted Sunday, April 17, 1-4 pm, at Havurah
Shaani Mohamed, 39, was killed in March while driving for Uber, leaving behind eight children and a wife. He immigrated here 20 years ago to escape violence in his home country. Donations are being collected for his family, and grief support books and stuffed animals will be purchased with monetary contributions. (Checks must be made to Kristine Munholland.) Donations can also be made through GoFundMe. 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
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, email MissyFry@jfcs-portland.org. Learn more here.
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 hereto 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.
(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.
