Hineinu, May 8, 2024

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration: Friday, May 10
6 pm oneg and 6:30 pm service (plus a 7:30 pm registration-only dinner, which is full), Friday, May 10 – Havurah Shalom (6:30 pm Service both in person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Aleph)

A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians. No RSVP or registration is needed to join for the oneg and service—just join in! All are welcome! (Only the 7:30 pm dinner requires registration, and it's presently full.)

Need to cancel your May 10 Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner registration? Please email Tara Anderson (tara@havurahshalom.org) ASAP. Be sure to include the full names of all cancelling in your party.

Havurahniks, can you help out at our May Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration?  This is our last Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration until September, and many volunteer slots are still unfilled at this time! Click here to explore available volunteer shifts, which start at just 15 minutes. Many helping hands are needed to make Kabbalat Shabbat a success.

Child Care Substitutes and Helpers Wanted 
Havurah Shalom provides child care at all services and at many events, usually staffed by our official child care professional, Ellen. From time to time, a sub is needed, or there are a lot of kids and a helper is needed. If you enjoy working with kids of all ages and have a flexible schedule, please email Rachel Pollak (rachel@havurahshalom.org). Great for teens age 14+. Pays $25/hr.

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 (Benjamin Rose and Asher Segal-Adoff, May 11) are listed below and in the website calendar. (There will be a Tot Shabbat from 10:30 am to 11:30 am on Saturday, June 1. 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 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.

Upcoming Havurah Events

Prayer Flags for Our Planet: Guided Tour Hours with the Artist, Anne Nesse
11 am to 3 pm, Thursday, May 9 – Havurah Shalom
Come to Havurah during the hours of 11 am to 3 pm on May 9 for a guided tour from the artist who created Prayer Flags for Our Planet, Anne Nesse. "This exhibit is about science and art. It is meant to be a learning experience, about the top 60 solutions to climate change, as researched by over 5,000 scientists. And most importantly it is about hope. It is about learning about these solutions to climate change and changing the hearts and minds of those around us, so that we can all work together." - Anne Nesse. Learn more.

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 the location and other details throughout the year.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
6 pm Oneg and 6:30 pm Service (The registration-only dinner at 7:30 pm is presently full), Friday, May 10  – Havurah Shalom (6:30 pm Service both in person at Havurah and online in Zoom Room Aleph)
A family-friendly oneg followed by a service led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians. No RSVP or registration is needed to join for the oneg and service; just join in! All are welcome! Havurahniks, can you help out at our May Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration? Click here to explore available volunteer shifts, which start at just 15 minutes. Many helping hands are needed to make Kabbalat Shabbat a success each month. Need to cancel your Kabbalat Shabbat dinner reservation? Email Tara Anderson (tara@havurahshalom.org) ASAP.

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.

In-Person Viewing of the Joint Memorial Ceremony
10:30 am, Sunday, May 12 — Havurah Shalom
The Joint Memorial Ceremony, co-sponsored by Havurah’s Israel/Palestine Committee, is a peace event organized by Israelis and Palestinians as a way to grieve together for mutual losses and stand strong in demanding an end to occupation and ongoing violence. Please join us at Havurah to watch the stream together in solidarity. RSVP | Register to Watch at Home

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.

In-Person Viewing of the Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony
10 am, Wednesday, May 15 — Havurah Shalom
Palestinians and Israelis gather in Beit Jala to recall the pain and trauma of the Palestinian community in 1948, when more than 700,000 Palestinians became refugees as a result of being forcibly expelled from their homes. Join us at Havurah to view the Joint Nakba Remembrance Ceremony dedicated to the Israeli and Palestinian organizers’ belief that peace and reconciliation require a sincere and honest reckoning with history. RSVP | Register to Watch at Home

Shabbat School Summit
3 pm to 5 pm, Saturday, May 18 – Havurah Shalom
This Shabbat School Summit is for all families with children enrolled in the 2024-2025 (Year 5785) Shabbat School (K-6) cohort. Shabbat School families, RSVP by May 12.

Annual Cemetery Beautification Day
1 pm to 3 pm, Sunday, May 19 – 5656 SW Humphrey Blvd., Portland (Click here for driving directions and public transportation options to get to Havurah's cemetery)
To beautify our cemetery, please bring garden implements and wear appropriate clothing.

Meeting of Palestine Justice working group (Third Sundays, Hybrid Meeting)
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Sunday, May 19 (third Sundays) – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
Our regular monthly meeting of the Palestine Justice working group takes place on the third Sunday of the month at Havurah and in Zoom Room Bet. The agenda will be distributed in advance on the listserv. If you are interested in being added to the listserv, please email David Lewis.

