Hineinu, December 11, 2024

It's Time to Pick Up Lost & Found Items
(Check Kitchen, Coat Room)

Attention Havurahniks! If you have left any items at the building, it is time to pick them up! The kitchen is filling up with platters, the closet is filling up with coats, and the lost and found is full of expensive water bottles, among lots of other things! Anything left by Jan. 1 will be donated to a thrift shop. Please don’t lose your stuff this way! Plan to stop by the kitchen and coat room next time you’re here, or make a special trip to rummage for your things. Questions? Please reach out to Rachel Pollak (rachel@havurahshalom.org).

Our Next Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration is on Friday, December 13 - Come Join In!
5:45 pm Hearty Nosh; 6:30 pm Service; 7:30 pm Continued Hearty Nosh, Plus Dessert, Friday, December 13 – Havurah Shalom (w/ 6:30 pm Service in Zoom Room Aleph as well)

A musical, all-ages Friday night service with hearty nosh before the service and continued hearty nosh plus dessert after. All are welcome! Free childcare is provided! All who would like to do so are also invited to make a Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration donation.

Havurah members, please consider donating a bit of your time to help out! We need people to fill and set out water pitchers, make almond butter and jam sandwiches for the kiddos, bus tables, distribute challah and wine/juice, put out song sheets, and more! Check out out Kabbalat Shabbat volunteer sign-up.

The December 13 Kabbalat Shabbat will also feature hand-crafted temperature tapestries in our Social Hall, an exhibit from Havurah's Climate Action Team (learn more on the bottom of page 3 and the top of  page 4 of the December 2024 issue of Hakol).

Havurah Members to Share Experience Volunteering with Center for Jewish Nonviolence in the West Bank
4 pm to 5:30 pm, Sunday December 15 — Havurah Shalom
Havurah Members Matthew Nelkin and Dale Oller invite you to join for an in-person Havurah gathering in which they will share their experiences volunteering with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) last August in the South Hebron Hills of Masafer Yatta. This afternoon event will be moderated by Havurahnik Sally Goldman, who participated previously as a CJNV volunteer. All are welcome, Havurah members and non-members alike.
See the Sunday, Dec. 15 Havurah event page. |
See a packet on the CJNV’s work.

Havurahnik Summer Camp Songs
Singalong & Jam
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, December 16 — Havurah Shalom
Havurahniks, come join the combined instrumental jam and singalong groups to play and sing summer camp songs. Bring a copy of Rise Up Singing, mark your calendars, and RSVP!

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.

Weekly/Biweekly 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, December 21.)

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 (Ezrah Szego, December 21) 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, 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.

More Upcoming Havurah Events

Monthly Racial Justice Committee Meeting
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Thursday (2nd Thursdays), December 12 – Zoom Room Bet
Havurahniks, join the Racial Justice Committee Monthly Meeting, where we spend some time learning together and planning activities for our community. We welcome new committee members all the time! Come check us out if you are curious! Questions? Contact Julia Lager Mesulam. Learn more on the Havurah calendar.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration: Friday, December 13
5:45 pm (Hearthy Nosh), 6:30 pm (Service), 7:30 (Continued Hearty Nosh, Plus Dessert), Friday, December 13 – Havurah Shalom (and 6:30 pm Service also in Zoom Room Aleph)
A musical, all-ages Friday night service with hearty nosh before the service and continued hearty nosh plus dessert after. All are welcome! Free childcare is provided! No need to RSVP, but please see the Dec. 13 event page for important information. (Havurahniks, you can sign up to help out at this Friday's event. All, you're welcome to make a donation in support of Kabbalat Shabbat. Thanks!)

Temperature Tapestry Exhibit in Havurah Shalom Social Hall
From Havurah's Climate Action Team (HCAT): Through the rest of December, a Temperature Tapestry exhibition will hang in the social hall: bright graphs constructed of yarn with colors representing the high temperature in Portland each day of a chosen year. Looking across the decades represented by these tapestry graphs, from the 1940s to the 2020s, you will see evidence of warming weather, with earlier heat, less cold winters, and longer summers. We hope this exhibit inspires you to pay attention and take action. Read, gather and discuss, ask questions, make calls, write letters, keep the issues public. If you would also like to knit the evidence, many websites have reliable historic weather records. The opening for the exhibit will take place during Kabbalat Shabbat on December 13. Come hear from the craftspeople about the project that they have been working on for the past year and view the exhibit.

