Hineinu, May 24, 2023

Celebrate the start of Shavuot with all-night learning and lots of cheesecake!
(You don't actually have to stay all night, and cheesecake is just part of it.)

Havurahniks: We hope to have many people come for Tikkun Leyl Shavuot. We need more desserts and helpers. Please sign up!
 

Thursday, May 25, 2023
7 pm to 8 pm: Dessert Potluck (at Havurah Shalom)
8 pm and on: Learning/Tikkun Leyl Shavuot - Learn with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and others (at Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Aleph)

Click here to sign up for this Havurah Shalom Tikkun Leyl Shavuot event.
 

On Saturday, May 27—the second day of Shavuot—there will be:
 

• a joint, multi-synagogue Shavuot Torah study at 9am (at Havurah and through a special May 27 Torah study Zoom login) and
   
• a Shavuot Shabbat Morning Service at 10am that will include Hallel and Yizkor.

Havurah Staff Holidays/Office Closures:
Friday, May 26 (First Day of Shavuot) and Monday, May 29 (Memorial Day)

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.

On May 27, there will be a special Weekly Torah Study and Shabbat Morning Service for Shavuot.
On May 29, Mahjong Group is cancelled for Memorial Day. 
On June 6, Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation will only take place in person at Havurah.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays (Usually: Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet; on May 27: Havurah Shalom and an offsite Zoom)
An in-depth look at the weekly parsha; no prior knowledge or study is necessary.
(On May 27, the usual weekly Torah study will be replaced by a joint, multi-synagogue Torah study for Shavuot led by Havurah's Emily Simon. May 27 Torah Study Zoom login and event info.)

Shabbat Morning Service
10 am, Saturdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services. Upcoming b'nei mitzvah (Shoshana Eisner, June 10) are listed in the website calendar. (On May 27, we will mark Shavuot in prayer, and the service will include Hallel and Yizkor.)

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. (The May 29 mahjong meet-up is cancelled for Memorial Day.)

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays, Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet, with some exceptions (check the calendar).
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. (On June 6, Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation will only take place in person at Havurah.)

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

Tikkun Leyl Shavuot
7pm until late, Thursday, May 25 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Celebrate the start of Shavuot with all-night learning and lots of cheesecake!

• 7 pm to 8 pm: Dessert Potluck (at Havurah Shalom)
• 8 pm and on: Learning/Tikkun Leyl Shavuot - Learn with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and others 
  (at Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Aleph)

Please also sign up to bring a Shavuot dessert and help out during this event, if you can. RSVP for the event. Sign up to bring dessert. Sign up to help out.

Shavuot Joint Torah Study
9 am, Saturday, May 27 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom (see special Zoom login instructions)
Havurah's Emily Simon will be leading a special Shabbat morning Joint Torah Study for Shavuot with Temple Emek Shalom in Ashland, Oregon and Temple Sholom in Monticello, New York. Open to members and non-members alike. Click for details and the special Zoom login for this event. Questions? Contact Diane Chaplin or Emily Simon.

***

Racial Justice Committee Movie Discussion: Judas and the Black Messiah
6:30 pm, Sunday, June 4 – Zoom Room Bet
Please join the Racial Justice Committee for a discussion of the movie Judas and the Black Messiah. (Please watch the film ahead of time; it's available on several platforms.) This is the second film in a series to commemorate Juneteenth. In the film, an FBI informant infiltrates the Black Panthers to keep tabs on its charismatic leader, Fred Hampton. Critics describe the movie as a offering insight into a man and a movement that has been overlooked far too long. Although it takes place in the late '60s, the movie is, unfortunately, very relevant today. Questions? Contact Kathy Gordon. RSVP.

Teen Engagement Committee Meeting
7 pm, Tuesday, June 6 – Zoom Room Heh
The Teen Engagement Committee works to encourage the continued involvement of our post B’nei Mitzvah youth members. Questions? Contact Andy Waxman.

Monthly Racial Justice Committee Meeting
7 pm, Thursday, June 8 (second Thursday of the month) – Zoom Room Bet
Join the Racial Justice Committee monthly meeting to hear what we have been up to and learn how you can be involved. Questions? Contact Julia Lager-Mesulam.

Bat Mitzvah of Shoshana Eisner
10 am, Saturday, June 10 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us in welcoming Shoshana Eisner as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community. 

