Hineinu, October 4, 2023

Please Complete the High Holidays Survey ASAP
The Havurah Shalom High Holidays Planning team is seeking feedback about your Elul and High Holidays experiences. We want to hear from all Havurah members ages 13 and older. 

CLICK HERE to take the Havurah Shalom High Holidays 5784 Survey
Appoximate time: 15 minutes. Skip any questions you don't want to answer. 

Your feedback will give us insight into Havurahniks' different experiences and help us improve Elul programming, High Holidays events, and services next year.

Reminder Regarding Safety Guidelines
We are aware that there has been an increase in the number of Covid cases in Oregon and in our Havurah community. If you are experiencing any respiratory symptoms, please do not attend Havurah events in person. Our most important safety guideline remains: "Feeling Sick? Stay home!" We encourage you to get your Covid booster, influenza vaccine, and RSV vaccine, all of which are now available. Our official Safety Guidelines can be found on our website here.

Questions or concerns? Contact Loree Devery, Chair of the Covid Management Team.

Sit in the Sukkah at Havurah Shalom
All are invited to join in the mitzvah of being in the sukkah for Sukkot. Come anytime. If staff are available, we can bring you our Havurah lulav and etrog.
(You can check the Havurah calendar to see if any large groups are already scheduled to be in the sukkah during Sukkot.) 

Click here to sign up to help take down the Sukkah on the morning of Oct. 9. Helpers are needed and appreciated!

Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah Preparations: Israeli Folk Dancing - 7:30 pm, Wednesday, Oct. 4 at Havurah Shalom -  RSVP
Simchat Torah Celebration - 6:30 pm, Saturday, Oct. 7 at Havurah Shalom and in Zoom Room Neshamah - RSVP

Havurahniks: Sign up here to help out at our Oct. 7 Simchat Torah Celebration.

Havurah teens, specifically: Help out at the Simchat Torah craft table!
Teens will be in charge of helping younger Havrahniks make a little Torah, A Yad and a Flag to wave for the Havurah Simchat Torah celebration on Saturday, October 7 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Please email Tamara Lindemann ASAP to let her know if your Havurah teen is available to take a shift at the craft table.

Kabbalat Shabbat Returns on Friday, October 13!
RSVP for the dinner portion of Kabbalat Shabbat.
Sign up to volunteer with your fellow Havurahniks.

Chag Sameach!

General Info

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023.
 

Havurah members: If a member's name is hyperlinked below, you can go directly to their contact page in the directory by clicking on their name and then logging into your Havurah account. Or search in the online Havurah member directory.

Zoom/YouTube stream links can be found near the end of this email.

Regular Happenings

Notes: Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation is now hybrid every Tuesday.
Mah Jong Group has returned!
Shabbat Morning will include Yizkor on Saturday, October 7.
Kabbalat Shabbat returns on Friday, October 13.
Tot Shabbat will take place on Saturday, October 14.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration

6 pm, second Fridays from October to May – Havurah Shalom
A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward. 6 pm Oneg, 6:30 Service, 7:30 Dinner. All are welcome! Click here to RSVP for the dinner portion of the upcoming celebration.

Havurahniks, please consider helping out our upcoming October 13 Kabbalat Shabbat. Most shifts are for fifteen minutes Click here to go to the volunteer sign-up for the October 2023 Kabbalat Shabbat.

Weekly Torah Study​ 
9 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly Torah reading, led by congregants. No prior knowledge or study is necessary.

Shabbat Morning
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 (Nathan Zahm, October 21) are listed below and in the website calendar. (On October 7, Shabbat Morning will include yizkor. On October 14, there will be a Tot Shabbat starting at 10:30 am.)

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays – Havurah Shalom Library
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. To receive Mahjong Group updates, ask Leah to add you to the email list. (Mahjong Group has now resumed meeting.)

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays – Havurah Shalom (Sanctuary or Library) and Zoom Room Bet
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. (Starting in October, Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation will be both in person at Havurah Shalom and on Zoom every Tuesday.)

Morning Minyan
8:30 am, Wednesdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and those saying Kaddish. All are welcome.

