Hineinu, September 11, 2024

The High Holiday Packet is here to help with planning as we look ahead to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and more.

Sign up to Volunteer (members), RSVP for the Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner (members),
and Register for Child Care.

Meanwhile, the month of Elul has begun!
RSVP for an Elul activity you will find enjoyable and meaningful!

Make a Jewish Calendar 
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesdays, Sept. 11, 18
— Zoom Room Bet
Feel free to jump into Zoom Room Bet tonight for the first class (RSVP for Zoom login info) or to just join the second class on Sept. 18! 
We will make a paper Jewish wall calendar and datebook (paper or virtual) for the coming Jewish year together in two two-hour sessions. Led by Carolina Martinez, the class is geared toward school-age children, teens and adults. You choose the themes and formatting for your calendar and planner and Carolina Martinez helps you find a starting point and resources and guides you in the assembly. All are welcome. RSVP and learn more

Do You Want to Support a Community Impact Statement about Recent Hate Crimes in Portland?
In April and May of 2022, when Michael Bivins set fire to the Muslim Community Center of Portland with congregants inside of it, shattered windows of Congregation Shir Tikvah and Everybody Eats PDX, and spray painted “Die Juden” on Congregation Beth Israel, his actions went beyond defiling our sacred spaces. He sought to erase our right to practice our religions and to shatter our sense of safety as Muslim, Jewish, and Black people.
 
You are invited to confidentially sign onto the Community Impact Statement that will be presented to the court in his upcoming sentencing hearing. You can indicate in the form if you would like to be notified of the upcoming sentencing hearing, which will most likely be in late September.

Join Our Next Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration, Now in a New Format! — Friday, September 13
A musical, all-ages Friday night service with family-friendly hearty nosh before and nosh plus dessert after. All are welcome! No registration needed. Free childcare provided. 

Havurah members, please consider donating a bit of your time to help out. Check out the Sept. 13 Volunteer Sign-up Sheet! Volunteer shifts are 10 to 15 minutes long!

5:45 pm — Hearty nosh (in person at Havurah)
6:30 pm — Service (in person at Havurah and in Zoom Room Aleph)
7:30 pm — Oneg nosh plus dessert (in person at Havurah)
 
Those joining on Zoom, please come at 6:30 pm; the in-person nosh and dessert will not be televised. For Zoom information, please email info@havurhshalom.org. Members can also find Zoom Room Aleph info here.

A new addition to this week’s Kabbalat Shabbat Activities: A “Write a letter to Get Out the Vote” table will be available during the Hearty Nosh, 5:45-6:30. Do a good deed while you eat and visit with friends. Sponsored by the Tikkun Olam Cluster, we will have everything you need to write an encouraging sentence or two to folks who are not regular voters. Resources for further Get Out the Vote efforts will be available.
——
Important Note: This Kabbalat Shabbat will be in the new format described by the Kabbalat Shabbat Committee on page 1 of the August 2024 Hakol; we encourage you to read about this change!

RSVP for Latino/Latine Heritage Gathering at Havurah
5 pm to 8 pm, Monday, September 16 – Havurah Shalom
Join the Havurah community as we celebrate Latino Heritage Month! Havurahnik Victor Grimaldi will introduce a documentary about the "Chicano!", our friend Keren Rodriguez of IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice) will speak with us and facilitate a Q&A, and we'll all enjoy delicious Latin American food, made locally in the Portland area. All are welcome. Learn More & RSVP by Friday, Sept. 13. 

The Cost of Free Land, Book Discussion with Havurahnik Author Rebecca Clarren
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesday, September 25 - Havurah Shalom & Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome to this Elul event from Havurah's Racial Justice Committee: Havurah member Rebecca Clarren will be in person at Havurah for a book presentation and signing of her award-winning book, The Cost of Free Land. The book investigates the entangled history of her Jewish ancestors’ land in South Dakota and the Lakota people, who were forced off that land by the United States government. Non-members are invited! You can find more information and RSVP here.

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.

