HAVURAH HAPPENINGS - (1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) Jewish Parenting: What is Going on in There Anyway? (3) Last Thursday IMIrJ I.C.E. Vigil (4) Music MeetUp - A Time to Play (5) Book Discussion Group (6) Purim 2018: Live the Chai Life! (7) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (8) March Kabbalat Shabbat (9) March Movie Night (10) Community Seder (11) Hand in Hand (12) Fundraising Party
ANNOUNCEMENTS - (1) Shabbat Morning Service-Maker Volunteers (2) Rosh Chodesh Openings (3) After School Tutoring (4) English Conversation Hour (5) January Steering Committee Minutes (6) New Name for Reconstructionist Rabbinical College & Jewish Reconstructionist Communities
Wishing you the gift of love and community on this Valentine's Day!
(1) Upcoming Shabbat, Community Minyan, Saturday, Feb. 17, 10:00 am-12:00 pm - This Saturday, Olivia Silverman, daughter of Alana Silverman, will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating and welcoming Olivia as a member of our community!
(2) Jewish Parenting: What is Going on in There Anyway? Windows into Adolescent Development, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 7:00-8:30 pm - Laura Orgel will help us clean some shmutz off the windows so that we can see more clearly. What is the work of adolescence? What physiological, mental, emotional, and behavioral changes might accompany that work? How do we, as parents, know when to sit tight (or loose) and when to worry? Deborah Eisenbach-Budner will provide a Jewish values and community framework for our learning about adolescent development. All parents and grandparents are welcome to participate in this frank and non-judgmental workshop. Led by Laura Orgel, Child & Family Therapist and Havurahnik, and Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director. Please RSVP here.
(3) Last Thursday IMIrJ I.C.E. Vigil - Thursday, Feb. 22, 10:00 am, Portland I.C.E. Building/Headquarters, 4310 SW 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.
(4) Music MeetUp - A Time to Play, Sunday, Feb. 25, 4:00-7:00 pm, Havurah - A great way to end the weekend! And a great way to meet fellow Havurah folks who love making music. Any kind of music. Bring your voices, an instrument or two, a favorite song or two to share, and perhaps a nosh or beverage to share. Please RSVP to Ilene at ilene.safyan@havurahshalom.org with your name and how many people are coming ... and if you might be bringing something for potluck.
(5) Book Discussion Group, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 7:00-8:30 pm - Please join us for a discussion of The Yiddish Policeman’s Union by Michael Chabon. After 60 years of prosperity for Jewish refugees and their descendants in the "temporary" safe haven of Sitka, created in the wake of the Holocaust, their home is set to revert to Alaskan control. Homicide detective Meyer Landsman has enough problems in his life, his marriage, and his career. But as he investigates a murder that is committed in the hotel where he lives, Landsman contends with all the powerful forces of faith, obsession, evil, and salvation that are his heritage. The discussion will be led by Maud Naroll, who says “One of my favorites, this is an alternative reality, detective, love story, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny page turner.” RSVP here.
(6) Purim 2018: Live the Chai Life!, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6:00-8:30 pm - Come one, come all, for a night of joy, masquerade, and retelling the story of some courageous individuals from long ago whose valor saved the Jewish People. We will interweave some chanting of the Megillah with dramatic narration and off-the-wall spieling. Get ready to make some noise as we recount the fateful events that led to the spoiling of the wicked plot of you-know-who! Followed by dancing, revelry, pomp, circumstance and l'chaiims. Havurah will provide pizza, and people with last names starting with A-L are asked to bring a salad or side dish to share. People with last names starting with M-Z are asked to bring a dessert. All food should be on plates or in bowls ready to be served. RSVP here!
Tzedakah - Please consider making a cash donation for Portland Homeless Family Solutions to support family homeless shelters or bring a book for children ages 1-10 to read at a local community center. Spanish or bilingual English/Spanish books are preferred. These books do not have to be new; well-loved books will also be treasured.
