Hineinu, October 16, 2024

Wings of the Dove Engagement Sessions
The Wings of the Dove Campaign is on track to lift the Havurah community to new heights, expanding the potential of our congregation in new spaces where we will gather, learn, sing, and celebrate! 

Your voice is needed.

Havurahniks and those interested in supporting the future of our community, please attend a Wings of the Dove Campaign Engagement session and share in building the vision to address Havurah's future facility and staffing needs. These are non-fundraising events.

Please choose one of the following Community Engagement sessions:
Sunday, October 27 at 11 am - In Person at Havurah,
Tuesday, October 29 at 7 pm - In Zoom Room Gimel, or 
Saturday, November 23 at 3:15 pm - At Havurah (During Shabbat School)

For more information, contact Aaron Pearlman, Campaign Manager, aaron.pearlman@havurahshalom.org

5785/2024 High Holidays Videos
Would you like to watch and listen to recordings of our recent High Holiday services? Check out our YouTube playlist, High Holidays 2024/5785. 
Rosh Hashanah drashot videos are included in the playlist; Yom Kippur drashot videos will be posted soon and then highlighted in Hineinu.

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.

Coming to Havurah Shalom by bicycle? Feel free to bring your bike inside our building while you're at Havurah.

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, including on Saturday, October 19.)

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 (Isaac Colman, October 19, Jude Esmer, November 2) are listed below and in the website calendar. All are welcome.
(On Saturday, October 26, Ted Scheinman will chant his Bar Mitzvah portion, share some thoughts on turning 80, and host a lunch for all who come. If possible, please let Ted know if you plan to join for this.)

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, Adela Basayne, 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.

Sukkot & Simchat Torah

Alte Rockers in the Sukkah
5 pm to 7 pm, Thursday, Oct. 17 – Havurah Shalom
Come perform the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah with your fellow Alte-Rockers! We will have our annual dairy/fish potluck in the Sukkot (if weather permits, otherwise in the Synagogue). All are welcome. RSVP

Queer Sukkot Potluck in SE Portland
7 pm to 9 pm, Saturday, Oct. 19 – Reed College Neighborhood, RSVP for location
Come shake the lulav in the Sukkah with a bunch of Jewish Queers. Bring a tasty contribution. Hosted by Lev Pearlman. All are welcome; RSVP.

Get Out the Vote Letter Writing Party in the Sukkah
Anytime between 12:30 pm and 2 pm, Tuesday, October 22 – Havurah Shalom
Drop in anytime between 12:30 and 2 to join the Tikkun Olam Cluster as we write the final batch of letters and post cards to encourage people to vote. We’ll shake the Lulav and Etrog, and enjoy each other’s company. We’ll provide the paper and pens and snacks! Bring your lunch if you’d like. RSVP or drop by.

Morning Minyan (Yizkor)
8 am to 9:15 am, Thursday, October 24 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph

For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Today's service will include Shmeini Atzeret Yizkor. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org for join info.

A Yizkor to Remember Those Taken from Us on Simḥat Torah a Year Ago
5 pm to 6 pm, Thursday, October 24 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Neshamah
On the last day of Sukkot every year, as we conclude the Days of Awe, we recite Yizkor prayers for loved ones no longer with us. In addition this year, just before Simḥat Torah, we will gather for a special Yizkor service to remember those killed in the Hamas attacks on this day in the Hebrew calendar a year ago. We will then move directly into Simḥat Torah, rejoicing in all that connects us and renewing our story once again. RSVP

Simḥat Torah Celebration
6 pm to 9 pm, Thursday, October 24 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Neshamah
Join us for a family-friendly and joyous celebration featuring music and dancing with the Torah! Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." On Simchat Torah, we celebrate the conclusion of our annual Torah reading cycle and the beginning of another. We read the last Torah portion, then the first chapter of Genesis, remembering that the Torah is a circle of life that never ends. Torah brings sweetness to the lives of all of us! More information on this celebration will be shared as the date nears. RSVP.

 

Sukkah Takedown
9 am to 1 pm, Sunday, October 27 – Havurah Shalom
The holidays are over! Time to disassemble the sukkah and take it down to the basement! Members, please sign up on the High Holiday Volunteer Signup to help us out!

More Upcoming Havurah Events

Racial Justice Committee Meeting
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Thursday, October 17 – Zoom Room Bet
Havurahniks, join the Racial Justice Committee to see what the committee is up to, share your ideas of what we could do and engage in learning around racial justice topics. Join us even if you haven't before or it has been awhile.

Multi-Synagogue Torah Study, Led by Emily Simon
9 am to 10 am, Saturday, October 19 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from our holy books. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. All are welcome. Learn more on our calendar.

Shabbat Morning with Bar Mitzvah of Isaac Colman
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, October 19 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Isaac Colman as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community. All are welcome.