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. All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from our holy books. All are welcome. (On the third Shabbat of each month, there will be a multi-synagogue Torah Study led by Emily Simon.)

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 (Abraham Bendsneyder-Koven and Molly Faccinetti, September 7; Emma Blau, September 14) are listed below and in the website calendar. All are welcome.

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. Prospective members of Havurah Shalom interested in our mahjong group are invited to attend a game to become better acquainted with our group, but we ask that you already know how to play before coming. Please contact the Havurah office to schedule your visit. Havurah members, reach out to Leah Hershey if you want to be added to the group email list and receive notices of meeting changes.

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, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, 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

Daily Shofar
All day, every day (except on Shabbat) from September 4 to October 1 –  Havurah's YouTube page (for everyone) and Facebook page (for Havurah members)
Hear the Sound of the Shofar each day of Elul (except Shabbat): Andrine, Diane & Howard (& sometimes Dominic) help prepare us for Rosh Hashanah with shofar, deep thoughts & a touch of kavannah. Videos will be posted daily on Havurah's YouTube and Facebook pages to watch as you are able.

Make a Jewish Calendar 
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesdays, Sept. 11, 18 — Zoom Room Bet
We will make a paper Jewish wall calendar and datebook (paper or virtual) for the coming Jewish year together in two two-hour sessions. Led by Carolina Martinez, the class is geared toward school-age children, teens and adults. You choose the themes and formatting for your calendar and planner and Carolina Martinez helps you find a starting point and resources and guides you in the assembly. All are welcome. RSVP and learn more

Kabbalat Shabbat Service (in the New Format!)
5:45 pm Hearty Nosh; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm Oneg Nosh plus Dessert, Friday, September 13  – Havurah Shalom (and also in Zoom Room Aleph at 6:30 pm for the Service)
A musical, all-ages Friday night service with family-friendly hearty nosh before and nosh plus dessert after. All are welcome! No registration needed. Free childcare provided.
5:45 pm — Hearty Nosh (in person at Havurah)
6:30 pm — Service (in person at Havurah and in Zoom Room Aleph)
7:30 pm — Oneg Nosh plus Dessert (in person at Havurah)
Havurah members, please consider donating a bit of your time to help! Check out the Sept. 13 volunteer sign-up sheet.

Latino/Latine Heritage Gathering
5 pm to 8 pm, Monday, September 16 – Havurah Shalom
Join the Havurah community as we celebrate Latino Heritage Month!
Havurahnik Victor Grimaldi will introduce a documentary about the "Chicano!" movement made possible by labor leaders Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez.  Our good friend Keren Rodriguez with IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice) will facilitate the Q&A and discuss personal experiences, the impact of the movement, and what we learn from the film. And we will enjoy delicious Latin American food, made locally in the Portland area. Please join this in-person event at Havurah Shalom. All are welcome. RSVP requested by Friday, Sept. 13.

Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Emma Blau
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, September 14 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Emma Blau as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community. All are welcome.

Exploring the Torah: Authors, Eras, and Agendas
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Mondays, Sept. 16, 23, 30 — Zoom Room Bet
Torah was a massive, multi-century writing and editing project. We’ll dip into by whom and for whom, when, where—and why. Inspired by the work of Gil Kidron. Led by Howard Patterson. All are welcome. RSVP

High Holidays in Places You Might Not Expect
7 pm, Thursday, Sept. 19 — Havurah Shalom
Soon we will be celebrating the High Holidays as we do every year, and maybe similarly to how we marked these holidays when we were growing up. Yet, did you know that there are many extraordinary Jewish communities around the world celebrating our new year with so much exuberance? While there are similarities between how the holidays are observed here and elsewhere, there are many differences as well. Come learn about how Jews in parts of India, Southern Italy, various countries of Africa, and several other global communities celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur! Led by Judi Kloper, a Havurah member who serves on the board of Kulanu, an international nonprofit that supports isolated, emerging, and returning Jews and Jewish communities worldwide. All are welcome. RSVP

Multiy-Synagogue Torah Study, Led by Emily Simon
9 am to 10 am, Saturday, September 21 — Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
On the third Saturday of the month (Shabbat morning), we have a multi-synagogue Torah Study, led by Emily Simon. Other congregations joining Havurah Shalom include Temple Sholom in Monticello New York, Emek Shalom in Ashland, Oregon, and Mayim Shalom in Coos Bay, Oregon. We may even have some folks joining us from other parts of the country and maybe the world. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from our holy books. Email info@havurahshalom.org for Zoom link. All are welcome.