Upcoming Events

Come to Havurah for Sukkot: The Mitzvah of Being in the Sukkah

Havurah Simchat Torah Celebration

Tuning In to Jewish Texts
7:30 pm to 8:45 pm, Tuesdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 31; Nov. 21, 28; Dec. 5, 12  –  Havurah Shalom
Jewish text study is similar to tuning a radio. Each type of text—TaNaKH (Bible), Rabbinic Literature (Midrash and Talmud), Medieval Commentary (Rashi, ibn Ezra, Nachmanides, etc.) and Mystical (Kabbalistic and Hasidic)—operates on a different frequency. Each seeks to clarify what we are hearing about the world, following a set of rules. Each reads the world’s signals. We will spend two weeks on each genre, tuning into specific passages. Hebrew is not necessary for this overview, although we will read some of the “greatest hits” together in the original. Transistor radios preferred to digital, because we all get static - we're aiming for more resonance. Led by Rabbi Joey Wolf. RSVP
 

Racial Justice Committee Monthly Meeting
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Thursday, October 12 - Zoom Room Bet
Come join us for our monthly Racial Justice Committee meeting to learn what we have been up to and find out ways you can engage with the work of this committee.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
6 pm, Friday, October 13 – Havurah Shalom
A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward. 6 pm Oneg, 6:30 Service, 7:30 Dinner. All are welcome! Click here to RSVP for the dinner portion of the upcoming Kabbalat Shabbat celebration. Havurahniks, click here to go to the volunteer sign-up for the October 13 Kabbalat Shabbat.

Tot Shabbat
10:30 am to 11:30 am, Saturday, October 14 – Havurah Shalom
Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome.

Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Monday, October 16 – In person in North Portland or in Zoom Room Heh (Leader will announce which.)
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. Attend any or all sessions.
RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year.

Occupation 101
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Mondays, October 16, 23, 30; November 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11 – Havurah Shalom
Israel has been engaged in a military occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip for 56 years, since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Explore key questions in this eight-week, mainly film-based class. Course participants will watch the films at home and come together in person each week for a contextual lecture and discussion of the films. Taught by Joel Beinin. RSVP

Shabbat Morning with Bar Mitzvah of Nathan Zahm
10 am, Saturday, October 21 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Nathan Zahm as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community. All are welcome.

More Tikkun Olam 

Electrify Everything Fair! Oct. 7th
11 am to 3 pm - Saturday, October 7 - The Redd (831 SE Salmon Street, Portland)
The Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair is a free, all-ages, festive event for homeowners and renters curious about transitioning their homes from gas (or old electric) to efficient electric. Throughout this event, The Redd’s main hall, kitchen and parking lot will be filled with product demonstrations, contractor introductions, kid activities, and free tasty treats. Gather practical tips on how to electrify your home, get a free one-on-one consultation with an electrification expert, and learn about the incentives that can help cover the cost of electrification. Walk away with everything you need to start electrifying your home! The Havurah Climate Action Team (HCAT) encourages all to check it out. Questions? Contact Harriet Cooke.

News & Events from Our Tikkun Olam Partners

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

Out in the Community

Coming to Portland in October: theatre dybbuk
From the theatre dybbuk website: “theatre dybbuk creates provocative performances and innovative educational encounters that explore Jewish thought to illuminate universal human experience. We envision a world where people challenge themselves to revel in the complexity of our shared humanity.” There should be a wide array of opportunities for engagement with theatre dybbuk. Information about upcoming residencies with theatre dybbuk can be found here.

Oregon Jewish Voices Reading
6:30 pm to 7:45 pm, Tuesday, October 17 – Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (724 NW Davis Street, Portland)
Come to the 24th annual reading of "Oregon Jewish Voices" at OJMCHE! Oregon Jewish Voices will be LIVE this year. Kerry Cohen, William Deresiewicz, Miriam Gershow, Marvin J. Lurie and Willa Schneberg will be reading. To learn more and register for this event, click here. Tickets cost $8 for members of OJMCHE and $10 for non-members. Registration is required to attend this annual reading of Oregon Jewish Voices. Questions? Contact Havurahnik Willa Schneberg.

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

High Holidays Services 5784 - Special Online Access Info

Digital Machzor |  Digital Songbook
Please download a copy of the machzor to use during services from home, and the songbook too when it is ready. These links will be provided on the Youtube Streaming page for your convenience, and on Zoom, they will be provided by the Zoom host in the chat. We regret that all paper machzors are needed for in-person services, and cannot be lent out.
Link to Youtube Stream (for recordings of much of our High Holiday services)
All services at the Tiffany Center, except children’s programming, will be streamed on Youtube. The Youtube stream is one-way, allowing you to view the services without seeing other people who are also online.
Link to Join Zoom Room Neshamah (for Simchat Torah)
The SImchat Torah service at Havurah Shalom will take place in Zoom Room Neshamah. The Zoom Room is two-way, allowing you to see those who are also joining online. Additional Information:
Meeting ID: 898 0893 5437 
Passcode: 7290

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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