Hineinu, January 4, 2024

Gate Proposal for Courtyard and Kearney Street
There is one remaining Havurah community-wide meetings (one-hour long): 7 pm on Thursday, January 4 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Gimel
At the December Steering meeting, the Gate Resolution Work Group (GRWG) proposed that Steering approve installation of a gate in the courtyard entrance walkway and one at the Kearney Street alcove. Proposal details were shared in a stand-alone email to the community on Thursday, December 14. A Steering vote on the proposal will take place on January 9, 2024. Havurah members can attend three community-wide meetings at Havurah and on Zoom—on December 21, December 28, and/or January 4—to offer input and ask questions before the vote. The GRWG will reach out starting this week to committees and groups who use the building regularly for input. Contact David Kertzner, Co-President with questions. 

Havurah members, click on the link to RSVP for the remaining hybrid, Havurah community-wide meeting: Jan. 4 at 7 pm. 

Also, the January 2024 Hakol newsletter will be distributed soon. In the meantime, click here to check out the Hakol piece contributed by the Gate Resolution Work Group (GRWG). This Hakol contribution from the GRWG includes links to a Q&A and other information relevant to this last community-wide meeting (Jan. 4) and the Steering Committee vote (Jan. 9).

Panim el Panim: Another Havdalah Gathering to Listen and Share Our Thoughts and Feelings about the Current Situation in Israel/Palestine
7 pm, Saturday, January 6 – In-person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Gimel
As the heartbreak and precariousness of this moment continues, we are convening another opportunity to gather with each other to share and listen. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate, whether or not you attended the gathering in November. Once again, the intention will be for us each to name what we are experiencing, to be heard and hear one another without confrontation or pressure to identify any particular positions. We will again provide clear guidelines, so that each person will have equal opportunities to speak and equal responsibility to listen.

Please join in person if you’re comfortable and able, and for this gathering we will also provide a Zoom option. The opening and closing of the program will be hybrid, while the sharing itself in pairs and small groups will be separate, with in-person and Zoom programs running simultaneously.

Hopefully we are each continuing to tend to our needs in this trying moment. For some, encountering different perspectives may not be what you need. But if you are moved to join, we look forward to being together as we continue to build trust with one another.

This gathering is intended for members of Havurah Shalom. RSVP

Kabbalat Shabbat
6 pm Oneg; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm Dinner, Friday, January 12 – Havurah Shalom (and also Zoom Room Aleph for the 6:30 pm service)
We hold Kabbalat Shabbat celebrations on the second Friday evening of each month from October through May: All are welcome at this family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with a registration-based dinner afterward. 

Register for the dinner, while dinner slots are still available. (For the oneg and service only, no RSVP is needed.) Take a volunteer shift during the Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration.

Two Havurah Gatherings for Martin Luther King Day 

Racial Justice Movie Event: I Am MLK Jr.
3 pm to 6 pm, Monday, January 15  – Havurah Shalom
Please RSVP for this movie event by Friday, Jan. 12 so we can order sufficient pizza for everyone. Learn More & RSVP ​​​​​

Let's Sing Songs of Peace and Justice
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, January 15 – Havurah Shalom
Learn More & RSVP

Two Havurah Gatherings for Tu B'Shvat

Burned: Are Trees the New Coal? Movie Screening
6:45 pm meet-up; 7 pm to 9 pm film, Monday, January 8 – Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, Oregon
Learn More & RSVP

Tu B'Shvat Seder
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, January 21 - Tryon Creek State Natural Area visitors' center / Farm nearby
Learn More & RSVP

Sabbatical for Deborah Eisenbach-Budner
From the Havurah Presidents' Team: Our Education Director, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner will take part two of a well-deserved sabbatical beginning February 26, 2024. She returns on June 30, 2024. During this time, the wide-ranging demands of her position will be picked up by everyone, from our great staff to lay leaders, to Shabbat School Co-chairs and other congregants. If you have questions, please reach out to Deborah before ‘the last minute’. Her last day will be February 25th. Replenish well, Deborah!

Question: Can Havurah Members Make Comments or Ask Questions at Steering Committee Meetings?
Per the Tranparency & Inclusion Committee at Havurah: Members who attend Steering Committee meetings can comment or ask questions during the same time that Steering members comment or ask questions. "Announcement" issues are not open for questions. Issues that will ultimately be subject to a Steering vote (policy issues) will always have a "questions" periods during the meeting. Members attending the meeting by Zoom can post questions in the chat, or send an email after the meeting to the Presidents' Team or another member of Steering. Note that the next Steering Meeting is at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, January 9; this one will be a hybrid meeting held both in person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Gimel. All Havurah members are welcome to attend the monthly Steering Committee meetings.