Siddur Repair Workshop
1 pm to 5 pm, Saturday, Sept 21 — Havurah Shalom
Would you like to learn some basic book mending skills and help mend our many siddurim? Joe Clement, a Havurah member who works for Multnomah County Library, is offering a tutorial and tikkun workshop. All are welcome. Tools will be provided, but please RSVP so we know how many we need.

Teen Honey Cake Baking
10 am, Sunday, Sept. 22 — Havurah Shalom
The Teen Engagement Committee invites all Havurah teens to learn how to bake honey cake to share with family and friends as we start the New Year with a sweet treat. All are welcome. RSVP
 
Birding Together
10 am to 12 pm (noon), Sunday, Sept. 22 — Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
Meet at the Sellwood Park parking lot at SE 7th Ave and Sellwood Blvd for a leisurely walk to look for birds. Join experienced birders Cindy and Andrew Merrill to see how many different species we can find and identify together. Birding expertise is not required, but interest in nature is helpful. We’ll walk from the parking lot down a gradual slope to a dirt and gravel path to the wetland. The path is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers, and bikes and dogs are not permitted. Questions? Call, text, or email Cindy Merrill (member login required to access directory). All are welcome. Read other key event info and RSVP.

Connecting Past with Present: May Their Memories Be For a Blessing
1-2:30 pm on Sunday, Sept. 22 (at Havurah)
7-8:30 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 24 (on Zoom)
7-8:30 pm on Monday, Sept. 30 (on Zoom)
Make your memory of a deceased family member or friend into a blessing by attending one of four gatherings during the month of Elul to share a story and hear a story. These September gatherings are part of Havurah Shalom’s “Arc of Remembrance” programming in preparation for Yizkor (Service of Remembrance) on Yim Kippur afternoon. All are welcome. (Click the dates hyperlinked above to RSVP for an upcoming session.)

Climate Action Team Meeting
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Mondy, September 23 — Zoom Room Gimel
Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting.

Songs of Turning Sing-Along for Elul
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, September 23 — Havurah Shalom
Everyone circle around and join your voices together—it’s a sing-along! No expertise is needed, just the desire to sing. We’ll kick off the new season with Songs of Turning, for the season of Elul and the High Holidays. If you’re not already on the Havurah singers email list, contact Sacha Reich. RSVP

Book Group to Discuss The Weight of Ink
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, September 24 — Zoom Room Bet
The Havurah Shalom Book Group meets monthly to discuss fiction and nonfiction books voted on by Havurah members. All are welcome to any and all meetings. Copies of our upcoming books can be checked out by members in the Havurah library. A list of the 2024-25 books is available here. This month, we invite you to read and discuss…The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish (fiction, 576 pages)
Set in London in the 1660s and early twenty-first century, the book is  an interwoven tale of two women. One is a scribe for a blind rabbi at a time when women were not permitted to be scribes, and the other is an ailing historian with a love for Jewish history. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award.
Discussion led by Yvonne Cohen. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Havurah Greeter Safety Training
7 to 8:15 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 24 — Zoom Room Dalet
We will learn how to how to be aware of our surroundings, help people having medical or psychological emergencies, and what the best practices are for emergencies specifically at the Tiffany Center and Havurah Shalom, where our High Holidays services will be taking place. These skills can be used year-round at Havurah and in your everyday life too. Have a good time learning in the session, come out more knowledgeable than before, and then sign up to greet and usher when volunteer sign-ups open! (This class is for Havurah Shalom members only.) RSVP

Fleece Blanket Making for Community Warehouse
7 pm to 9 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 25 — Havurah Shalom
Join the Poverty and Homelessness Committee and Teen Engagement Committee as we assemble ten no-sew fleece blanket kits to be donated to Community Warehouse. The evening session on Sept. 25 will be led by the teens. No experience necessary. Bring a sharp pair of sewing scissors if you have one. Contact Julie Hastings with questions. All are welcome. RSVP for the Sept. 25 session.