Parenting Huddle: Will the Real Chanukah Please Stand Up? And Other December Dilemmas
3:10 pm to 4:30 pm, Saturday, December 14 — Havurah Shalom
Explore real-life questions that we face as parents/guardians/grandparents, with some guidance from our Jewish texts and values, and each other. For the Dec. 14 Parenting Huddle, Havurah parents and grandparents of all backgrounds and with (grand)children of any age, please join us as we look into the contentious historical roots of Chanukah, many of which parallel questions of cultural and religious identity that we still contend with today, as well as its evolution through time. We will try to articulate what we want Chanukah to really be about for our families at this point as well as discuss the particular challenges that our diverse families face at this time of year as well. Bring your thoughts, questions, family traditions, recipes, favorite children's Chanukah books, etc. Facilitated by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Member and non-member parents/guardians/grandparents welcome; please RSVP by December 11.

Havurah Members to Share Experience Volunteering with Center for Jewish Nonviolence in the West Bank
4 pm to 5:30 pm, Sunday December 15 — Havurah Shalom
Havurah Members Matthew Nelkin and Dale Oller invite you to join for an in-person Havurah gathering in which they will share their experiences volunteering with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) last August in the South Hebron Hills of Masafer Yatta. From Dale and Matthew: "In solidarity with the Palestinian villagers, we witnessed the joys and difficulties of two different villages. Our role as 'protection presence' provided the honor to support these villagers, bear witness and bring home these experiences to share with our community." The afternoon will be moderated by Havurahnik Sally Goldman, who participated previously as a CJNV volunteer. All are welcome, Havurah members and non-members alike.
See the Sunday, Dec. 15 Havurah event page. |
See a packet on the CJNV’s work.

Teen Tikkun Olam Food Prep
4 pm to  6 pm, Sunday, December 15 -– Havurah Shalom
For Havurah teens. We will be baking, making sandwiches, and preparing other edible items to support members of P:ear or Blanchet House. RSVP

HCAT Invites You to Discuss Chapters of How Precious the Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values that Could Save the Earth — Author to Join Final Meeting!
5 pm to 6 pm, Mondays, Dec. 16 (Ch. 3 & 4) and Jan. 13 (Ch. 5, 6, and Epilogue) -– Zoom Room Gimel
Join Havurah’s Climate Action Team (HCAT) in Zoom Room Gimel for a slow read of How Precious the Ground on Which We Stand: Jewish Values that Could Save the Earth by Rabbi Sheldon (Shelly) Lewis. Each chapter stands on its own; no worries if this will be your first time joining us. Rabbi Sheldon, the author of the book, will be joining us for the Jan. 13 discussion! Books are available at BookShop.org. If you're interested in purchasing an inscribed copy directly from the author, email Elianne Lieberman (member login required to access directory) for purchasing info. All are welcome. You’ll receive Zoom info upon registering. RSVP for Dec. 16 | RSVP for Jan. 13

Havurahnik Summer Camp Songs Singalong and Jam
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Monday, December 16 — Havurah Shalom
Havurahniks, come join the combined instrumental jam and singalong groups to play and sing summer camp songs. You'll have to imagine the fire and the smoke ... Together we'll revisit those magic memories of camp. Everyone will have the opportunity to request their favorite songs. Bring a copy of Rise Up Singing, mark your calendars, and RSVP. Can't wait to sing and play together!

Book Group: The Diary Keepers by Nina Siegel
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, December 17 — 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. For December, we invite you to read and discuss … The Diary Keepers by Nina Siegel (nonfiction, 544 pages). The Diary Keepers in an account of WWII and the Holocaust through the diaries of Dutch citizens, firsthand accounts of ordinary people living in extraordinary times… both Jew and gentile. Discussion led by Yvonne Cohen. Both members of Havurah and non-members are welcome. This December 17 meeting will take place on Zoom. RSVP for Zoom info.

Hakol Submission Deadline is Thursday, December 19
The deadline for submissions to the January 2025 issue of our monthly newsletter, Hakol, is Thursday, December 19. 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.

Multi-Synagogue Torah Study, Led by Emily Simon
9 am to 10 am, Saturday, December 21 (Third Saturdays) – 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. Multi-synagogue Torah Study includes engagement from members of congregations in Oregon and New York and beyond. All are welcome. Learn more on the Havurah calendar.

Shabbat Morning with Bar Mitzvah of Ezrah Szego
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, December 21 -– Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Ezrah Szego as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community. All are welcome.

Havurah's Climate Action Team's Monthly Meeting (HCAT)
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Monday, December 23 -– Zoom Room Bet
Havurahniks, join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting. (Havurah members: For Zoom room login info, log in to your Havurah member account on the website, go to the Contact tab, and click on Zoom Meeting Rooms in the drop-down menu.)

Havurah Shalom Office Closures: December 25 and January 1
The Havurah office will be closed on Wednesday, December 25 and Wednesday, January 1.