General Info

Thank you for following our COVID safety guidelines for in-person gatherings, which were updated on June 15, 2023. Contacting your fellow 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 (log into the website and go to the Contact tab). Zoom/YouTube stream links can be found near the end of this email.

Regular Havurah Happenings

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. (On Saturday, January 20, there will be a special joint, multi-synagogue Torah study, supplementing the usual weekly Torah study; also accessible in person at Havurah or online via Zoom Room Bet.)

Shabbat Morning
10 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services (Sophie Wice-Budner, January 13). Upcoming b'nei mitzvah are listed below and in the website calendar. (On Saturday, January 6, there will be a Contemplative Shabbat service.) (On Saturday, January 20, there will also be a Tot Shabbat at 10:30 am: RSVP.)

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.

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.

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 Havurah Events

Havurah Community-wide Meetings on Gate Proposal for Courtyard and Kearney Street
There are is one remaining Havurah community-wide meetings (one-hour long): 7 pm on Thursday, January 4 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Gimel
At the December Steering meeting, the Gate Resolution Work Group (GRWG) proposed that Steering approve installation of a gate in the courtyard entrance walkway and one at the Kearney Street alcove. Proposal details will be shared in a stand-alone email to the community on Thursday, December 14. A Steering vote on the proposal will take place on January 9, 2024. Havurah members can attend three community-wide meetings at Havurah and on Zoom-—on December 21, December 28, and/or January 4—to offer input and ask questions before the vote. The GRWG will reach out starting this week to committees and groups who use the building regularly for input. Contact David Kertzner, Co-President with questions. 

Havurah members, click on the links to RSVP for the remaining hybrid, Havurah community-wide meetings: Jan. 4 at 7 pm. Also, to read the Gate Resolution Work Group message that will soon be distributed in Hakol—and which is of relevance in the lead-up to this last community-wide meeting (Jan. 4) and the Steering Committee vote (Jan. 9)—please click here.

Panim el Panim: Another Havdalah Gathering to Listen and Share Our Thoughts and Feelings about the Current Situation in Israel/Palestine
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Saturday, January 6 – Havurah and Zoom Room Gimel
As the heartbreak and precariousness of this moment continues, we are convening another opportunity to gather with each other to share and listen. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate, whether or not you attended the gathering in November. Once again, the intention will be for us each to name what we are experiencing, to be heard and hear one another without confrontation or pressure to identify any particular positions. We will again provide clear guidelines, so that each person will have equal opportunities to speak and equal responsibility to listen. Hopefully we are each continuing to tend to our needs in this trying moment. For some, encountering different perspectives may not be what you need. But if you are moved to join, we look forward to being together as we continue to build trust with one another. This hybrid gathering is intended for members of Havurah Shalom. Learn more and RSVP.

Good Grief?!? Welcoming the Complexity of Grief with an Open Heart
11 am to 12:30 pm, Sunday, January 7 – Havurah Shalom
The intention of this educational conversation is to help keep our hearts open in times when it's easier to be hardened. We are all carrying grief that has been exacerbated by the current event. Grief impacts people in different ways and different times. We discuss the many layers of grief and facilitate a conversation about the nature of grief as a process including the fear that prevents people from grieving. RSVP
​​​
Havurah Music Jams Rock On!
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, January 8 (second Monday of each month) – Havurah Shalom (in the Pardes classroom)
Come sing and play in community! Songsheets will be provided and the jam will include a mix of country, folk, Jewish folk, liturgical and popular songs. Bring your instrument, your voice and your enthusiasm! Check the Havurah calendar for info on future second-Monday jams. RSVP for the January 8 Havurah Music Jam.

Making Loss Matter
7 pm to 8 pm, Mondays, January 8 to February 12 – Zoom Room Bet
This six-week class is inspired by Rabbi David Wolpe’s book Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times, which explores six kinds of loss — home, dreams, self, love, faith, and life. In his book, Rabbi Wolpe examines how we can use loss as a source of strength rather than despair, and as a generator of purpose and hope. Woven throughout each class session are teachings from a variety of traditional and contemporary Jewish sources, teachings from other traditions (particularly Buddhism), experiential practices, storytelling, and opportunities for self-reflection and chevruta/small-group discussion. Led by Tivona Reith, a retired hospice chaplain. Learn more and RSVP.

Steering Committee Meeting
6:30 pm, Tuesday, January 9 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Gimel
All Havurah members are invited to attend the monthly meetings of the Havurah Steering Committee.

Letter by Letter: Using the Alef-Bet for Self-Knowledge
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Tuesdays, January 9 to February 6 – Zoom Room Heh
Explore how to use Hebrew letters as a tool to access inner wisdom, taking a careful look at their meanings, connections to Time, Space, and Body/Soul. No knowledge of Hebrew necessary. This is not a course on reading or writing, nor explicitly about mysticism, but an exploration of the symbolism of the Alef-Bet and how to use it for reflection and illumination. Bring curiosity and an open heart. Led by Andrine de la Rocha. Learn more and RSVP.

