HAVURAH HAPPENINGS 1 Upcoming Shabbat 2 Thank You to Our Sukkah Take-Down Crew 3 Wednesday Events 4 Thursday Events 5 Refugee Support Meeting 6 A Broken Hallelujah - Tribute to Leonard Cohen on Kristallnacht 7 Whose Bat or Bar Mitzvah I
Weekly Community Email, Oct. 25
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS
(1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) Thank You to Our Sukkah Take-Down Crew (3) Wednesday Events (4) Thursday Events (5) Refugee Support Meeting (6) A Broken Hallelujah - Tribute to Leonard Cohen on Kristallnacht (7) Whose Bat or Bar Mitzvah Is It Anyway? (8) Nov. 10 Kabbalat Shabbat with Dinner - RSVP Now!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1) Premiere of Documentary 'Priced Out' (2) Outside the Frame's 'Leaving Home' (3) Awakening the Divine Jewish Spirituality Retreat (4) Weekend in Quest (5) Developing an Eastside Jewish Commons
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS
(1) Upcoming Shabbat
Erev Shabbat with Portland Just Energy Transition Initiative, Friday, Oct. 27, 7:00 pm - The Havurah Climate Action Team invites you to this Erev Shabbat service, where we will be joined by Jo Ann Hardesty, President of the Portland NAACP, and Anaïs Tuepker, from 350PDX, who will lead a presentation after services about the Portland Just Energy Transition Initiative. The initiative has been developed by a diverse group of local organizations representing communities of color and the climate movement in Portland. Come, learn more, and find out how you can help. Questions? Contact Michael Heumann (503-880-2226) or Elianne Lieberman (503-422-6402). RSVP here.
Bar Mitzvah of Ari Mesulam, Saturday, Oct. 28, 10:00 am - This Saturday, Ari Mesulam, son of Steve Mesulam and Julia Lager-Mesulam (Havurah's Vice President), will be called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating with Ari and his family, and welcome Ari to our community. Mazel tov!
(2) Thank You, Sukkah Take-Down Team! - Many thanks to Michael Alter, Daniel Cogan, Andy Waxman, Daniel Raider, and Ken Lerner for spending Sunday morning taking down our sukkah and cleaning up our courtyard! Special thanks to Michael Alter for being Havurah's lead point person for the sukkah, for helping Tivnu build the sukkah and for leading the take-down team. (Above photo was taken by Estee Segal during Sukkot this year.)
(3) Wednesday, Oct. 25
Training to Volunteer at Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) Goose Hollow Shelter, 5:00 pm, 1838 SW Jefferson - If you'd like to attend a training so you can join other Havurah members on our volunteer night at Goose Hollow Shelter, RSVP to Bethany Rocci at bethany@pdxhfs.org. An even simpler way to see how the PHFS program is run and to meet other Havurahniks, staff, and some of the families being served: Sign up to help with a meal. Meal Providers do not need to attend an orientation! Contact Elayne Shapiro, elayneshapiro@gmail.com or Leonard Shapiro, lenshap@gmail.com. All other questions: Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com.
Middle School & High School, 6:30 pm
Ongoing Narrative of Torah Class, 7:00 pm
(4) Thursday, Oct. 26 (details on Havurah's website calendar)
Last Thursday Witness, IMIrJ I.C.E. Vigil, 10:00 am
Tikkun Olam Equity Meeting, 7:00 pm
MACG Delegates Assembly, 7:00 pm
(5) Refugee Support Meeting, Thursday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8:00 pm - This is an opportunity for new and veteran Catholic Charities volunteers from our congregation to meet for support, information and inspiration. Please join us, even if you aren’t yet a volunteer and are simply curious. Questions? Email Rebecca Darling-Budner at rbudner@yahoo.com. Please RSVP here.