The Cost of Free Land, Book Discussion with Havurahnik Author Rebecca Clarren
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesday, September 25 - Havurah Shalom & Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome to this Elul event from Havurah's Racial Justice Committee: Havurah member Rebecca Clarren will be in person at Havurah for a book presentation and signing of her award-winning book, The Cost of Free Land. The book investigates the entangled history of her Jewish ancestors’ land in South Dakota and the Lakota people, who were forced off that land by the United States government. Non-members are invited! You can find more information and RSVP here.

Safety Corner

The Power Of Hello
11 am, Tuesday, Sept. 17 — Zoom by RSVP
5:30 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 17 — Zoom by RSVP
Used effectively, the right words can be a powerful tool. Simply saying “Hello” can prompt a casual conversation with a new person, providing an opportunity to observe and establish a connection. The OHNO approach–Observe, Initiate a Hello, Navigate the Risk, and Obtain Help–enables us to observe and evaluate suspicious behaviors, empowering us to lower risk and obtain help when necessary. Come to this national training provided by Secure Community Network to learn important skills around welcoming and maintaining safety at Havurah!
 
Havurah Greeter Safety Training
7 to 8:15 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 24 — Zoom Room Dalet
We will learn how to how to be aware of our surroundings, help people having medical or psychological emergencies, and what the best practices are for emergencies specifically at the Tiffany Center and Havurah Shalom, where our High Holidays services will be taking place. These skills can be used year-round at Havurah and in your everyday life too. Have a good time learning in the session, come out more knowledgeable than before, and then sign up to greet and usher when volunteer sign-ups open! (This class is for Havurah Shalom members only.) RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Read the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice newsletter. Learn about ways to volunteer, donate or advocate for our newest community members. Contact JCIJ at team@jewishcoalition.org.

A new addition to this week’s (Friday, Sept. 13) Kabbalat Shabbat Activities: A “Write a letter to Get Out the Vote” table will be available during the Hearty Nosh, 5:45-6:30. Do a good deed while you eat and visit with friends. Sponsored by the Tikkun Olam Cluster, we will have everything you need to write an encouraging sentence or two to folks who are not regular voters. Resources for further Get Out the Vote efforts will be available.

 

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 |Jewish Earth Alliance | IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice)

Out in the Community

2024 Rabbi Stampfer Community Enrichment Award Dinner
5 pm, Sunday, September 22 — Congregation Neveh Shalom
Join us to celebrate Brian Suher's dedication to our community, the legacy of previous honorees, and the evening’s featured organization, the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. RSVP required. Tickets: $72/person or $576/table (8 people). RSVP required 

Parking Available for Havurah Events

Legacy has generously given us permission to park in its lot at 1919 NW Lovejoy on weekdays after 5 pm and all day on weekends. We can park in any spot except spots 1 through 10. We hope this will make it easier to come for services and other programming! Please help us maintain our relationship with Legacy by honoring these guidelines.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

Havurah Zoom Rooms

Zoom Room Aleph
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 604560503 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 604560503.
 
Zoom Room Bet
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 291215092 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 291215092.
 
Zoom Room Gimel
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 502586440 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 502586440.

Zoom Room Dalet
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join. 
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 472484392 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 472484392.

Zoom Room Heh
PC/Mac/Smartphone: Click here to join.
Note for all devices: You can also open your Zoom app first, click “Join a Meeting” then enter meeting ID 87852542099 and "call via device audio." The passcode is 5472.
Cell/Landline: Dial +1 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 87852542099.

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

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.