Burned: Are Trees the New Coal? Movie Screening
6:45 pm meet-up; 7 pm to 9 pm film, Monday, January 8 – Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton Street, Portland, Oregon
Join Havurah's Climate Action Team (HCAT) as we gather to watch Burned: Are Trees the New Coal? at the Clinton Street Theater in South East Portland. Details here. This is a timely movie, as we prepare to oppose the Drax Biomass proposal in Longview, Washington. For basic info about biomass click here. Contact Harriet Cooke if you are interested in carpooling to the movie. To facilitate meeting up together a bit before the film starts, please RSVP.

Racial Justice Committee Monthly Meeting
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Thursday, January 11 – Zoom Room Bet
Please join the racial justice committee at our monthly meeting as we plan for ways to educate ourselves and our community, and work towards partnering with groups in our broader community in an effort to achieve racial justice.

Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursday, January 11 (and recurring with each new moon) - Zoom Room Heh (for the January 11 gathering)
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. Gatherings take place monthly on or near the new moon of each Hebrew month a 7 pm, either on Zoom or in person - outdoors in inner North/East Portland - depending on seasonal shifts in the weather. Attend any or all sessions. RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year. The Jan. 11 meeting will take place online, in Zoom Room Heh. RSVP to receive the Zoom link in a confirmation email. RSVP

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
6 pm Oneg; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm Dinner, Friday, January 12 – Havurah Shalom (and also Zoom Room Aleph for the 6:30 pm service)
We hold Kabbalat Shabbat celebrations on the second Friday evening of each month from October through May: All are welcome at this family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with a registration-based dinner afterward. 

Register for the dinner, while dinner slots are still available. (For the oneg and service only, no RSVP is needed.) Take a volunteer shift during the Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration.

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitvah of Sophie Wice-Budner
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, January 13 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Sophie Wice-Budner as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

Racial Justice Movie Event: I Am MLK Jr. (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
3 pm to 6 pm, Monday, January 15  – Havurah Shalom
In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Havurah Shalom will show the feature-length (1 hr 35 minutes) film I Am MLK Jr. The film tells the story of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the important beginnings of the Civil Rights movement. The movie will be shown at Havurah, followed by a discussion and food. Teenage members in particular, their families, and all other members are invited for this opportunity to connect our lives with the struggle for freedom and equality. Please RSVP by Friday, Jan. 12 so we can order sufficient pizza for everyone. RSVP

Let's Sing Songs of Peace and Justice (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, January 15 – Havurah Shalom
This is a time for anyone who enjoys singing to circle round and join voices together (no expertise needed, just the willingness to sing). We will make music in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and our deep desire to see peace and justice honored in our world. RSVP

Havurah Office Closure: Administrative Holiday
The Havurah Shalom office will be closed on Monday, January 15 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Palestine Solidarity Letter-writing
6 pm to 8 pm, Thursday, January 18 – Havurah Shalom (in Room Pardes)
Hosted by the Palestine Justice work group and open to Havurah members, we will gather to write letters and emails to elected representatives in support of a ceasefire in Gaza. Bring a laptop, some stationary and envelopes, and pens. We'll discuss how to write effective letters. Questions? Contact Sally Goldman.

Special Multi-synagogue Torah Study Session
9 am, Saturday, January 20 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
An in-depth look at the weekly parsha; no prior knowledge or study is necessary. This is a wide-open discussion of the weekly parsha. All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from the torah. On January 20, the usual weekly Torah study will be supplemented by a joint, multi-synagogue Torah study led by Havurah's Emily Simon. Members of Havurah will be joined by members of Emek Shalom in Ashland. We may even have some folks joining us from other parts of the country and maybe the world. These combined Torah study events have always been informative and a good way to build the Jewish community. Join us!

Tot Shabbat
10:30 am to 11:30 am, Saturday, January 20 – Havurah Shalom
Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome. RSVP

Parenting Huddle - Tough Questions Jews Ask: Israel
3:10 pm to 4:30 pm, Saturday, January 20 – Havurah Shalom
Explore real-life questions that we face as parents, with some guidance from our Jewish texts and values, and each other. With Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, a discussion about Israel.

Tu B'Shvat Seder
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, January 21 – Tryon Life Farm (and Tryon Creek State Park vistor's center for hike) - RSVP for seder, as space is limited.
This year, HCAT (Havurah Climate Action Team) invites our community to celebrate Tu B' Shevat for a family friendly seder at Tryon Life Farm. We'll hike from Tryon State Park visitors center to the farm where we will hold the seder before hiking back to the park. The hike is about 20-30 minutes one way and includes a slope down to the creek and up to the farm. For those unable to hike a slope, limited parking is available at the farm and off of Boones Ferry Rd at the entrance to the farm. The farm is rugged and not wheelchair accessible. Space is limited at the seder; please learn more and RSVP.