(6) “A Broken Hallelujah,” Tribute to Leonard Cohen on The Night of Broken Glass (Kristallnacht), Thursday, Nov. 9, 7:00 pm, Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 NW Flanders St - A community gathering of music, poetry and reflection, with Beth Israel Cantor Ida Rae Cahana and Havurah Music Coordinator Ilene Safyan, and with the following special guests: Havurah members Sacha Reich and Andrew Ehrlich, Wendy Westerwelle, Courtney Von Drehl, Ralph Huntley, Ji Tanzer, and Ben Sandler. Sponsored by the Institute for Judaic Studies, Beth Israel, Havurah Shalom, Neveh Shalom, and the Oregon Jewish Museum & Center for Holocaust Education. Light reception and discussion to follow. Suggested donation of $10. (Above poster was designed by Hannah Westerman.)
(7) Whose Bat or Bar Mitzvah Is It Anyway?, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 7:00-8:15 pm - Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director, and Laura Orgel, Child & Family Therapist - This workshop is not about logistics or expectations: It is about the meaning of B'nai Mitzvah and its power as a rite of passage for the whole family. We will explore the hopes and fears that inspire, inform and complicate the preparation and planning process. How can we feel more connected to our child in this process? Our partner or ex-partner? Our family of origin? The rituals and liturgy? The community? How do we celebrate the occasion in a way that honors these connections, and our values? This frank and non-judgmental workshop is about the big questions and how they impact the concrete decisions that parents and youth are called upon to make. RSVP here by Nov. 2.
(8) Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner & Service, Friday, Nov. 10, 6:30 pm Dinner, 7:30 pm Service - Our catered, vegetarian Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner begins at 6:30 pm, followed by a musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service at 7:30 pm. For dinner, we offer dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free choices, and you’re invited to bring wine or juice to celebrate Shabbat. Childcare is available for kids age 2 to 8. Please RSVP here for the dinner by Nov. 6. Cost adjustments are available at 503-248-4662.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1) Premiere of Documentary Film 'Priced Out,' Wednesday, Nov. 1, 7:00 pm, Whitsell Auditorium in the Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave – 'Priced Out,' the new film edited and co-produced by Havurah member Eric Maxen, will premiere at the 44th annual Portland Filmmakers Festival. The film is about gentrification and its impact on the African American population in Portland's Albina neighborhood, and is a sequel to the 2002 film 'Northeast Passage.' For more details about the premiere and to buy tickets: https://nwfilm.org/films/priced-out/. For more details about the film:www.PricedOutMovie.com. Questions? Contact Rachel Plotinsky, plotinsky@hotmail.com.
(2) Outside the Frame Gala Screening: 'Leaving Home,' Monday, Nov. 13 - Doors open at 5:30 pm with beverages and snacks provided; Seating at 6:00 pm; Portland Center Stage at The Armory - This show is for all ages! - Join Outside The Frame for a special gala screening of new films by and with youth experiencing homelessness in Portland, presented with Outside In and Prosper Portland. Filmmakers will be in attendance. A Lifetime Achievement Award this year will be presented to Tia Plympton to recognize her decades of work and mentorship with homeless youth. The theatre will undoubtedly fill up, so reserve your tickets online here. Questions? Contact Nili Yosha at nili@otfpdx.org.
(3) Awakening the Divine Jewish Spirituality Retreat, Jan. 2-7 - Rabbi Benjamin will co-lead this five-day retreat on the East Coast in January, alongside other skilled teachers of contemplative Jewish practice. Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels, the retreat’s lead teacher, is one of the foremost teachers of meditation in the Jewish world today. This is Rabbi Benjamin’s third year teaching at this retreat, and he would be happy to answer any questions for those who are interested. You can learn more on this flier.
(4) "Jewish Masculinity and Femininity in the Premodern World" with Professors Rena Lauer and Yiftakh (Kevin) Osterloh of OSU, March 2-4 - The Institute for Judaic Studies presents the 12th Annual Weekend in Quest at the Holiday Inn Express, Astoria. Shabbat Services led by Rabbi Joshua Rose of Congregation Shaarie Torah. Learn more and register at www.weekendinquest.org. You can download a flier here. Questions: Contact Mimi Epstein at mimiepstein42@comcast.net.
(5) Developing an Eastside Jewish Commons - Community leaders have been actively discussing developing a shared Jewish community space on Portland's Eastside. The Jewish Eastside Commons initiative envisions a large enough space to accommodate multiple programs at the same time. The project team is seeking input from the Eastside Jewish community. Please join one of two remaining community conversations: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2-4 pm, Taborspace, 5441 SE Belmont St; Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6-8 pm, McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave. RSVP athttp://bit.ly/2xJlUjjas space is limited.
