Rabbi Joey in The Oregonian
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Our very own beloved Rabbi Joey is featured in The Oregonian! Read about him here.Thank you, Cathie Ericson, for this wonderful story. An excerpt is below:
When Rabbi Joseph Wolf – known to his flock as "Rabbi Joey" – retired in late April after 30 years as Havurah Shalom's spiritual leader, the Portland community lost a civic and social luminary.
"He has been an amazing force in the congregation," says Herman Asarnow, who has been a member since 1989. "He evokes discussion when we're discussing the Torah at services like no other rabbi I've seen. He has deepened and challenged us, but is also full of compassion."
Finding the path to Portland
Wolf, 66, had been a rabbi for six years in Austin, Texas, when he started considering his next move. Serendipitously, just as he was weighing a different career turn, he received a call from an old friend who suggested he consider a socially active congregation in Portland. He agreed to visit and it was, shall we say, a match made in heaven.
"I found this group of audacious, creative people – political leaders, activists, writers and musicians," he says. Drawn to their sense of purpose and community, he appreciated that they were looking for a rabbi who would give them the space to continue their work.
"As a rabbi, I want to be more of a spark plug or a battery," he says. "We weren't looking to establish a large-scale presence, but rather to nurture a bond that existed between the congregation and the community. My work has been about connecting people to each other and making the sparks fly," he says.
Thu, March 28 2024
18 Adar II 5784
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Saturday ,
MarMarch 30 , 2024
Shabbat, Mar 30th 10:00a to 12:00p
Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. For Zoom link (Zoom Room Aleph), email info@havurahshalom.org. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 30 , 2024
Shabbat, Mar 30th 10:30a to 11:30a
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Sunday, Mar 31st 10:00a to 12:00p
Email Rachel (info@havurahshalom.org) for more information. -
Monday ,
AprApril 1 , 2024
Monday, Apr 1st 1:00p to 4:00p
We are excited to bring mahjong back to Havurah. It is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. And while some of us may play elsewhere as well, we all agreed that restoring its place as an ongoing congregational activity will be a good fit for Havurah and those of us who play or want to learn the game. So please don't hesitate to join us! -
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Tuesday, Apr 2nd 7:30p to 8:30p
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Wednesday ,
AprApril 3 , 2024
Wednesday, Apr 3rd 7:00p to 8:30p
Facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin. In this class, we’ll be exploring various ways in which the Divine is represented and imagined in Jewish tradition. Beyond simply the intellectual, our lens will be more one of spiritual reflection and practice. In other words: As we encounter and interact with the metaphors that the tradition offers for experiencing and connecting with God/Spirit/Life, what do we notice within our hearts and minds? How do particular images shape our consciousness and perception? As a guide for this exploration we will read Rabbi Toba Spitzer’s book, God is Here, which should be purchased for the class (contact Rabbi Benjamin for a free copy if needed). RSVP here by March 1. -
Thursday ,
AprApril 4 , 2024
Thursday, Apr 4th 7:00p to 8:30p
Rabbi Benjamin and Joel Beinin will offer three sessions on “Understanding October 7, 2023” – the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s response. The class will offer space for people to express their personal feelings about the events as well as explore the historical context of the events of October 7. Integrated into our examination of this moment, we will engage with a variety of Jewish texts: on grief and loss, on holding multiple truths, and on questions of fundamentalism and fixed views. -
Saturday ,
AprApril 6 , 2024
Shabbat, Apr 6th 10:00a to 12:00p
Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin, this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. For Zoom link (Zoom Room Aleph), email info@havurahshalom.org. -
Saturday ,
AprApril 6 , 2024
Shabbat, Apr 6th 3:00p to 5:15p
This program gives children a foundation for lifelong Jewish learning and engagement while integrating parents and children in a caring Jewish community. -
Saturday ,
AprApril 6 , 2024
Shabbat, Apr 6th 3:10p to 4:00p
Parents explore the hopes and fears that inspire, inform, and complicate the planning process. Led by Adela Basayne and Laura Orgel, psychologist and child/family therapist.