Hineinu, February 14, 2024

Nosh and Learn at Havurah! Guardian Active Bystander Training
12:15 pm, Sunday, February 18 — Havurah Shalom
Come at 12:15 for bagels, coffee, and catch-up with friends or to meet new folks, then stay at 1 pm for Active Bystander Training with Jessica Anderson, the Portland Jewish community security advisor through Secure Community Network. If you have ever been a Havurah door greeter, an attendee at a service or activity, or someone who organizes any of our many goings-on, this training is for you! Our focus will be on how to evaluate our environment, welcome strangers, and properly respond to common and less common situations. RSVP

Havurahnik Lee Gordon to Speak at Eastside Jewish Commons on February 18 about Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel

Teen Engagement/Bar Mitzvah Project on Sunday, March 3: RSVP by February 18
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, March 3 — Havurah Shalom
For Havurah Teens: Join us as we help prepare food for P:EAR, a youth homeless mentor program. This event is co-sponsored by the Teen Engagement Committee & Kai's Bar Mitzvah Project. Parents are welcome to stay and schmooze, help prepare the meal, or drop off their teens. RSVP by February 18.

Want to Stage a Purim Spiel at Havurah? RSVP for this All-Ages Opportunity: Purim Playtime!
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Mondays, February 26 to March 18 – Havurah Shalom
For all ages! This class is for anyone who has ever wanted to stage a play. As a group we’ll figure out how to retell the story of Queen Esther dramatically in a way that’s relevant for our times, and then perform that play on Purim for the Havurah Shalom congregation. Over four sessions, we’ll explore what makes good theater, how to write a script and a song, and then turn our crazy ideas into a fully staged production. Actors, writers, artists, and musicians, no matter what your age or experience, this is your chance to show off your talents, create a captivating theater experience for your community, and have fun! Taught by Karen Polinsky. RSVP

No HIAS Shabbat on February 23; Advocacy Continues
For scheduling reasons, we will not observe HIAS Refugee and Immigrant Shabbat previously on the calendar for February 23, 2024. The Sanctuary Committee will continue to partner with HIAS on advocacy for refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeker legislation, policies and funding goals. Watch for updates in Hineinu and Hakol. Questions? Contact Michael Rice.

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, February 17, the Weekly Torah Study will be a Multi-Synagogue Torah Study. Learn more.)

Shabbat Morning
10 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services (Maya Oh, February 17; Samuel Pomerantz-Roll. March 2). Upcoming b'nei mitzvah are listed below and in the website calendar. (On Saturday, February 24, there will be a Tot Shabbat - 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

Multi-Synagogue Joint Torah Study
9 am to 10 am, Saturday, February 17 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
On February 17, 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! We will take 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. Learn more

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitvah of Maya Oh
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, February 17 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Maya Oh as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

Nosh and Learn: Guardian Active Bystander Training
12:15 pm to 2 pm, Sunday, February 18 – Havurah Shalom
Come at 12:15 for bagels, coffee, and catch-up with friends or to meet new folks, then stay at 1 pm for Active Bystander Training with Jessica Anderson, the Portland Jewish community security advisor through Secure Community Network. If you have ever been a Havurah door greeter, an attendee at a service or activity, or someone who organizes any of our many goings-on, this training is for you! Our focus will be on how to evaluate our environment, welcome strangers, and properly respond to common and less common situations. RSVP

Leading Saturday Services
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesdays, February 20 to March 12 – Havurah Shalom
Come to sing; learn to lead! This four-week class with Ken Lerner will teach the Shabbat morning music of the Birchot HaShachar (morning blessings) and P’sukei D’zimra (verses of praise). Hebrew reading is helpful but not essential. RSVP

No HIAS Shabbat on February 23; Advocacy Continues
For scheduling reasons, we will not observe HIAS Refugee and Immigrant Shabbat previously on the calendar for February 23, 2024.  The Sanctuary Committee will continue to partner with HIAS on advocacy for refugee, immigrant and asylum-seeker legislation, policies and funding goals. Watch for updates in Hineinu and Hakol. Questions? Contact Michael Rice .
 

Tot Shabbat
10:30 am to 11:30 am, Saturday, February 24 – 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
3:05 pm to 4:35 pm, Saturday, February 24 – Havurah Shalom
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 share in accord with a very clear structure and clear guidelines, so that each person will have equal opportunities to speak and equal responsibility to listen. 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 is along the same lines as the Havdallah Panim al Panim gatherings that have been happening, but with enhanced structure. Facilitated by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and Shari Raider. RSVP

HCAT Monthly Meeting
5:30 pm, Monday, February 26 – Zoom Room Gimel
Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting in Zoom Room Gimel.

