Hineinu, April 24, 2024

Come to HCAT & Partners' Climate Action Fair on Sunday!
Noon to 4 pm, on Sunday, April 28, at the MJCC (photo ID req'd) – Mittleman Jewish Community Center (6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland)
This Sunday's Climate Action Fair has been organized by HCAT (Havurah's Climate Action Team) and partners. Free and open to all; note that photo ID and a bag check are required for MJCC building entry.
- Meet environmental organizations offering ways to take action.
- Explore resources for home energy, electric cars and other climate-friendly personal actions. 
- Enjoy creative activities for children and adults! 
The event and parking are free, or you can be climate-friendly and come by bus. (If you're seeking a ride or offering a ride, contact Elianne Lieberman.) 

For questions about the Climate Action Fair, or if you would like to help volunteer, contact Michael Heumann. 

And please spread the word! All of us taking action is the solution to climate change.

One-page Flyer | Facebook event page | Havurah calendar page

Kabbalah and Hassidim: A Four-Session Class
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursdays, May 2 to May 23 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Dalet
Sign up for this upcoming four-session class, Kabbalah and Hasidism Through the Life of Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav. Members and non-members are welcome to join. Using Martin Buber's The Tales of Rabbi Nachman, we will look at the life of Rabbi Nachman, his teachings, and his profound stories. Led by Harriet Cooke.

Come to the Spring Havurah New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch!
10 am to noon, on Sunday, May 5, at Havurah Shalom
All Havurahniks are welcome at the brunch, new and old alike!
Register for the New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch!

Havurahniks, Join the Next Panim el Panim
Another gathering for Panim el Panim Conversations will take place at 7 pm on Saturday, May 11. Stay tuned for details.

Shabbat School: Register by April 26!
Shabbat School is for Havurah families with children in grades K-6. Shabbat School gives our children a basis for Jewish learning and fosters a strong sense of community amongst families. Families must enroll their children in Shabbat School by April 26, 2024, to ensure a spot for the 2024-25 (5785) school year. You can find the enrollment link on our Shabbat School page (under the Learning tab on Havurah’s website).

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.

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 (Beatrice Weiss Ekstrom, April 27; Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff, May 11) are listed below and in the website calendar. There will be a Contemplative Shabbat at 10 am on May 4.

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 Ria de Neeve.

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. On Tuesday, April 30 (Eighth Day of Pesach), there will be a Passover Minyan (Yizkor) that will also start at 8 am.)

Upcoming Havurah Events

Shabbat School Enrollment Deadline is Friday, April 26
Shabbat School is for Havurah families with children in grades K-6. Shabbat School gives our children a basis for Jewish learning and fosters a strong sense of community amongst families. Families must enroll their children in Shabbat School by Friday, April 26, 2024, to ensure a spot for the 2024-25 (5785) school year. You can find the enrollment link on our Shabbat School page (under the Learning tab on Havurah’s website).

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Beatrice Weiss Ekstrom
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, April 27 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Beatrice Weiss Ekstrom as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

Climate Action Fair at MJCC
12 pm to 4 pm, Sunday, April 28 – Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219
HCAT (Havurah's Climate Action Team) invites you to continue with our climate action month by attending a community wide Climate Action Fair at the MJCC (Mittleman Jewish Community Center). At this HCAT spearheaded event, cosponsored by the MJCC and the Jewish Federation’s Climate team, you can meet dozens of environmental organizations and discover resources for actions you can take. A series of speakers will talk about forestry, electrification, native plants and climate friendly foods. All are welcome! ASL interpretation will be provided for speakers. An arts activity area will be available for both children and adults. For more information on tablers, sponsors, and speakers see our Facebook page. The event and parking are free, or be climate friendly and come by bus. For questions, or if you would like to help volunteer, contact Michael Heumann. And please spread the word! All of us taking action is the solution to climate change. See the Havurah calendar event page for more info, including programming highlights.