Safety Corner

Following the success of our High Holiday greeter trainings last fall, Havurah Shalom will be offering additional trainings throughout 2024, as well as sharing safety trainings in the community that everyone is encouraged to take part in and learn from. Taking a safety class will give you knowledge and confidence, and in an emergency, it can make a difference to you and those around you. Here are some offerings to start out the year, from Secure Community Network.
 
BeAware: Introduction to Situational Awareness
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 7 pm — Zoom, by Registration
BeAware, SCN’s Introduction to Situational Awareness Course, seeks to build observation skills and will teach you best practice techniques to recognize and react to various situations in your everyday life – from going to synagogue and dropping off children at school, to going to the gas station or an ATM. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Interfaith Alliance on Poverty First Thursday: Alejandro Queral, Oregon Center for Public Policy
12 pm to 1:30 pm, Thursday, January 4 — Zoom, by registration
Alejandro Queral, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, will bring us up-to-date on Oregon tax policy and the effort to bring equity to that part of our state’s work. Alejandro leads the Center, providing strategic direction and ensuring the center’s sustainability and adherence to its mission. Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice Advocacy Training on January 16 and Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Day in Olympia on February 7
Per the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice: Did you know that the Washington state legislature is about to consider expanding affordable health coverage to people without documentation? And that the legislature will soon consider providing unemployment benefits to undocumented migrants? And that they will consider funding supportive services and housing for new migrant arrivals to our state? The Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice (JCIJ) is offering a free online advocacy event on January 16 at 7PM. Join to learn more about their legislative priorities for 2024. Click here to register (registration deadline is Jan. 12).

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

Try Out Israeli Dancing!
7:30 pm, Mondays, January 8, 15, and 22 – Leedy Grange Hall, 835 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland
Get a taste of Israeli dancing in a 3-week class (you don't have to attend all the sessions). If all you know about Israeli folk dancing is doing the grapevine step to vintage dances, you will be surprised. Israeli choreographers are creating new dances for new Israeli music all the time. Who is Israeli dancing for? Anyone who loves music and enjoys dancing. $7 at the door, cash or Venmo. More info and signup. Questions? Contact Havurahnik Cindy Merrill.

2023 Cultural Shift Survey: For Jews of Color in the Pacific Northwest
Accepting survey responses until January 5, 2023 - tischpdx.org/pnwsurvey
TischPDX announces their 2023 Cultural Shift Survey, a comprehensive survey crafted to gain valuable insights into the demographics and interests of Jews of Color (JoCs) in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).The confidential data collected from this research is being stewarded, conducted, and analyzed by Jews of Color through a partnership between TischPDX, JOC Collective, JOCI and Tiyuv. Who is eligible to participate in this research? Jews who identify as a Jew of Color, however they understand that term; currently live in the Pacific Northwest United States (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, or Alaska); and must be age 18 or older. Click here to read the rest of the TischPDX announcement. To take the survey or to learn more, please go to tischpdx.org/pnwsurvey. Survey responses will be accepted until January 5.

Author Reading: Rebecca Clarren and The Cost of Free Land
7 pm, Monday, January 8 – Congregation Shir Tikvah at the Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon)
Rebecca Clarren, a local Jewish author (and Havurahnik), will be joining Congregation Shir Tikvah on January 8 at the Eastside Jewish Commons to read from her book The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance. The evening will include a conversation with Rebecca following the reading facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin Barnett as well as a Q and A from the audience. Open to the public. This is a free event, and registration is requested at this link. Shir Tikvah will provide wine and cheese and HIGHLY suggest copies of The Cost of Free Land be purchased ahead of time at Up Up Books in SE Portland.  

Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education's Portland Jewish Film Festival (OJMCHE PJFF)
7 pm, January 9 to 13; 2 pm, January 14 – Portland State University's Lincoln Hall (1620 SW Park Avenue, Portland, Oregon)
OJMCHE is proud to present the Portland Jewish Film Festival 2024. Plan to join us for screenings of five new full-length films and two selected shorts that explore the complexity, history, and joy of Jewish life. The films are all new releases that have been featured at major Jewish Film Festivals nationally and internationally. Following each screening there will be a talk back session with authors, filmmakers, scholars, and artists that explores the themes and context of the films. Cost: $10 for students, seniors, and OJMCHE members; $12 general admission; film festival passes also available. Learn more about the OJMCHE PJFF, including details and ticket info for each film.

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.