Solidarity Shabbat
5:45 pm Hearty Potluck Nosh, 6:15 pm Grounding & Introduction, 6:30 pm Service, 7:30 pm Kiddush & Schmooze, Friday, December 27 -– Havurah Shalom (w/ the 6:15 pm Grounding & Introduction and 6:30 pm Service also in Zoom Room Aleph)
Join Havurah members and friends for a Solidarity Shabbat service, Chanukah celebration, and potluck nosh. This is a spiritual space for community members working in solidarity with Palestinians — and for the liberation of all peoples — to come together to pray, build connections, and renew ourselves on Shabbat to continue our justice work. Free childcare provided! Please review Havurah's proposed Brit Kavod for our community guidelines. Masks strongly encouraged and provided; the organizers request that all attendees who are able do so mask during the Grounding & Introduction and Service portions. A vegetarian snack buffet will be provided with gluten free and dairy free options. If you are able, you may also bring a small dish of your choice to share. We are a vegetarian (fish ok) facility. GF, DF, Vegan food and drink welcome! (Havurahniks, would you like to sign up for a volunteer role, like door greeting or helping with setup/clean-up?) Questions? Contact Rocky Cohen or Nat Lerner (member login required to access directory), or leave a question in your registration notes. Learn more and RSVP.

Chanukah Celebration
4 pm to 6 pm, Sunday, December 29 — Havurah Shalom (with a Zoom Room Aleph track of programming starting at 4:45 pm)
All are invited to celebrate the lights of Chanukah at Havurah Shalom!
Fun for adults, teens, and children alike. You can bring latkes for the latke contest, lovingly used items for the swap table/give-away table, warm clothing for the tikkun olam winter drive, and kids and teens to enjoy games and the gaga pit! (For those joining by Zoom, email info@havurahshalom in advance for the Zoom link, if needed.) Members! Please sign up for a 15-minute greeter shift! Questions? Contact Wendy Castineira (member login required to access the directory). Learn more and RSVP.

More Tikkun Olam 

 

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

Winter Marketplace at the MJCC (Mittleman Jewish Community Center) from ORA Northwest Jewish Artists; Havurah Chaverim Music on Thursday
Sunday, December 8 (11 am to 4 pm) and Monday, December 9 to Thursday, December 12 (9 am to 7 pm) – Mittleman Jewish Community Center (MJCC) (6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon)
ORA Northwest Jewish Artists is holding its annual Hanukkah Marketplace from December 8 to December 12 at the MJCC. Art, music, and storytelling. Stock up on gifts, be entertained, and support local artists. Free admission. See flyer for more information.
- Check out the ORA-Northweset Jewish Artists website. And learn more about the individual ORA NW artists—a group that includes several Havurahniks in their number—and their artwork.
- The Havurah Chaverim, whom you will likely have seen leading music at our High Holiday services, will be playing live acoustic music for the closing reception at 5:30 pm on Thursday, December 12!

“All of the People Israel are Responsible for One Another”: Reconstructionist Values That Shape Our Relationships with Israelis and Palestinians  
10 am to 1 pm (Pacific), Sunday, December 15 — RSVP for Zoom info
From Reconstructing Judaism: Join a movement-wide convening to explore the shared values that shape our connection to Israel and response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as to the Jews of Israel and ahavat yoshvei ha’aretz — a loving connection to all the inhabitants of the land. Together, we will take a close and nuanced look at what binds us in covenantal community, even during this time of deep crisis. The hallmark of a Reconstructionist approach has always been our commitment to ethical, respectful discussion grounded in our shared values, even about the most difficult issues. More opportunities for learning and discussion will follow in the weeks and months to come. Register here.

Israeli Dancing for Chanukah
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Wednesday, Dec. 18 — Leikam Brewery (5812 E Burnside St, Portland)
All are welcome to learn fun Israeli dances at the Leikam Brewery as part of their Chanukah event series. (This is a free event.) Dance, meet new people, and enjoy tasty treats! (Havurahniks with questions can reach out to Cindy Merrill, whose contact info is in the member directory.)

Enjoy Gelt from Divine Chocolate? You Can Support Tru'ah: The Rabbinal Call for Human Rights by Ordering "T'ruah Gelt" on the Page Linked Below
From Divine Chocolate: Divine Chocolate is proud to partner with T'ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights to promote Kosher Fair Trade gelt this Chanukah. On Chanukah, we celebrate the miracles of ages past. The Talmud teaches us, however, "לא סמכינן אניסא" "We don't rely on miracles" (Kiddushin 39b); instead of waiting for a miracle, we take action to establish a world that is safe and just for everyone. This Chanukah, we take one concrete step toward the "miracle" of protecting the human rights of all workers, empowering farmers, and ending labor abuses in the cocoa industry. To learn more about our partnership and T'ruah's campaigns for worker justice, go to Truah.org. ... Divine Chocolate is pleased to donate 10% of Chanukah gelt sales on this page to the work of T'ruah.

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.