Community News, July 6
 Remembering Elie Wiesel, Taking a Deep Breath, Our Winning Team
UPCOMING SHABBAT Bat Mitzvah of Elena Kirschner Elena Kirschner, daughter of Carrie and Mitchell Kirschner, will be called to the Torah this Saturday. Please join us as we celebrate with Elena and her family, and welcome her to our community. Mazel Tov!
ELIE WIESEL OF BLESSED MEMORY by Rabbi Joey Elie Wiesel, the voice from the wilderness, is no longer. His heckling of Divine Providence is now a memory like those who were silenced before him. A couple of days ago, I read the account of a teacher of mine at JTS, who explained that it was my friend Levi Weiman-Kelman’s father who brought Wiesel out of the shadows in the early 1960s. As the head of the Conservative Movement, Wolfe Kelman arranged for this yet unknown European fledgling journalist to speak to a group of rabbis, and he spun the story of Buchenwald. They had never heard anything told the way he told it. Later on, my friend would report to me in the early 1970s that "Elie was at the table on Shabbes." Like an uncle, he spoke of him – but an uncle from a distant planet, because who can say that a survivor breathes the same air we do or can even chuckle at an offhand joke? Still, he was in his own strange way a comforting presence in the household. Read the complete story here on our website. Above photo of Elie Wiesel receiving the Nobel Prize was taken by Bjoem Sigurdsoen, NTB/AP. PORTLAND THORNS ARE FIRED UP! - WATCH THEM WIN JULY 30 The Portland Thorns are Fired Up! They've won all 12 games they’ve played this season, and they’re at the top of the National Women's Soccer League. On July 30, a sold-out crowd will watch the Thorns will play Seattle Reign. Fortunately, forward-thinking Havurah leaders reserved tickets for us in advance, so Havurah members can still watch the Thorns on their way to winning the championship! And if you join us on July 30, your name will be entered in a raffle to win a handsome Thorns scarf like the one Fran Berg is holding in the photo below.
Saturday, July 30 Adults - $54 Reserve your seats and seats for friends and family HERE. This is Havurah's only fundraiser this year. It's a chance to have fun with friends, watch and cheer your winning team, and support your favorite Jewish community - all at the same time! To ask about possible reduced-price tickets, please contact Debbi Nadell.
The above photo is of Thorns forward Nadia Nadim after making the winning goal of last Saturday’s game at Providence Park. (Thorns website.) Nadia grew up in Afghanistan, lost her father to the Taliban, and escaped with her family to Denmark, where she started her soccer career. Now she’s a shining star of the Portland Thorns! PORTLAND HOMELESS FAMILY SOLUTIONS GOOSE HOLLOW SHELTER TIKKUN OLAM DIRECT SERVICE PROJECT NEWS This July marks our one year anniversary for our Havurah-Adopt-A-Night direct service Tikkun Olam project at the Goose Hollow homeless family shelter in SW Portland. All of the volunteer positions are filled by Havurahniks one evening each month. We can only continue this service to these families with your help. If you are interested in helping provide the dinner meal, (which does not require attending an orientation), please contact Len or Elayne Shapiro at lenshap@gmail.com or elayneshapiro@gmail.com. For general Goose Hollow information: Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com Next Goose Hollow orientations: July 11 and 27, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, and August 24, 5:00 to 6:00 pm, at the shelter: 1838 SW Jefferson, parking is available behind the church. LET'S TAKE A DEEP BREATH ON BDS Mitchell Plitnick His writing has appeared in Ha’aretz, the New Republic, the Jordan Times, Middle East Report, the San Francisco Chronicle, +972 Magazine, Outlook, and other outlets. He was a columnist for Tikkun Magazine, Zeek Magazine and Souciant. He has spoken across the country on Middle East politics, and regularly offers commentary through a wide range of radio and television outlets including PBS News Hour, the O’Reilly Factor and CNBC Asia.
HAVDALAH IN THE POOL Saturday, Aug. 6 We will have the Sellwood Park Pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. RSVP below by Monday, Aug. 1 with family name(s) and ages of any children so we can reserve enough lifeguards. Even if you already told your Shabbat School group you are coming, please RSVP here. In order to defray the major cost of renting the pool/lifeguards, please consider making a donation of $5–$15. The above photo was taken at last year's Havdalah in the Pool. 36TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON JEWISH GENEALOGY August 7-12
HAVURAH UNPICNIC Sunday, Aug. 21 We are starting with bagels at 10:00 am, then games, either the standing and moving kind (bean bag toss, or other games in the courtyard) or the intellectual sort (board games, Settlers of Cataan, chess, Mah Jongg) or just catching up with old and new friends. Followed by a potluck vegetarian lunch at 12:30 pm. Please come and join us! RSVP here. The photo above was taken at last year's "UnPicnic" game day. SUMMER OF HOPE CONCERTS Have you heard? It's the Summer of Hope... This summer, Portland's beloved Jewish singer-songwriter and Havurah member, Beth Hamon, is fighting hunger in our community. Your ticket purchase to one of two private house concerts will raise funds for the Oregon Food Bank, the Portland Food Project, and Beth's new album (which is ready to be recorded!) The Oregon Food Bank concert is Sunday, July 31, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in SW Portland. The Portland Food Project concert is Sunday, August 28, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, in NE Portland. Immerse yourself in Beth's original songs of hope, love, justice and peace while helping to make a difference in our community. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RABBI THROUGH SEPTEMBER Based on information from all who participated in Havurah’s rabbi search survey and focus groups, Havurah Shalom has posted this job description on our website for the position of rabbi. The Rabbi Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on July 17, 2016, and applications will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2016. All inquiries about the job should be directed to Rabbi Joel Alpert, Director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Placement Center. His contact number is 215-576-0800 ext 304. Please do not send resumes to the committee! |