Fiddler on the Roof Sing-Along
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, May 20 – Havurah Shalom
Join us at Havurah, with Barry Lavine accompanying on the piano! Sing-alongs are for everyone who enjoys singing to circle round and join voices together. No expertise is needed, just the desire to sing. Costumes optional! RSVP

Hakol Deadline for the June 2024 Hakol: Tuesday, May 21
The deadline for submissions to the June 2024 issue of our monthly newsletter, Hakol, is Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Havurah members: To read the submission guidelines and submit your short articles,  go to HavurahShalom.org > News > Submit News & Requests > Click on the Hakol Submission Form. Or click on this link to go directly to the Hakol submission form. Reach out to Tara Anderson (tara@havurahshalom.org), Havurah Participation and Publications Coordinator, if you have questions.

Teen Engagement Tikkun Olam Project
6 pm to 8pm/8:30 pm, Wednesday, May 22 – Havurah Shalom
Organized by the Teen Engagement and Poverty & Homelessness commitees, Havurah teens (7th to 12th grade) are invited to come to Havurah for a pizza dinner followed by social crafting time: making no-sew fleece blankets for recipients of services of Community Warehouse, a local furniture bank that provides donated furniture and household items to neighbors seeking the comfort and dignity of a furnished home while overcoming adversity. Making no-sew blankets is easy (see this 36-second video), and the process will be guided by Havurahnik Julie Hastings. Havurahnik parents/guardians of Havurah teens, RSVP by May 19. (Parents are welcome to drop off their teens or stay and schmooze.)

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Nadine Luker
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, May 25 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph 
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Nadine Luker as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.

Memorial Day Office Closure
Monday, May 27
The Havurah office is closed on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day).

Book Group Discussion: Whatever Happened to Antisemitism? By Anthony Lerman
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, May 28 – Zoom Room Bet
The public, academics, journalists, activists and Jewish people themselves are divided over the meaning of antisemitism. Antony Lerman shows that this is a result of a 30-year process of redefinition of the phenomenon, casting Israel, problematically defined as the “persecuted collective Jew,” as one of its main targets. This political project has taken the notion of the “new antisemitism” and codified it in the flawed International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s “working definition” of antisemitism. This text is the glue holding together an international network comprising the Israeli government, pro-Israel advocacy groups, Zionist organizations, Jewish communal defense bodies and sympathetic governments fighting a war against those who would criticize Israel. The consequences of this redefinition have been to suppress free speech on Palestine/Israel, legitimize Islamophobic right-wing forces, and politicize principled opposition to antisemitism. Discussion led by Joel Beinin. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Tot Shabbat
10:30 am to 11:30 am, Saturday, June 1 – Havurah Shalom
Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome. RSVP

Safety Corner

Free 1-Hour Online NARCAN Training in a Jewish Context
12 pm, Wednesday, May 8 (RSVP); 9 am, Thursday, May 16 (RSVP); or 5 pm, Tuesday, May 21 (RSVP) — Zoom by RSVP
This Community NARCAN Training is a hands-on opportunity to learn about how substance use affects the Jewish community (spoiler: much, much more than you think it does, and yes - if you’re wondering, you definitely know someone at risk of overdose right now), to become certified in the use and application of NARCAN to reverse a drug overdose, and to encounter Jewish wisdom to inspire us as harm reduction ambassadors. Each participant can choose to receive a NARCAN kit upon completion of the training.

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
 
Countering Active Threat Training
7 pm, Monday, May 20 — Zoom by RSVP
We will learn best practices for how to counter an active threat at this training developed for faith-based institutions and houses of worship. Provided by Jessica Anderson of the Secure Community Network. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Sanctuary Committee
Car Seat Needed for a Two-Year-Old
​​​​​​​The two-year-old member of our Afghan family needs a new or gently-used car seat. It must meet safety standards. Please be in touch by email with Robbin Isaacson DeWeese. Thank you from the Afghan Family Support Group!

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

Celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut with Israeli Folk Dancing
Monday, May 13, 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm – Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland
Dance Through the Decades! Vintage dances begin at 7:30pm followed by popular dances through the decades until 10:30pm. Beginners welcome. See more details here. $7 cash or Venmo at the door.

Music for the Jewish Soul: A Klezmer, Sephardic, & Eastern European Musical Gala
Sunday, May 19, 6:15 pm to 9 pm – Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 Northeast Sandy Boulevard)
This is a fundraiser for P'nai Or of Portland and a social event with fantastic music for all of Jewish Portland. Held at the EJC, this fancy gala will feature music by Michelle Alany and The Mystics, plus special guest Eric Stern. There will be appetizers and drinks, a silent auction. dancing, and schmoozing. Please wear fancy/dressy clothes! Ticket cost is on a sliding scale, $36-250 per person in advance ($40-250 at the door), and includes drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and appetizers. Attendance limited by the capacity of the space, so get your tickets early! Register 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.