Please use this form to submit stories for this weekly community email. Submissions are due by noon on Tuesday each week.
Havurah Shalom is a vibrant, egalitarian, and diverse Jewish Reconstructionist community. Steeped in Jewish values, Havurah promotes spirituality, learning, and acts of social responsibility.
(CANCELED) Collage Art with Jewish Symbols Wednesday, May 7th 6:30p to 7:45p This class has been canceled by the instructor. If you are interested in doing art at Havurah, please reach out to Adela Basayne (info@havurahshalom.org). Bring your crafts and creativity out for making collage art with Jewish symbols. We will create hamzas, stars of David, trees of life, and images for blessing the home. All ages are invited! Led by Carolina Martinez.
(IP) Hebrew as a Tool: Prayer and Torah (registration closed) Wednesday, May 7th 7:00p to 8:15p (This class will now be starting on January 8.) Using an in-depth, word-by-word approach, we discover literal meaning(s), ancient layers of understanding, and our own personal interpretations that stem from the nuances of the Hebrew text. Basic Hebrew decoding skills necessary.
(HYB) Kabbalat Shabbat Celebration Friday, May 9th 5:45p to 8:00p A musical, all-ages Friday night service with family-friendly dessert and hearty nosh before and after. All are welcome! 5:45 pm Hearty Nosh, 6:30 Service, 7:30 Oneg. Free childcare is provided. Those joining on Zoom, please come at 6:30; the in-person hearty nosh portion and oneg will not be televised. For Zoom information, please email info@havurhshalom.org.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning with Music Shabbaton (w/ Aly Halpert) Shabbat, May 10th 10:00a to 12:00p This community minyan will feature the musical contributions of Aly Halpert who is in residence with us this Shabbat. Join us afterward for a light community brunch provided by the Lunches and Noshes Committee! Free childcare is provided. For Zoom information, please email info@havurahshalom.org.
(IP) Tot Shabbat Shabbat, May 10th 10:30a to 11:15a 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.
(IP) Songs for Liberation Song Circle (w/ Aly Halpert) Shabbat, May 10th 4:30p to 6:30p (Currently this event is for Havurah members only, as registrations are capped at 80 people. Havurah members, be sure to RSVP.) Rising Song Records artist Aly Halpert concludes our music shabbaton with a Song Circle, a space to enjoy our voices together as we learn new and ancient Jewish songs and niggunim together. Aly Halpert is at the epicenter of a resurgence of Jewish music-making– introducing new tunes, new words, and new ways of bringing music into davening and community-building.
Teen Tikkun Olam Walk with Rose Haven Sunday, May 11th 10:00a to 1:00p Rose Haven supporters and guests will unite to stride a beautiful route through NW Portland on Mother’s Day at the 12th Annual Reigning Roses Walk. Walk with, or in honor of, a special woman in your life – a mother, grandmother, daughter, partner, or friend. 10 am check-in, 11 am begin walking. Sponsored by Teen Engagement Committee.
(IP) Jewish Ethical Responses to the Problem of Racism Monday, May 12th 6:30p to 7:45p We will address topics such as countering white nationalism and antisemitism, Jewish perspectives on reparations, repairing Jewish pioneer memory, and responding to racial microaggressions. Facilitated by Karen Sherman and Adela Basayne.
(HYB) Steering Meeting Tuesday, May 13th 6:30p to 8:30p Steering members and staff will meet to consider matters of governance. All Havurah Shalom members are invited to attend Steering Committee meetings. For Zoom join links, visit havurahshalom.org/zoom (must be logged in) or call the office in advance for assistance (503-248-4662).
(IP) Hebrew as a Tool: Prayer and Torah (registration closed) Wednesday, May 14th 7:00p to 8:15p (This class will now be starting on January 8.) Using an in-depth, word-by-word approach, we discover literal meaning(s), ancient layers of understanding, and our own personal interpretations that stem from the nuances of the Hebrew text. Basic Hebrew decoding skills necessary.