Climate Action Team Monthly Meeting
5:30 to 7 pm, Monday, April 29 – Zoom Room Gimel 
With the new normal of extreme hot summer days and wildfire smoke, we are all affected by the climate crisis. Havurah Climate Action Team (HCAT) meets monthly and online as needed, to educate and support one another in tangible actions and political advocacy to address solutions. We are reaching out to Havuraniks of all ages and welcome new members to our team!  We enthusiastically want to hear your thoughts and vision for actions! Please join us via Zoom on fourth Mondays from 5:30 to 7 pm. Check the Havurah calendar for details/confirmation. Contact Elianne Lieberman or Harriet Cooke.

Havurah Office Closure and Staff Holiday: April 29 and 30
The office will be closed and staff may be unavailable for the end of the Passover holiday.

Passover Minyan (Yizkor) (Eighth Day of Pesach)
8 am to 9:15 am, Tuesday, April 30 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. We will observe Yizkor today as well. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org in the week prior for Zoom login info.

Havurah Book Group: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, April 30 – Zoom Room Bet
(Fiction/368 pages) February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.” Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boy’s body. From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying. Willie Lincoln finds himself in a strange purgatory where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, quarrel, and enact bizarre acts of penance. Within this transitional state—called, in the Tibetan tradition, the bardo—a monumental struggle erupts over young Willie’s soul. Lincoln in the Bardo is an astonishing feat of imagination and a bold step forward from one of the most important and influential writers of his generation. Saunders has invented a thrilling new form that deploys a kaleidoscopic, theatrical panorama of voices to ask a timeless, profound question: How do we live and love when we know that everything we love must end? Discussion led by David Newman. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Kabbalah and Hasidism Through the Life of Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursdays, May 2 to May 23 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Dalet
Using Buber's The Tales of Rabbi Nachman, we will look at the life of Rabbi Nachman, his teachings, and his profound stories. The four-session class will involve some meditation and journaling to help us reflect. Led by Harriet Cooke. RSVP

Contemplative Shabbat
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 4 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
We will chant verses and spend time in silent prayer or meditation, then connect through Torah discussion and share blessings. Led by Rabbi Benjamin.

Spring New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch
10 am to 12 pm, Sunday, May 5 – Havurah Shalom
All Havurahniks are welcome at the brunch, new and old alike! Questions? Email Wendy Castineira, Kehillah (Community) Cluster Lead. RSVP

Palestine Justice Working Group Check-In Meeting
7 pm, Sunday, May 5 – Zoom Room Bet
In addition to meeting every third Sunday of the month at Havurah and in Zoom Room Bet, we also meet on the first Sunday of the month just  in Zoom Room Bet to check in. If you are interested in being added to the listserv, please email David Lewis.

Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Thursday, May 9 – In Person or Zoom Room Heh (to be announced)
Our gender-inclusive New Moon group celebrates each Rosh Ḥodesh with learning and ancient and contemporary ritual. Everyone is invited to connect with our closest heavenly body, the Moon. Gatherings take place on or near the new moon of each Hebrew month. Attend any or all sessions. RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year. Location details for the May 9 gathering will be announced soon.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
6 pm Oneg; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 registration-only Dinner, Friday, May 10 – Havurah Shalom (Service both in person at Havurah and in Zoom Room Aleph)
A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians, with dinner afterward. No RSVP or registration is needed to join for the oneg and service. All are welcome! The dinner, however, does require advance registration and often fills up to capacity; dinner registration for May will open at the end of this month.

Shabbat Morning with B'nei Mitzvah of Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 11 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff as B'nei Mitzvah and members of our community.

Upcoming Panim el Panim Conversations: Saturday, May 11 at 7 pm
Havurahniks, another gathering for Panim el Panim Conversations is set to take place on Saturday, May 11 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Stay tuned to the calendar for updates.

