Hineinu, April 19, 2023

Havurah's Community-wide Survey Coming Soon

Havurah is about three months into our five-month Feasibility Study process for the Campaign for Havurah. The next step is a community-wide survey, which will be distributed in early May. We want to hear from all Havurahniks as we assess the feasibility of our upcoming Campaign for Havurah. This will be an opportunity to have your voice heard.

For more information about the survey, and background on the fundraising campaign, click here. If you have any questions about the survey or the feasibility study process, please contact Havurah Co-President, Loree Devery.

 

Yom HaShoah 5783/2023

(TO BE RESCHEDULED) An Afternoon with David Fuks: Short Stories from a Child of Holocaust Survivors
2 pm, Sunday, April 30 — Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
Havurah member David Fuks is an author, playwright and actor. He is also a Holocaust educator and was CEO of Cedar Sinai Park. Co-sponsored by Next Generation Group, David will share his short stories based on his experience being raised by survivors. See the flyer to learn more.  RSVP.

 

Two Havurahnik Poetry Events Happening This Weekend
at the Eastside Jewish Commons

The Eastside Jewish Commons is at 2420 NE Sandy Boulevard in Portland.
For each of these events, a sliding scale donation of $6-$18 per person is encouraged; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Both events are all ages.

Havdallah Cafe: Special Guest Poet Alicia Jo Rabins
7 pm, Saturday, April 22— Eastside Jewish Commons
The Eastside Jewish Commons warmly invites you to celebrate life, cafe-style with tea, coffee, games and live music. The April Havdallah Cafe at the EJC will feature live music from violinist and poet (and Havurah member) Alicia Jo Rabins. Alicia will also read some of her poetry. It's not a performance though—rather let the music be the background to a night of conversation, card games and backgammon. Read more and register to attend Saturday's event with Havurahnik Alicia Jo Rabins here (or here).

Poet Willa Schneberg at EJC with Donna Prinzmetal: Reading and Signing
3 pm reading (doors open at 2 pm), Sunday, April 23 — Eastside Jewish Commons
Havurah member and award-winning poet Willa Schneberg (founder and curator of OJMCHE's annual reading of "Oregon Jewish Voices”) will read from her new collection of poems relating to mental health, The Naked Room. These are poems of the unconscious, the dreamscape, the despondent, the unmoored, and the mortal. Willa’s new poetry collection is a true synthesis of her life as a psychotherapist and her life as a poet. Poet and psychotherapist Donna Prinzmetal will be the discussant followed by a Q&A from the audience. Read more and register to attend Sunday's event with Havurahnik Willa Schneberg here (or here).

 

 

 

Regular Happenings

Thank you for following our safety requirements at in-person gatherings. 

Zoom Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Dinner
Second Fridays, 6:00 - 8:30 PM, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome as we gather to bring in Shabbat.
These monthly celebrations are held on the second Friday, from October through May. A  light, pre-service oneg will be followed by a spirited, all-ages service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward for those who wish to stay. 
6 pm   Light Snack     
6:30    Service (Come to Havurah or join us remotely in Zoom Room Aleph.) 
7:30    Dinner (Click here to RSVP for the Friday, May 12 dinner.)

(Want to help out at the May 12 Kabbalat Shabbat? Volunteer shifts range from 15 to 90 minutes in length. Sign up to volunteer here.)

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays — Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly parsha, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. Join Havurah for a community-led study session of the weekly Torah reading at 9 am.

Shabbat Morning Service
10am, Saturdays, Zoom Room Alef & In Person
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Olive Colman & Avna Siegel-Lukin: April 29; Sarai Fairchld, May 6) are listed in the section below and on the website calendar.

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays — Havurah Shalom Library (to receive updates and changes, contact Leah Hershey to be put on the email list)
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. If you want to learn how to play, please contact Leah Hershey for teaching resources. If you are ready to join a game, please RSVP on the calendar.

Climate Action Team Meeting
5:30 pm, fourth Mondays — Zoom Room Gimel
Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom & Zoom Room Bet with some exceptions (check the calendar). The May 2 session will be in-person only at Havurah.
We gather to find moments of quiet and shalom in a welcoming space. Various styles of Jewish meditation are explored. No meditation experience necessary. All are welcome to drop in. Led by Rabbi Benjamin, Adela Basayne, Nancy Becker, or Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.

Steering Meeting
6:30 pm, second Tuesdays — Zoom Room Gimel
All members are welcome to attend. Presently on Zoom only.

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays, Zoom Room Aleph & In Person at Havurah
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish.

Upcoming Events

Garden Work Party at Havurah
2 pm, Thursday, April 20 – Havurah Shalom
Havurah Shalom's garden work party has been rescheduled to Thursday, April 20 from 2 pm to 4 pm…rain or shine! All members are welcome. Bring pruners, if you can, and good garden gloves.

