Hineinu, January 17, 2024

Proposal to Form a Committee for Palestinian Justice
The Havurah Shalom Steering Committee recently considered a proposal to form a Committee for Palestinian Justice within the Tikkun Olam Cluster. After lengthy consultation, review and discussion, the proposed committee did not receive Steering Committee approval. If you are interested in learning more about the process, the Presidents’ Team offers these reflections.

Havurah Office Closed Tomorrow (Thursday, Jan. 18)
Due to the ongoing inclement weather, the Havurah office is closed tomorrow. For events scheduled to take place at Havurah Shalom during days with inclement weather, check for emails to you from event organizers (for events you RSVP'd for) and check the Havurah calendar. You may also be able to reach event organizers to clarify if an event is still taking place as scheduled.

Upcoming Havurah Community Tu B'Shvat Seder Near Tryon Creek - Sign Up ASAP!

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

Due Date for Havurahniks' Submissions to Hakol (Our Monthly Newsletter): Anytime on Thursday, January 18
The deadline to give submissions for the upcoming month's Hakol newsletter is the third Thursday of the month. The deadline for the February 2024 issue of Hakol is Thursday, Janary 18. Havurahniks, click here to learn more about how to submit to Havurah's upcoming Hakol monthly newsletter. Questions? Reach out to Tara Anderson, Havurah Participation and Publications Coordinator, at tara@havurahshalom.org.

For Havurahniks Interested in Leadership Roles: Upcoming Leadership Retreat in Early February
Are you a Havurahnik already involved in—or interested in becoming involved in—leadership roles at Havurah (serving on Havurah's Steering Committee, being a committee co-chair at Havurah)? Reach out to  Debbi Nadel or Shelley Sobel to learn more and to explore the possibility of attending the upcoming Leadership Retreat (all day Sunday, February 4 at Havurah Shalom).

The 24th Annual Community Havdalah Service from the Jewish Women's Roundtable and Cedar Sinai: On Jan. 27
Note: This event was listed under the incorrect date in online publications elsewhere. To clarify, this Havdalah event is happening at 7 pm on Saturday, January 27 at Rose Schnitzer Manor (in Zidell Hall). Open to the community and free to attend for all ages 18 and over. To learn more, scroll down in this issue of Hineinu to the Out in the Community section, where this and a selection of other events out in the broader Jewish community are featured.

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!

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 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 Office Closed on Thursday, January 18
Due to the ongoing inclement weather, the Havurah office is closed tomorrow. For events scheduled to take place at Havurah Shalom during days with inclement weather, check for emails to you from event organizers (for events you RSVP'd for), check the Havurah calendar, and, if needed, reach out to event organizers to clarify if an event is still taking place as scheduled.    

Hakol Submissions Deadline: Thursday, January 18
Havurahniks, click here to learn more about how to submit to Havurah's upcoming Hakol monthly newsletter. The submissions deadline for the upcoming month's Hakol newsletter is the third Thursday of the month. The deadline for the February 2024 issue of Hakol is Thursday, Janary 18. Questions? Contact Tara Anderson, Havurah Participation and Publications Coordinator, at tara@havurahshalom.org.

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.

MACG Leadership Trainings at Havurah Shalom
1 pm to 5 pm, Sunday January 21 and 1 pm to 5 pm, Sunday, January 28 – Havurah Shalom
These trainings are free for all members of Havurah Shalom, as Havurah is institutional partners with the Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good (MACG). If you have participated in previous trainings, we invite you to be a table group facilitator at these sessions. Havurahnik Michael Heumann is happy to answer any questions you may have, and strongly encourages you to consider joining this MACG Leadership Institute series. Learn more and register here. (Again, Havurah Members: The $100 non-member fee does not apply to you, as Havurah Shalom is a MACG Institution.)

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 - Listening Circle about Israel/Palestine
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. RSVP

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.

Havurah Climate Action Team (HCAT) Monthly Meeting
5:30 pm, Monday, January 22 – Zoom Room Gimel
Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting. Special HCAT Note: Jewish Earth Alliance is sponsoring a Lobbying Day, by Zoom, for the holiday of Tu B’Shevat. Havurah’s Climate Action Team (HCAT) will be meeting with Senators Merkley and Wyden’s staff in late January, early February. We’ll have a practice session before the actual meeting, where everyone will be assigned a role: timekeeper, note taker, making the “ask,” listener, etc. If you'd would like to join us, or have questions about it, email Harriet Cooke (use the email subject: JEA Tu B'Shevat Event).