Combatants for Peace: Two Joint Israeli & Palestinian Events
Joint Memorial Ceremony, at 10:30 am, on Sunday, May 12 (RSVP) & Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, 10 am, on Wednesday, May 15 (RSVP) –Havurah Shalom (We encourage you to come to Havurah to watch the ceremonies live together, but you can also watch the ceremonies from home.)
Each year, Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum organize the Joint Memorial Ceremony and Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony, through which Israelis and Palestinians can grieve together, catalyze transformation, and strengthen their shared resolve to create a just peace. We encourage you to come to Havurah to watch these ceremonies together with us on May 12 Joint Memorial Ceremony (RSVP) and May 15 Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony (RSVP). If you are not able to join us in person, you can sign up to watch the online broadcasts from home: May 12 online broadcast and May 15 online broadcast. Havurahnik Lois Bronfman has kindly offered to help answer questions and help on the day of these events. Additional volunteers would be welcomed and appreciated as well.

Havurah Music Jams Rock On!
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, May 13 – Havurah Shalom (in the Pardes Classroom)
On the second Monday of the month, come sing and play in community! We will be in the Pardes classroom at Havurah. Songsheets will be provided and include a mix of country, folk, Jewish folk, liturgical and popular songs. Bring your instrument, your voice and your enthusiasm! Please RSVP for the May Music Jam.

Steering Meeting
6:30 pm to 9 pm, Tuesday, March 14 – Zoom Room Gimel
All Havurah Shalom members are invited to join for Steering Committee meetings.

Safety Corner

Guardian Active Bystander Training
7 pm, Tuesday, May 14 – Zoom by RSVP
Secure Community Network's Jessica Anderson will teach us skillsets to help identify and respond to hazards, enabling you to become an Active Bystander—someone who helps and protects others with confidence and knowledge. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Havurah's Climate Action Team (HCAT)
HCAT & Partners Present: Climate Action Fair at the MJCC
12 pm to 4 pm, Sunday, April 28 – Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219
HCAT (Havurah Climate Action Team) invites you to continue with our climate action month by attending a community wide Climate Action Fair at the MJCC (Mittleman Jewish Community Center). For more information on tablers, sponsors, and speakers see our Facebook page. For questions, or if you would like to help volunteer, contact Michael Heumann. And please spread the word! All of us taking action is the solution to climate change. See the Havurah calendar event page for more info, including programming highlights.

Poverty & Homelessness Committee
Recording of the Interfaith Alliance On Poverty First Thursday April Meeting with Brandy Westerman
Brandy Westerman, who presented at the recent April Interfaith Alliance on Povery First Thursday meeting, was recently appointed to the newly created position of Emergency Humanitarian Director to the city of Portland's alternative shelter efforts. This includes existing and planned safe rest villages and other temporary alternative shelter sites. Contact Sue Abrams for the link and pass code needed to access the recording of this meeting.

Join the Interfaith Alliance On Poverty First Thursday May Meeting with Kodee Zamkee
12 pm to 1:30 pm, Thursday, May 2 – RSVP for Zoom link
Kodee Zamke of Street Roots will discuss what Street Roots has learned from working with its vendors,. She will tell us how the new offices and living quarters of the Street Roots building will be used and let us know what is coming for Street Roots in their work to inform Portland about the causes of poverty. Questions? Contact Sue Abrams.

Havurah Shalom 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 | Oregon Food Bank

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, 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 Room links can be found near the end of this email.

Out in the Community

Seeking More Passover Seder Opportunities in the Portland Area?
Check out the 2024 Passover calendar compiled by the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. The seder opportunities listed include a P'nai Or seder (Monday, April 22), Congregation Beth Israel seder (Friday, April 26), and a Kol Shalom seder (Saturday, April 27). Most but not all of these welcoming community seder opportunities include a fee.

Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice Newsletter
Read the JCIJ April newsletter to learn about upcoming events and how to support new migrant arrivals in the Seattle area, and find links to some beautiful and inspirational songs. Keep In touch with the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW at team@jewishcoalition.org, and check out our new website jewishcoalition.org.

 

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

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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