Hineinu, February 19, 2025

Brit Kavod Trainers Workshop:
Last Call for Participants!
Havurahniks, please sign up to join our one-time workshop on Thursday April 3 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. In this interactive class, taught by a local professor who specializes in values-based communication, you will learn how to teach our new Brit Kavod (Covenant of Mutual Respect). We will role-play real-life scenarios that illustrate our Brit Kavod. Participants will come away equipped to introduce our Brit Kavod at various Havurah gatherings, using the techniques you will learn.
Email Bija Gutoff if you’re interested.

The Jewish Catalog: The Next 50 Years
1:30 pm to 2:15 pm, Sunday, February 23 — Havurah Shalom
Everything about this classic 1973 text, The Jewish Catalog, from the hand-drawn diagrams to the lovingly-compiled local resources, charted a new course for Jewish life and Jewish home practice. I bet you have used the book (and its two sequels) and the constellation of materials influenced by the Catalog, even if you don't realize it! DIY-Judaism has changed a lot in a half-century, and it's a richer world than ever. Let's talk about where it is now, and where it's going, too. Led by David Feder. RSVP

Save the Date: Havurah's Purim Celebration is Thursday Evening, March 13
Mark your calendars: Our Purim Celebration is set for Thursday, March 13 at 6 pm. Join us for costumes, hamantaschen, revelry, and more! We'll get to watch the Purim spiel as well. All are welcome.

Havurahniks, are you interested in performing in the Purim spiel? RSVP for Purim Play Time, which meets on Saturdays through Purim. This is an especially great opportunity for kids!
Questions? Contact Karen Polinsky.

 

General Info

 

Havurah members, are you having difficulty logging in to our website? Click here.

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. We also have a monthly Multi-synagogue Torah Study, led by Emily Simon. Note that Multi-synagogue Torah Study will be held on February 22 and March 22. In April, the usual third Saturday schedule for Multi-synagogue Torah Study will resume. No prior knowledge or study is necessary. All viewpoints are welcome as we try to draw lessons from our holy books. All are welcome.

Shabbat Morning
10 am, Saturdays – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
All are welcome at our Shabbat services, including b'nei mitzvah services (Hannaleah Lindner, February 15). Upcoming b'nei mitzvah are listed below and in the website calendar. (On Saturday, February 22, Shabbat Morning will be a Reproductive Rights Shabbbat ("Repro Shabbat") - Learn more. On Saturday, March 1, Shabbat Morning will be a Text & Torah on Special Shabbatot.)

Mahjong Group
1 pm, first and third Mondays – Havurah Shalom
Mahjong is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. Reach out to Leah Hershey to be added to the email list.

Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation
12 pm, Tuesdays – Havurah Shalom 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.

Upcoming Havurah Events

Hakol Deadline
Havurahniks, Thursday, February 20 is the submissions deadline for the March 2025 issue of our monthly newsletter, Hakol.

Multi-Synagogue Torah Study, Led by Emily Simon
9 am to 10 am, Saturday, February 22 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
We will again have our monthly 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. (Normally held on the third Saturday of the month, Multi-Synagogue Torah Study will be held on Febreuary 22 and March 22, returning to the usual schedule in April.)

Reproductive Rights Shabbat (Shabbat Morning)
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, February 22 – Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
Repro Shabbat – an Earth-based Feminist Service: Join us in awareness of reproductive rights in the Torah as we read Parashat Mishpatim. The National Council of Jewish Women established Reproductive Rights Shabbat two years ago in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There is a law in this week’s Torah portion that became the foundation for the Jewish view on abortion. Service leaders will be Andrine de la Rocha, Howard Patterson and Diane Chaplin. Learn more.

The Jewish Catalog: The Next 50 Years

1:30 pm to 2:15 pm, Sunday, February 23 — Havurah Shalom
Everything about this classic 1973 text, from the hand-drawn diagrams to the lovingly-compiled local resources, charted a new course for Jewish life and Jewish home practice. I bet you have used the book (and its two sequels) and the constellation of materials influenced by the Catalog, even if you don't realize it! DIY-Judaism has changed a lot in a half-century, and it's a richer world than ever. Let's talk about where it is now, and where it's going, too. Led by David Feder. RSVP.

Havurah's Climate Action Team's Monthly Meeting (HCAT)
5 pm to 6:30 pm, Monday, February 24 -– Zoom Room Bet
Havurahniks, join the Climate Action Team's monthly meeting on last Mondays.