Havurah Annual Congregational Meeting
10 am, Sunday, June 11 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Save the date. More information on Havurah's Annual Congregational Meeting will be emailed to Havurah members in the lead-up to the event.

Taking Action Lunch Bunch
12 pm to 1 pm, Monday, June 12 – Zoom Room Heh (Note: June 12 Taking Action Lunch Bunch changed to Zoom-only.)
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, 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. Questions? Contact Elianne Lieberman. RSVP.

Steering Committee Meeting
6:30 pm, Tuesday, June 13 – Zoom Room Gimel
Havurah Shalom's Steering Committee will meet. All Havurah members are welcome to attend.

Grief Group
5:30 pm, Wednesdays from June 14 to July 26 – Zoom Room Gimel
The Havurah Ma’avar Committee is offering a seven-session grief process-support group for Havurah members. Chaplain Candi Wuhrman will facilitate the group with a focus on the dying experience, the impact of the relationship, the things unsaid, making peace within ourselves, and continuing the relationship after death. This is open to Havurah members at any stage and with any type of grief. It will be limited to eight to ten participants. Questions? Contact Chaplain Candi Wuhrman. RSVP.

Havurah Music Makers Jam Session 
7 pm, Wednesday, June 14 – Havurah Shalom Sanctuary 
Gather with fellow Havurah Music Makers for a Jewish and folk music jam session. Questions? Contact Julie Walcer. RSVP.
 

Havurah's Music Makers gather for a jam session.

Tikkun Olam

What We Can Harvest Together: Read the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice Shavuot Newsletter
Help JCIJ celebrate our new nonprofit status, learn of latest legislative wins, and read about other ways to engage in immigrant justice actions.
(Click to read the May 2023 newsletter.)

First Thursday Meeting: Interfaith Alliance on Poverty
12 pm to 1:30 pm, Thursday, June 1 – Great Hall of Westminster Presbyterian Church (1624 NE Hancock Street, Portland, Oregon)
This is the first in-person meeting of the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty since Covid. We will meet to share hopes, views and strategies. Light snacks will be provided. Masks optional. (Click here to register. Learn more about the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty.) If you have questions for Havurah's Tikkun Olam Cluster about this event, email Havurah's liason, Sue Abrams.

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 ​​​​​​​

Out in the Community

Havurahnik Sacha Reich to be Honored on Sunday, June 4 at Jewish Women's Round Table Brunch
See brunch reservation form for event info
Join in honoring Havurahnik Sacha Reich and other outstanding Oregon Jewish women volunteers at the 2023 Song of Miriam Brunch, sponsored by Jewish Women's Round Table. 

If you would like to attend the brunch, print out this brunch reservation form, fill it out, make your check out to JWRT (Jewish Women's Round Table), and mail your check and the form to Jerrie Roth's address, as specified in the form. Special children's ticket pricing applies.

Mah Jongg Madness Brunch and Tournament
11 am - 4 pm, Sunday, June 4 – Congregation Neveh Shalom (2900 Peaceful Lane, Portland, Oregon)
Please join in for a fun-filled day of mah jongg and friendship. Sponsored by Neveh Shalom Sisterhood. Experienced and new players are welcome (not a teaching event though). Register by Friday, May 26. Cost to attend is $36. Learn more and register.

Music for the Jewish Soul: A Klezmer, Sephardic, and Eastern European Musical Gala
6:30 pm, Sunday, June 4 – Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon)
This fancy musical gala is a fundraiser for P'nai Or of Portland, a Jewish Renewal community. Music by Michelle Alany and The Mystics, plus special guest Eric Stern. P'nai Or asks that you wear fancy/dressy clothes. The gala will include appetizers, drinks, a silent auction, dancing, and schmoozing. To learn more and purchase tickets for this event, click here.

Jewish Community Orchestra Season Finale
3 pm to 5 pm (ticket counter opens at 2:15 pm), Sunday, June 11 – Mittleman Jewish Community Center (6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon)
This season finale concert is particularly special because the orchestra will be playing the world premiere of a new piece by Frederick Naftel, a living Jewish composer who resides in the U.K. Tickets are available at the door starting at 2:15 pm on June 11. There is special ticket pricing for students and senior citizens. Check out the flyer and event page.

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.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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