Conversational Hebrew Through Song
7 pm, Thursdays, April 20 and 27; May 4, 11, and 18 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Gimel
Join us in learning beginner-level Hebrew through children’s and other simple songs. In class, we will practice the new vocabulary in games and conversations, and at home you’ll listen to a premade playlist to help you learn the words while singing along. Led by Racheli Ross. See more details (including Hebrew knowledge requirements) and RSVP.

Teen Laser Tag
3 pm, Sunday, April 23 – SuperPlay (9300 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway)
Havurah teens (6th to 12th grade; 11 to 18 years old)! Come join us for three rounds of Laser Tag at SuperPlay in Beaverton. Registration is required, as space is limited.

Electrify Everything & Everyone
3 pm, Sunday, April 23 – Havurah Shalom and Special Zoom Room
Learn how to have a healthier home, lower your utility bills and reduce carbon! You’ll hear about: how to electrify your home and your ride; the role of electric heat pumps for heating and cooling; the benefits of induction cooktops and electric ovens; newly-available incentives and rebates; electric vehicles; and community solar. Contact Michael Heumann for further information. RSVP.

Israeli-Palestinian Organized Event: Joint Memorial Ceremony
10:30 am Pacific Time, Monday, April 24 – Off-site Livestream (The Havurah Israel/Palestine Committee will hold a follow-up event on May 7.)
The Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony will be live-streamed from Israel. The recording will be available soon thereafter. The Ceremony, organized by Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum, is the largest Israeli-Palestinian jointly organized peace event. Learn more and register to watch the live-stream or recorded Ceremony. Questions? Contact Elinor Gollay.

Book Group: The Hundred Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khaladi
7 pm, Tuesday, April 25 – Havurah Shalom & Zoom Room Bet
Drawing on a wealth of untapped archival materials and the reports of generations of family members, Khalidi traces a hundred years of colonial war on the Palestinians, waged first by the Zionist movement and then Israel, but backed by Britain and the United States, the great powers of the age. Discussion led by Stacy Hankin. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Havurah MusicMakers Collective - Gathering & Jam
7 pm, Tuesday, April 25 – Havurah Shalom Sanctuary
Gather with fellow Havurah MusicMakers for a meet-and-greet and Jewish and folk music jam session. Songs to be announced and chords sheets provided to those who RSVP. Questions? Contact Sacha Reich.

Banot Mitzvah of Olive Colman & Avna Siegel-Lukin
10 am, Saturday, April 29 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Olive Colman and Avna Siegel-Lukin as banot mitzvah and members of our community.

Parenting Huddle: 'Whose B'nei Mitzvah Is It Anyway?'
3:10 pm, Saturday, April 29 – Havurah Shalom
Parenting Huddle - Concepts, Conundrums, and Conversations about Parenting in Jewish Families; explore real-life questions that we face as parents, with some guidance from our Jewish texts and values, and each other. The April 29 huddle is Mindful Jewish Parenting, with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and Laura Orgel. RSVP.
 

An Afternoon with David Fuks: Short Stories from a Child of Holocaust Survivors
2 pm, Sunday, April 30 — Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
Havurah member David Fuks is an author, playwright and actor. He is also a Holocaust educator and was CEO of Cedar Sinai Park. Co-sponsored by Next Generation Group, David will share his short stories based on his experience being raised by survivors. RSVP.

 

Havurah Shalom Climate Book Group: A Better Catastrophe
5 pm, first and third Mondays, April 17 (held at a different time); May 1 and 15; June 5 and 19; and July 3 — Zoom Room Bet
Please join the Havurah Climate Action Team for ongoing discussion of how to face the climate crisis. We will read "I Want a Better Catastrophe, Navigating the Climate Crisis with Grief, Hope, and Gallows Humor," by Andrew Boyd. Through interviews with prominent climate scientists, indigenous teachers, and sociologists, Andrew Boyd takes us through the process of looking squarely at the crisis we are in, feeling our emotions, and using them to power our response to the climate crisis. Discussions will follow the book. One need not attend all the discussions. For questions, reach out to Michael Heumann or Harriet Cooke. RSVP for updates; registration open to members and non-members. (The upcoming May 1 session will cover Chapter 2.)

B'nei Mitzvah Event Planning 101
7 pm, Thursday, May 5 – Havurah Shalom
The B'nei Mitzvah event planning process will be broken into manageable steps. Led by Chari Smith.

Bat Mitzvah of Sarai Fairchild
10 am, Saturday, May 6 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Sarai Fairchild as a bat mitzvah and member of our community.

Outside the Frame at Havurah
3 pm, Sunday, May 7 – Havurah Shalom
Havurah's Poverty and Homelessness Committee is hosting a program featuring the nonprofit Outside the Frame. For the past seven years, Outside the Frame has trained over 100 homeless and marginalized youth “to be directors of their own films and lives.” Their films have screened in various Portland venues. In 2018 they received the Best New Nonprofit in Portland Award. Founder and Executive Director Nili Yoshi, originally from Tel Aviv, may be known to some of you as a former teacher in Havurah’s high school program. For her work with Outside the Frame, Nili received OMPA’s Commitment to Good Award. Nili and a few of the youth she works with will join us to discuss their projects and discuss houselessness in Portland. Questions? Contact Sue Danielson and Marcia Suttenberg. Click here to RSVP.