Palestinian Justice Letter Writing Group
6 pm to 7:30 pm, Monday, February 24 -– Zoom Room Heh
We hold monthly letter-writing group Zoom gatherings (last Mondays) to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Feel free to drop in any time! There’s no need to RSVP; however, please do RSVP/register if you need the Zoom login. Non-Havurah-members very welcome to join as well.

Book Group: Doppelganger by Naomi Klein
7 pm to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, February 25 -– Zoom Room Bet
For February, Havurah's Book Group invites you to read and discuss Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein (nonfiction, 350 pages). (A list of the Havurah Book Group's 2024-25 books is available here.) Per the publisher, "Doppelganger asks: What do we neglect as we polish and perfect our digital reflections? Is it possible to dispose of our doubles and overcome the pathologies of a culture of multiplication? Can we create a politics of collective care and undertake a true reckoning with historical crimes? The result is a revelatory treatment of the way many of us think and feel now—and an intellectual adventure story for our times." Discussion led by Joel Beinin. Havurah members and non-members welcome. RSVP for Zoom info.

Solidarity Shabbat
5:45 pm Hearty Potluck Nosh, 6:15 pm Grounding & Introduction, 6:30 pm Service, 7:30 pm Kiddush & Schmooze, Friday, February 28 -– 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 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. Questions? Contact Rocky Cohen (member login required to access directory) or leave a question in your registration notes. Visit the RSVP page to register to attend and learn more, including potluck and snack buffet specifics, masking requests, and community guidelines. (Havurah members, please consider signing up for a volunteer role, like door greeting or helping with setup/clean-up. Non-members, please be our guests!) Looking forward to seeing you there!  RSVP.
 

Text and Torah Shabbat: Special Shabbatot
10 am to 12 pm, Saturday, March 1 - Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Aleph
One hour of text study with Diane Chaplin on the topic of Special Shabbatot, followed by a brief service. Join us afterward for a light community brunch provided by the Lunches and Noshes Committee! All are welcome. Free childcare is provided. For Zoom information, please email info@havurhshalom.org.

[RSVP & BUY TICKETS] Meet Up to Watch No Other Land Together at Cinema 21, Followed by Havurahnik Debrief Nearby
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Sunday, March 2 - Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Avenue), w/ debrief afterward nearby
No Other Land, a Palestinian-Israeli directed and Oscar-nominated documentary, is presently set to play at Cinema 21 from February 27 to March 6.
Havurahniks, you're invited to meet up with David Lewis, Karen Mitzner, and more of your fellow Havurahniks at the Cinema 21 theater for the 1:30 pm showing on Sunday, March 2, to be followed by a debrief/discussion for Havurahniks at a nearby coffee shop. Because tickets for this film may sell out quickly, please aim to get your tickets ASAP. Learn more & RSVP.

Rosh Ḥodesh Tov! Gender-Inclusive New Moon Ritual
7 pm to 8:15 pm, Sunday, March 2 — Zoom Room Heh
A gender-inclusive New Moon group, learning and celebrating each Rosh Ḥodesh with ancient and contemporary ritual. Led by Andrine de la Rocha. RSVP.

[RSVP & GET THE BOOK] Book Discussion: The Cost of Free Land
6 pm to 8 pm, Sunday, March 9 - Havurah Shalom and Zoom Room Bet
Please join us for a book discussion on The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance by Havurah member Rebecca Clarren, whose book was just nominated for an Oregon Book Award! The book is available in all formats; please save the date and start reading! RSVP.

Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration
5:45 pm Hearty Nosh, 6:30 pm Service, 7:30 pm Continued Hearty Nosh, Plus Dessert, Friday, March 7 — Havurah Shalom (w/ 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 RSVPs for this event. *Our March 7 Kabbalat Shabbat will now have a special focus on refugees, immigrants, and HIAS.*
Learn more.

Safety Corner

 

Tikkun Olam Corner

 

Havurah Shalom Tikkun Olam Partners:
Rose Haven (day shelter for women, children, and marginalized genders) | Path Home (family transitional shelter) |
Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (IAP) | Lift UP | MACG |Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW ​​​​​​| Jewish Earth Alliance | IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice)

Out in the Community

Portland Jewish Film Festival Happening Now!
The Portland Jewish Film Festival (PJFF) returns from February 12 to 23, 2025! The festival includes six feature-length films, five will be screened in person and one will be screened virtually. Visit PJFF's official website for complete information about the films and to purchase tickets and passes.

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. *Note that Rabbi Benjamin will be on sabbatical from February 1 to July 1, 2025. For pastoral needs during this time, please contact the Havurah Shalom office (info@havurahshalom.org, 503-248-4662) and Rachel Pollak will make the appropriate connection for you.

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.