Havurah's Climate Action Team Reads Rabbi Lewis (Chapter 1)
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Monday, October 21 – Zoom Room Gimel
HCAT's slow read of an inspirational and informative book begins. We will discuss the first chapter of How Precious the Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values that Could Save the Earth by Rabbi Sheldon (Shelly) Lewis. During this meeting we will decide how often we want to meet, and at what pace. RSVP

Book Group Discussion: The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine by Miko Peled
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, October 22 – Zoom Room Bet
Nonfiction, 272 pages. The powerful account of Israeli peace activist Miko Peled of his transformation from a young man who'd grown up in the heart of Israel's elite and served proudly in its military into a fearless advocate of nonviolent struggle and equal rights for all Palestinians and Israelis. His journey in many ways mirrors the transformation his father, a much-decorated Israeli general, had undergone three decades earlier. Discussion led by Holly Hoffnung. Nonmembers welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Virtual Phone Banking to Get Out the Vote
6 pm to 8 pm, Wednesday, October 23 – Zoom Room Bet
Havurah's Climate Action Team (HCAT) will be hosting a Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action activity, Virtual Phone Bank to Get Out the Vote. Both a personal laptop/tablet and a smartphone are needed to phone bank. All are welcome, members and non-members alike. You will be emailed the Zoom login upon registering. Questions? Contact Judi Soloway. RSVP

Exploring Sephardic Music
6:30 pm to 8:15 pm, Wednesdays, Oct. 23, Oct. 30, and Nov. 6 – Havurah Shalom
In this class we will explore Sephardic music—the music of Jews in diaspora who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492—through lecture, recordings, and live music. Led by Eric Stern, international performer and Events Coordinator and Cultural Arts Ambassador at the Eastside Jewish Commons. All are welcome to take this course. RSVP

Shabbat Morning with the Ted Scheiman Chanting His Bar Mitzvah Portion and Celebrating His 80th Birthday
10 am to 2:30 pm, Saturday, October 26 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including Ted Scheinman (the Alte-Rocker himself) trying to chant his Bar Mitzvah portion and sharing some thoughts on turning 80. Following services at about 12:30 pm, Ted will host a delicious Shabbat Lunch for all who come. Afterwards, we may even have Israeli Folk Dancing. If possible, please let Ted know if you plan to join for this.

Wings of the Dove Campaign Community Conversations (Choose a Session)
11 am, Sunday, October 27 – Havurah Shalom,
7 pm, Tuesday, October 29 – Zoom Room Gimel, or 
3:15 pm, Saturday, November 23 – Havurah Shalom (During Shabbat School)
The Wings of the Dove Campaign is on track to lift the Havurah community to new heights, expanding the potential of our congregation in new spaces where we will gather, learn, sing, and celebrate! Your voice is needed. Choose one of the Wings of the Dove Conversation sessions listed above (Oct. 27, Oct. 29 (virtual), or Nov. 23) and share in building the vision to address Havurah's future facility and staffing needs. RSVP and indicate your selected session date in the registration notes.

MACG Leadership Academy
2:30 pm to 5 pm, Sunday, October 27 – Havurah Shalom
Come to a MACG (Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good) training session hosted by Havurah's MACG committee. RSVP and get more information.

Teen Tivnu Building Project
11 am to 2 pm, Sunday, October 27 – Hazelnut Grove, a self-governed tiny house village near North Portland's Overlook Park [RSVP for key event info]
The Teen Tivnu Building Project is for Havurah teens (7th - 12th grade). This project will be at Hazelnut Grove, a self-governed tiny house village. We will build planter boxes for the community and assist with any other work the residents ask for help with. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to use tools to build stuff – Tivnu's staff will teach you. The project will be framed in the context of Jewish values surrounding self-sufficiency, land use, and caring for your body.
Once you RSVP, you will be emailed key information on where to meet up and what to bring.

HCAT (Havurah's Climate Action Team) Meeting
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Monday, October 28 – Zoom Room Gimel
Join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting.

Palestinian Justice Letter Writing Group
6 pm to 7:30 pm, Monday, October 28 – Zoom Room Heh
We will engage in our monthly letter writing on the last Monday of each month to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Questions? Contact  Dale Oller (member log-in required to access directory). Non-Havurah-members very welcome as well. RSVP for Zoom info.

Teen Kabbalat Shabbat
6 pm to 8 pm, Friday, November 1 – Havurah Shalom
This Kabbalat Shabbat led by Rabbi Benjamin is for Havurah teens (7th to 12th grade) and their parents/guardians. We will welcome in Shabbat, and enjoy a musical evening all together. Dinner entrees will be provided for all. We ask each family to bring either a salad or dessert (gluten-free dishes welcomed and encouraged as well) or drinks to share with others. When you RSVP, please specify the number of teens and number of adults in the registration notes.

Shabbat Morning with the Bar Mitzvah of Jude Esmer
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, November 2 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Jude Esmer as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community. All are welcome.