Havurah Book Group: The Best Strangers in the World
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, January 23 – Zoom Room Bet
From the beloved host of NPR's All Things Considered, a stirring memoir-in-essays that is also a love letter to journalism. Nonfiction. 256 pages. In his first book, broadcaster Ari Shapiro takes us around the globe to reveal the stories behind narratives that are sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, but always poignant. He details his time traveling on Air Force One with President Obama, or following the path of Syrian refugees fleeing war, or learning from those fighting for social justice both at home and abroad. As the self-reinforcing bubbles we live in become more impenetrable, Ari Shapiro keeps seeking ways to help people listen to one another; to find connection and commonality with those who may seem different; to remind us that, before religion, or nationality, or politics, we are all human. The Best Strangers in the World is a testament to one journalist’s passion for Considering All Things—and sharing what he finds with the rest of us. Discussion led by Beth Kaye. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Tu B'Shvat
Tu B'Shvat begins at sundown on Wednesday, January 24 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, January 25.

Shabbat Morning with Banot Mitvah of Ellora Thornley and Stella Reid
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, January 27– Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Ellora Thornley and Stella Reid as a Banot Mitzvah and members of our community.

Teen Dance Party and Ice Cream Social
7 pm to 9:30 pm, Saturday, January 27 – Havurah Shalom
Havurah Teens (Grades 7-12), come join us for a fun evening of dancing, gaga (in our new portable gaga pit), games and ice cream sundaes. Teens, bring your clean playlist to play your favorites. Parents can stay to talk with other teen parents in a separate area or just drop your teen off. RSVP

Meeting of the Palestine Justice Group
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Sunday, Januay 28  – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
Steering has voted not to recognize us as a Tikkun Olam committee. We will be discussing what went wrong. We will also be deciding what form this group will take going forward. Should we form a work group? Should we move this group outside of Havurah? Should we ask Steering to endorse a peace cease resolution? Whatever we decide, the need for Jewish solidarity with Palestinians is greater than ever. Please attend this important meeting. RSVP

Healing the Heart, Soothing the Soul
Thursdays, February 1 to March 14  – Zoom Room Dalet
The Havurah Ma'avar Committee is offering a seven-week grief process support group for Havurah members. Chaplain Candi Wuhrman will facilitate this online group with a focus on the dying experience, the impact of the relationship, the things unsaid, making peace within ourselves, forgiveness, and continuing the relationship after death. The group is open to Havurah members at any stage and with any type of grief. The group will be limited to eight participants, and participants are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions. Questions? Contact  Chaplain Candi Wuhrman. RSVP

Ceramic Seder Plate Workshop
6:30 pm to 8 pm, Thursdays, February 1 to February 22 – Havurah Shalom
We will look at traditional seder plates from cultures around the world and learn the meanings of their different elements, as well as about new traditions that have become significant in recent years. We'll then design and hand-build a seder plate using additive and subtractive techniques. While you may already have a seder plate, you are welcome to create a gift or create a seder plate that incorporates elements that are meaningful to you and your family. Led by Anna Mafchir. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

More Tikkun Olam Opportunities for Martin Luther King Day and Tu B'Shvat
In the run-up to Tu b'Shevat, (January 25), the New Year for the Trees, there are several tree-related volunteer opportunities this month, some of which can also be found on MLK Day of Service listings. The opportunities include the following; click on the links to find dates, details, and sign-ups on each organization's websites:  Portland Fruit Tree Project at the Sabin orchard (NE); the Watershed Alliance of SW Washington (Vancouver); and Wood Memorial Nature Area (SW Portland) - Portland Parks and Recreation.

Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice (JCIC) January Newsletter is Out
Read about ways to support immigrant justice in the JCIJ January newsletter. Keep in touch with the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW at team@jewishcoalition.org.

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.

The January Lecture Series in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday from Cedar Sinai
7 pm, Thursdays, January 4 through January 25 – Zidell Hall, Rose Schnitzer Manor, Cedar Sinai Park, 6125 SW Boundary Street, Portland, Oregon
You're invited to join for any or all of the upcoming lectures, which are being held in honor of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Click here to learn more.

The 17th Annual Winter Sephardic Film Festival
7 pm, January 17, February 13, March 12, and April 9 – Congregation Ahavath Alchim (6686 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon)
Hosted by Congregation Ahavath Alchim, this film festival is free, open to all, and includes Sephardic desserts after each film. The January film is Conspiracy of Hearts (1960); the February films are the 30-minute shorts In the Shadow of the Acropolis (2007-2008) and The Sephardic Jews and the Pike Place Market (2006); the March film is Garden of the Finzi Contini (1970); and the April film is Above and Beyond (2014). RSVP

Shabbat of Love
Friday, January 19 – Various Portland-area locations; in-person or online
A number of Jewish organizations in Portland and many others around the world are participating in "Shabbat of Love." Click here to explore opportunites to join a "Shabbat of Love" Shabbat service and/or dinner in the Portland area.

24th Annual Community Havdalah Service from the JWRT and Cedar Sinai
7 pm, Saturday, January 27 – Zidell Hall, Rose Schnitzer Manor, Cedar Sinai Park (6125 SW Boundary Street, Portland, Oregon)
The Jewish Women's Round Table and Cedar Sinai Park is sponsorig this musical Havdalah service, followed by refreshments and socializing. Free and open to the community (over age 18). Learn more here.

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.