Weekly Community Email, August 30

FROM OUR CALENDAR
(1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) High Holidays Are Nearly Here - Please Volunteer! (3) Music Group for Yamim Noraim Tonight (4) Last Thursday Witness Tomorrow (5) Office Closed for Labor Day (6) Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation on Tuesdays (7) Morning Minyan on Wednesdays (8) PHFS Backpack Project (9) Goose Hollow Shelter Direct Service Project (10) Kabbalat Shabbat Service on Sept. 8 begins at 7:30 pm (not 7:00 pm as originally stated) With Catered Dessert Oneg (11) MACG Housing Community Meeting (12) Lev Tahor ("Pure Heart") Chanting Begins Sept. 11 (13) Interested in Work Around Privilege & Equity? (14) Seliḥot Service on Saturday, Sept. 16

ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1) Photos of Interfaith March for Justice (2) Petition to Stand Up to Hate (3) High Holidays Tzedakah Project (4) It Takes a Village: A Benefit Concert for Tanzania

FROM OUR CALENDAR

(1) Upcoming Shabbat - Community Minyan, Saturday, Sept. 2, 10:00 am - This Saturday Rabbi Benjamin, Maria Lisa Johnson, Emily Simon and other Havurah leaders and leyners will daven and discuss this week's parsha, Ki Tetze.  We will explore the value of developing compassion, generosity, honesty, and justice. The parsha acknowledges that it's relatively easy to be a decent human being when we are at peace, but it can be daunting when we are facing challenges. (Above is a painting of olive trees by Vincent van Gogh. In this week's parsha, the Israelites are told that when they beat fruit down from their olive trees, they should leave some olives behind for orphans and widows.)

Many thanks to all who led and leyned at last Saturday's service, including Susan Brenner, Maria Lisa Johnson, Marty Brown, Roger Brewer, Chris Coughlin, Debbi Nadell, Shelley Sobel, and Rabbi Benjamin.

(2) Please Volunteer: High Holidays Are Nearly Here! - You probably read and responded to yesterday's colorful appeal to RSVP for High Holidays events and volunteer positions. But in case you've lost track of the link to sign up to volunteer, you'll find it below. Your help is essential to Havurah's ability to welcome all to our High Holidays services!

(3) Music Group Preparing for the Yamim Noraim, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 7:00–8:30 pm - Havurah began musical preparations for the Yamim Noraim in earnest last week, when the new month of Elul began, and we will spend the next weeks singing and feeling the rhythms of the upcoming holidays. The first sessions are on Wednesday nights at Havurah, but we will expand to accommodate anyone who is interested but unable to make those times. Please contact Ilene Safyan if you can make it or if you are interested but can't make those dates.

(4) "Last Thursday Witness" at 10:00 am, Aug. 31- IMIrJ I.C.E. Vigil at Portland I.C.E. Building/Headquarters, 4310 Southwest Macadam Ave. - All are welcome to gather in vigil as we express our support and love for families affected by I.C.E. detentions in Oregon. Join this monthly gathering to lift up the Reality of what happens every day at the Portland I.C.E. facility - and participate in various, interfaith expressions and ritual in solidarity. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is very limited. Havurah Shalom will lead the November vigil.

(5) Office Closure on Monday, Sept. 4, for Labor Day - Havurah's office will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4, in honor of Labor Day.

(6) Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation, Tuesdays at Noon - Our Jewish Mindfulness & Meditation group will continue to meet at noon on Tuesdays during the summer whenever at least two people can attend. Deborah will be at Havurah most Tuesdays. Please add your name to this doodle poll to indicate when you can come.

(7) Wednesday Morning Minyan at 8:30 am - Our weekly Wednesday morning service is for those who wish to incorporate daily practice in their lives and those saying Kaddish, or both. All are welcome. During the month of Elul, we will blow the shofar at each service.

(8) Backpack and School Supply Drive for Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) - Members of Havurah helped to provide new backpacks and school supplies for all 83 kids currently being served by Portland Homeless Family Solutions. A group from Havurah volunteers once a month at the night shelter run by PHFS. John and Rachel Devlin organized this effort to provide the kids being served by PHFS with a critical boost to start the school year. Thank you to all of the Havurah members who donated! Above photo of donated backpacks and below photo of donated school supplies were provided by John Devlin.

(9) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) Goose Hollow Shelter Direct Service Project - Elayne Shapiro, Goose Hollow volunteer: "So how is it going here?"  Guest (as Goose Hollow calls those spending time at their homeless shelter): "I am just so grateful to have a place to put my head down at night. People at work say, 'Well, I'm heading home.' I could not say that. What I could say was, 'Well, I'm heading to my car ... with my child ... and my husband. We will find a place to park tonight.' It is very difficult to get back on your feet when you have nowhere to put your head down at night. Here we get to be together. We have a nourishing meal. Our children can play. We can access resources for permanent housing. To answer your question, It is going well."

Prospective volunteers only need to attend an hour orientation. Please RSVP to the PHFS volunteer coordinator: Bethany Rocci, bethany@pdxhfs.org. Next Orientations: Sept. 11 at 5:00 pm, Sept. 27 at 5:00 pm. Gloria Halper-Havurah's PHFS Goose Hollow coordinator: losninos6@gmail.com.

(10) Kabbalat Shabbat Service & Dessert Oneg (no dinner before the service), Friday, Sept. 8 - PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SERVICE STARTS AT 7:30 PM, not 7:00 pm, as originally posted. Join Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians as we welcome Shabbat together on Friday, Sept. 8. Please RSVP here so our caterer knows how much dessert to prepare for the oneg. Thanks!