Tot Shabbat
10:30 am to 11:15 am, Saturday, November 2 – Havurah Shalom
Young children (0-5) and parents celebrate with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. All are welcome! Please RSVP when you plan to come. We provide free childcare for those staying to enjoy the full Shabbat service that ends at noon and which is followed by a light community brunch. Email info@havurahshalom.org to learn more. RSVP

Parenting Huddle: Parenting/Being Jewish in the World Right Now
Many people have expressed that the war in Israel/Palestine has brought up questions and challenges around parenting in Jewish families, around being a Jew (or in a Jewish family) in the world, in their workplace, in Portland…This is a dedicated time to share those experiences and hopefully gain some clarity for how to move forward. Led by Rabbi Benjamin and Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. For parents/guardians to enjoy during Shabbat School, at Havurah Shalom. Member and non-member parents/guardians welcome. RSVP

Some Major Havurah Events Coming Up...Save the Dates (and RSVP)!

On Friday, November 8, with a nosh begining at 5:45 pm and a 6:30 pm service, we'll hold a Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration at Havurah Shalom (with a Zoom option for the service). No need to RSVP anymore, and all are welcome. See the calendar entry for more information.

At 7 pm on Sunday, November 10 at Havurah Shalom, Molly Bajgot will be holding a concert sharing music from her first full-length album, Revelry, with new tunes for Jewish liturgy and original songs of hope. All are welcome. RSVP

At 7 pm on Thursday, November 14, at Havurah Shalom and on Zoom, Havurah's Poverty and Homelessness Committee is offering a forum on homelessness in Portland with a panel of Havurahniks: Steve Rudman, former director of Home Forward, Rachael Duke of Community Partners for Affordable Housing, and Andrea Sanchez of Housing Development Center. All are welcome. RSVP

At 7 pm on Sunday, November 17, at Havurah Shalom, Havurah's Alte Rockers invite you to Lives Lived, Lessons Learned. Join Havurahnik storytellers Edward Hershey, Cassandra Sagan, Sarah Stein and Yuvi Zalkow and musician Steven Mesulam for a fun and insightful evening of stories with musical accompaniment. Feel free to bring a story or anecdote of your own to share! For more information or to help out with this event, contact Ed Hershey. All are welcome. RSVP

More Tikkun Olam 

Get Out the Vote
The Tikkun Olam Cluster has been sending post cards, writing letters, and phone and text banking to get out the vote. This is an activity you can do at home, or with friends. If you would like to join other Havuranicks in this effort, contact Elianne Lieberman.

Click here for resources on how you can help "Get out the Vote" from home.

 

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

An Immersive Sukkot Experience
6:30pm (doors open at 6:15pm) Thursday, October 17, Eastside Jewish Commons (2420 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland)
Join us for an unforgettable evening of interactive art, poetry, and celebration in honor of Sukkot! The evening will begin with a short, spirit-filled musical Sukkot service, setting the tone for an event filled with creativity, meaning, and community connection. Local Jewish artist Diane Fredgant (and Havurhnik) will unveil her stunning and immersive Modern Mishkan—a room-sized homage to the Torah’s Mishkan, featuring layers of hand-painted silk where the Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) and the commandments, in both Hebrew and English, embrace the participant within a chuppah and two giant Torah scrolls. Performative poet and storyteller Brian Rohr will bring his words to life from the entrance of the Mishkan as he reads from his newly released collection, Shaken to My Bones: A Poetic Midrash on the Torah—a powerful, creative exploration of ancient stories. Following this, Diane and Brian will share the inspiration behind their work and answer your questions. Free admission. Light hors d'oeuvres. Click to RSVP.

Israeli Dance Open House
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, October 28 – Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Rd, Portland, Oregon
The magic of Israeli dance is togetherness, connection to Israeli culture, movement, music, and so much more. This is an opportunity to see and experience the Israeli Dance community in Portland. We'll have an hour of beginner instruction, and then transition into an open dance session. $7 at the door; free for first-timers.

Oregon Jewish Voices 2024: A Quarter-century of Jewish Voices Reading
7 pm start time, doors open at 6:30 pm, Wednesday, October 30 - The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE) auditorium (724 NW Davis St, Portland, Oregon)
Started in 1999 and organized by writer (and Havurahnik) Willa Schneberg, this annual event features readings by prominent Oregon Jewish poets and writers. The writers in the 2024 program span a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and essays and will share selections from their work. This year, the annual series celebrates a quarter-century of showcasing Oregon Jewish Writers. David Axelrod, Jan Baross, Marat Grinberg, Willa Schneberg & Jodi Varon will present their work. Admission: $13 general admission, $8 for members with code on back of membership card. Click here to purchase tickets.

ORA Art, Music, and Storytelling Show at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
10 am to 4 pm (1 pm to 2 pm: all-ages, storytelling time), Sunday, November 3 – Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE) (724 NW Davis St, Portland, Oregon)
You’re invited to a show and art sale put on by Ora–Northwest Jewish Artists. This is a free admission day. The show runs from 10 am to 4 pm. From 1 pm to 2 pm, we will have three Ora members telling stories for all ages with a musical group performing between each story. Ora is a community of Jewish artists, craftsmen, storytellers and book authors who share a love of art and creativity. We support each other through camaraderie, networking, and continued learning. Please come meet us, especially if you are an art lover or artist who would like to meet other artists or join our group.
Check out the ORA-Northweset Jewish Artists website.

Havurah Zoom Rooms

Havurah Zoom Rooms

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.