Havurah Israel/Palestine Committee Discussion of the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony
7 pm, Sunday, May 7 – Havurah Shalom Sanctuary and Zoom Room Bet
This May 7 meeting is a follow-up to the Joint Memorial Ceremony, the largest Israeli-Palestinian jointly organized peace event. On May 7, both over Zoom and in-person at Havurah, we will solicit reactions, including exploring the importance of a joint Israeli-Palestinian event that acknowledges the pain both peoples have experienced while also recognizing the enormous power differential that exists between the Jews and Palestinians in Israel. We will discuss what activities, if any, people would like the Israel/Palestine Committee to undertake next in response to the Joint Ceremony. (We urge those who want to participate on May 7 to either to watch the livestream of the Joint Memorial at 10:30 am on April 24, 2023 or to watch the recording. To do either, go here: afcfp.org/memorial.) Questions? Contact Elinor Gollay. Click here to RSVP for the May 7 Havurah follow-up discussion event.

Taking Action Lunch Brunch
12 pm, Sunday, May 8 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Heh
Do you get emails asking you to contact your elected official, but don’t find the few minutes it takes to call or email them? Looking to connect with other Havurahniks? We have the solution. Together, by Zoom or at Havurah, we’ll eat lunch, chat, and spend a few minutes taking our political action. From climate change to social justice, we’ll have info on who to call or write. Bring your suggestions too. RSVP.

Reparations Class Postponed until Fall 2023
The Racial Justice Committee has decided that due to conflicts with spring activities, the Reparations Class is being postponed until the fall. We hope you will consider joining us then for this five-part class to learn about racial injustice, the need for repair, and models for how reparations have taken place, both in this country, and abroad.  We examine the issue through a Jewish lens as well. Questions? Contact Kathy Gordon.

 

Tikkun Olam

Interfaith Advocacy Day
9 am to 4 pm, Wednesday, May 10 – in-person at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Salem, Oregon
Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is once again organizing an in-person interfaith lobby day that supports the Tikkun Olam values we hold dear. Exploring the matters of climate and the environment; criminal justice reform and gun violence prevention; healthcare; housing and homelessness; hunger; and immigration and refugees, we'll engage with the issues, learn about proposed legislation, and meet with our legislators.

Register online at emoregon.org/event/advocacy2023. Fee $20 (or $10 for students); fee-waived scholarships rate also available. Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon asks that registrations for this event be submitted by April 28.

Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW March-April Newsletter
Read the latest Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW newsletter.

Vote for Eviction Protections
On May 16, Multnomah County voters will vote on Measure 26-238. The ballot measure provides attorneys at no cost for anyone facing eviction. The measure is funded by an adjustable 0.75% capital gains tax that should only impact the wealthiest in our community. It has been endorsed by Havurah’s Poverty & Homelessness Committee, as well as several other faith communities.

News & Events From Our Tikkun Olam Partners

Path Home (formerly PHFS): volunteer for our monthly PHFS dinner | Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG | Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​ | Rose Haven

Community

The Intersection between White Supremacy and Antisemitism: An Online Panel Discussion
5:30 pm, Wednesday, May 10 - Online, register for log-in info
The Racial Justice Working Group of the Episcopal Church in Western Oregon is sponsoring a panel discussion: The Intersection between White Supremacy and Antisemitism. Two of the presenters are Jewish leaders from Portland. Find details on this event and instructions for registering in  this flyer. You can also register directly through this registration link. Contact Kathy Gordon with any questions.

 

Awake in the Midst of Life: A Life Integration Virtual Retreat

May 14-19 — Off-site Zoom (Or HaLev retreat event)
Designed to integrate practice into our everyday lives, Rabbi Benjamin will co-facilitate this virtual retreat with colleagues Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels and Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz. While the retreat will run continuously, allowing a full immersive experience for those able, each participant is invited to choose which parts of the retreat to join, tuning in when able and otherwise attending to other aspects of their lives. Find more details from Or HaLev here. If you have questions about this event, reach out to Rabbi Benjamin.

 

 

Resources

Do You Need Support?
If you are facing emotional, financial, or health challenges and would welcome support, please consider contacting the (a) Bikkur Holim (Visiting the Sick) Committee for spiritual support, (b) Lotsa Helping Hands for help with food, transportation, or other errands, or (c) Rabbi Benjamin, for spiritual and moral support – benjamin@havurahshalom.org or 503-248-4662 ext. 3. If you're interested in being on a list of people who support others in concrete ways, such as grocery shopping or running other errands, please contact Lotsa Helping Hands. To request that the name of a relative or Havurah member be read during the Misheberach (healing prayer) at Shabbat services, please use this Misheberach Request Form.

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.

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