(11) MACG Housing Community Meeting, Sept. 10, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Havurah Shalom, and Monday Sept. 11, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, St. Charles Catholic Church, 5310 NE 42nd Ave. - The housing action team of MACG (Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good) has had many successes and has built a positive reputation with the City of Portland's Housing Bureau. One of these successes is our work to pass the historic $258M Affordable Bond Measure last November. The promise was for 1300 affordable units focused on the lowest income people that other housing efforts do not address. Promises need actions to make them real. MACG has been asked to gather community feedback about the draft framework for how the bond money should be spent from MACG institutions in Portland. Learn more and RSVP here.

(12) Lev Tahor ("Pure Heart") Chanting on Monday, Sept. 11, 7:00-8:00 pm - We will gather to lift sacred phrases through melody, harmony, and rhythm in order to open our hearts, clarify our minds, and cultivate qualities such as gratefulness and compassion. Interspersed with periods of silent meditation, the chanting will be guided by teachings and intentions from Rabbi Benjamin. Each monthly gathering is open to anyone – no experience, musical ability, or commitment necessary. Generally second Monday of each month. RSVPs are welcome.

(13) Interested in Work Around Privilege and Equity at Havurah and/or with Havurah Folk? Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7:00 to 8:30 pm - Those of us who were part of the class last winter on Privilege & Equity would love you to join us September 13 (Wednesday night). We will be using a process to narrow our many options for next steps into those that most 'resonate' with folks. Click here to learn some of the options that have come up from our meetings so far, and who to contact if you are interested in this work or have questions.

(14) Seliḥot Service, Saturday, Sept. 16, 8:00-9:30 pm, Havurah Shalom - Traditionally, Jews gather on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah to initiate the process of Seliḥot, “Forgiveness,” in preparation for the Ten Days of Teshuvah (“Returning/Repentance”). We will use some traditional Seliḥot prayers, as well as contemplative music and prayer, in order to access forgiveness and compassion as we move further into this sacred time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) Clergy & People of Faith March for Justice - On Monday, Aug. 28, clergy and people of faith of all traditions recommitted to being at the forefront of justice and civil rights, to call into accountability President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, and all public officials, and to return to its rightful place the words of Dr. King as the "headlight" in the struggle for justice. Rabbi Benjamin and other rabbis and religious leaders of other faiths marched together on Monday. The photos above and below, which include Rabbi Benjamin, were taken by Kathryn Kendall.

(2) Sign the Petition to Stand Up to Hate - The Reconstructionist movement and other Jewish organizations have signed onto a petition to the elected leadership of our country to take steps to stop the spread of fascism, and they are now asking all of us to sign it as well, to amplify our voice through our signatures. Click here to sign.

This petition emerges out of the disturbing events in Charlottesville, as well as the response to them. Rabbi Jake Rubin (RRC '09) has been a steadfast leader in Charlottesville throughout this difficult summer as the executive director of the University of Virginia Hillel. Rabbis Mordechai Liebling (RRC '85) and Malkah Binah Klein (RRC '04) represented the Reconstructionist movement as part of a rabbinic contingent organized by T’ruah: The Rabbinic for Human Rights, which joined with the interfaith clergy caucus. You can read their reflections here:

• http://forward.com/scribe/379853/fighting-what-the-nazis-fear/
• https://www.thrivingspirit.org/blog-1/2017/8/14/witness-from-charlottesville

Both the RRC/JRC and the RRA have issued statements condemning the events of last weekend and calling for a rejection of these abhorrent ideologies at the highest levels of our political system. They can be found here:

• The RRA’s statement: http://therra.org/
• RRC/JRC Statement: https://jewishrecon.org/news/charlottesville-response

Questions? Contact Chris Coughlin at chriscoughlin60@gmail.com.

(3) High Holiday Tikkun Olam Tzedakah Project Donations - High Holiday Tikkun Tzedakah Project Donations can be dropped off in containers on the fourth floor of the Tiffany Center during High Holidays. Over this past year, Havurahniks have volunteered countless hours of direct service with two local organizations helping families get settled in new homes. Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) supports homeless families at the Goose Hollow Family Shelter transition to new homes, and Catholic Charities supports new refugees arriving in Portland. To further support this work, this year's Havurah High Holiday Tikkun Olam Tzedakah Project will be, as it was last year, to collect household items that will be used by PHFS and Catholic Charities in creating Welcome Baskets for the families each organization helps. Read more here about donation needs.

(4) It Takes a Village: A Benefit Concert for Tanzania, Saturday, Sept. 16, 6:00-10:00 pm - A fun-packed evening at 1711 SE 40th Ave, Portland, benefiting the work of the Rafiki Village Project (RVP). The RVP is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation founded by Havurah member David Newman, working on small-scale, collaborative development projects in rural Tanzania. The Sept. 16 concert features the danceable rhythms of Pa’lante! and The AfroFolk Project, led by Havurah member Jan DeWeese. The evening will include African food, beverages, a silent auction, a raffle and a slideshow about the Rafiki Village Project. Tickets ($30) are on sale at Brownpapertickets/com/event/3056351 Questions? Contact David at davnew2@earthlink.net.

The photo above was taken by David Newman.
 

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Havurah Shalom is a vibrant, egalitarian, and diverse Jewish Reconstructionist community. Steeped in Jewish values, Havurah promotes spirituality, learning, and acts of social responsibility.

Find our calendar and learn more at www.havurahshalom.org.

825 NW 18th Ave, Portland, OR 97209
503-248-4662

Havurah Shalom
825 NW 18th Ave
Portland, OR 97209

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