Monthly Letter Writing to Lawmakers for Israeli/Palestinian Justice
6 pm to 7:30 pm, Monday, February 26 (last Mondays, except in May and September) – Zoom Room Heh
We will gather online on the last Monday of each month (except in May and September) to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Questions? Contact Dale Oller.

Purim Playtime!
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Mondays, February 26 to March 18 – Havurah Shalom
For all ages! This class is for anyone who has ever wanted to stage a play. As a group we’ll figure out how to retell the story of Queen Esther dramatically in a way that’s relevant for our times, and then perform that play on Purim for the Havurah Shalom congregation. Over four sessions, we’ll explore what makes good theater, how to write a script and a song, and then turn our crazy ideas into a fully staged production. Actors, writers, artists, and musicians, no matter what your age or experience, this is your chance to show off your talents, create a captivating theater experience for your community, and have fun! Taught by Karen Polinsky. RSVP

Havurah Book Group: Horse by Geraldine Brooks
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, February 27 – Zoom Room Bet
Horse by Geraldine Brooks, winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for March, is a story covering nearly 170 years of American history, stretching from antebellum Kentucky to present-day Washington, DC. Thoroughbreds provide the unifying element for this far-reaching narrative, but horses and the complex culture surrounding them are only devices for Brooks to explore her fundamental subject: race and its corrosive influence on our nation’s foundation and cancerous impact on society today. 401 pages, fiction. Learn more about Horse. Discussion led by Leah Hershey. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitvah of Samuel Pomerantz-Roll
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, March 2 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Samuel Pomerantz-Roll as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community.

Teen Engagement/Bar Mitzvah Project
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, March 3 – Havurah Shalom (RSVP by February 18)
For Havurah Teens: Join us as we help prepare food for P:EAR, a youth homeless mentor program. This event is co-sponsored by the Teen Engagement Committee & Kai's Bar Mitzvah Project. Parents are welcome to stay and schmooze, help prepare the meal, or drop off their teens. RSVP by February 18.

BYOCB: Bring Your Own Climate Book
5:30 pm to 7 pm, Monday, March 4 – Zoom Room Dalet
The HCAT (Havurah Climate Action Team) Book group will be meeting in a one-time Bring Your Own Climate Book format. This will be a group for each person to have a little time to share out something relevant to climate protection that we have read. We will meet in Zoom Room Dalet. All are welcome to join. RSVP

Safety Corner

NOSH and LEARN at HAVURAH! Guardian Active Bystander Training
12:15 pm, Sunday, February 18 — Havurah Shalom
Come at 12:15 for bagels, coffee, and catch-up with friends or to meet new folks, then stay at 1 pm for Active Bystander Training with Jessica Anderson, the Portland Jewish community security advisor through Secure Community Network. If you have ever been a Havurah door greeter, an attendee at a service or activity, or someone who organizes any of our many goings-on, this training is for you! Our focus will be on how to evaluate our environment, welcome strangers, and properly respond to common and less common situations. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Video of February's Interfaith Alliance on Poverty First Thursday Meeting
Would you like to view the video recording of the most recent Interfaith Alliance on Poverty First Thursday meeting? Email Sue Abrams to learn how to access a video recording of the most recent First Thursday discussion from the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty. If you missed February's live Zoom Interfaith Alliance First Thursday meeting, we had a very informatve discussion with Senator Michael Dembrow as he heads into his final legislative session in Salem. He shared his insights and concerns, and he answered questions from the audience. Some areas included school performance, the housing crisis, and ways the Alliance can be most effective in its advocacy.

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

A Conversation wtih Hand in Hand, Featuring Havurahnik Lee Gordon
2 pm to 4 pm, Sunday, February 18 — Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon)
Havurah is co-sponsoring a presentation by our own Lee Gordon will be speaking about Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel. Hand in Hand is a group of bilingual integrated schools for Arab and Jewish children that Lee co-founded in 1998. He will be joined by Emmanuel Auerbach, former Hand in Hand student from kindergarten through twelfth, now living in New York and visiting Portland. (To view the event on the EJC calendar, click here.)

Abraham Accords Initiative Talk
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesday, February 21 — Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, Oregon)
Havurah is co-sponsoring a conversation with Jimmy Taber of the Israel-based Abraham Initiatives about the state of Jewish-Arab relations in Israel. The Abraham Initiatives is working to build a shared society fostering ground-breaking initiatives that has Israeli citizens reaching across the deepest divisions to create a future of coexistence, cooperation and understanding. There is a $10 fee for this event. Tickets available 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.