(7) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS), Volunteers Needed at Three Sites - A New Temporary Family Winter Shelter (FWS) at Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) is open nightly, 6:00-9:00 pm, through April. Next orientation (required before volunteering) is Feb.15, 4:30-5:30 pm. The 75-space capacity shelter is for families with children and is starting with only adult volunteers (18 years and older). Daily 25 people from the FWS are invited to the 13 Salmon Day Shelter, 1010 SW 13th Ave, so more volunteers are needed there, too. Havurah also is continuing our Adopt-a-Night volunteering at Goose Hollow Shelter, 1838 SW Jefferson. Orientation is required and the next one will be held at 1838 SW Jefferson on Feb. 15, at 5:00 pm. RSVP to bethany@pdxhfs.org with name of shelter and date of orientation. For general information about PHFS, contact Gloria Halper, losninos6@gmail.com, or John Devlin, john.t.devlin@gmail.com.
(8) Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, March 9, 7:30-8:30 pm - Join one of Portland’s most musical and spirited Shabbat gatherings. Led by Rabbi Benjamin and our talented Havurah musicians. Childcare is available. The service is preceded by a catered dinner, which requires advance registration. RSVP for the dinner here. No RSVP is required for the service at 7:30 pm. All are welcome!
(9) March Movie Night, "Living While Dying," Sunday, March 18, 7:00-9:00 pm – Havurah's Ma'avar Committee will present the film "Living While Dying" followed by a panel discussion. Death is a big mystery, yet the outcome is 100 percent certain. Filmmaker Cathy Zheutlin tells the stories of four friends with terminal illness who chose to live out their final days at home with creativity humor and courage. The film is loving, hopeful and full of joy. Despite cultural norms that death is meant to be vanquished, “Living While Dying” transforms sorrow and fear into inspiration and beauty. After the film, we will have a panel discussion with the following experts: Charles Blanke, Havurah member and OHSU oncologist; Karen Erde, Havurah member and palliative care physician; Susan Hedlund, Director of OHSU Knight Cancer Patient and Family Service Dept; and Rabbi Benjamin. Learn more and RSVP here.
(10) Passover Community Seder, Saturday, March 31, 6:00-8:30 pm, Havurah Shalom - Adults and children of all ages are welcome at Havurah's community seder! The dinner will be vegetarian, with gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free options. The cost is $30 per adult, $20 for children ages 6-12, and free for children five and under. RSVP here by March 23.
(11) Kabbalat Shabbat Service with Hand in Hand, Friday, April 13, 7:30 pm - On Friday, April 13, we will host three representatives from Hand in Hand: Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel: Noa Yammer, a senior Hand in Hand staff member, and Alma Saporta (who is Jewish) and Vicky Makhoul (who is Arab), both recent graduates of Hand in Hand’s flagship school in Jerusalem. They will join us for Shabbat dinner and will speak after the short Friday evening service. Hand in Hand was founded by Havurah member Lee Gordon, and it has established a network of integrated schools and shared communities for Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel.
(12)Fundraising Party, May 6, 4:00-8:00 pm - Let's celebrate! and raise some money! We've come a long way and have lots more to do. Come enjoy the company of your fellow Havurahniks, eat, drink and be merry, and help raise a bunch of money so we can continue to be the great community that we all love so much.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1) Shabbat Morning Service-Maker Volunteers – Our community Shabbat services are lay-led and rely on a core of volunteers with Rabbi Benjamin. We want to make sure everyone is aware of the opportunity to contribute and learn. We want to expand and diversify the cohort who make Shabbat morning community services happen. If you are interested in learning more about how to plug-in click here.
(2) Havurah Shalom Rosh Chodesh Group, Meets once a month on Rosh Chodesh (Jewish new moon), Location rotates among different members' homes - Calling all Havurah female-identified teens and women! Did you know Havurah Shalom has a Rosh Chodesh group? Every month we gather to celebrate the new moon, learn about the events/holidays/history of each Jewish month, and enjoy a nosh. Our group has openings for two new members. Contact Liz Schwartz at schwartzelizabeth@yahoo.com for more information.
(3) After School Tutoring, Wednesday & Thursdays, 3:00-4:15 pm, Baltazar Ortiz Community Center, 6736 NE Killingsworth - Can you devote an hour or two once a week to tutor some of the city’s most disadvantaged children? You'll enjoy every minute with these great kids. As a Sanctuary congregation, Havurah partners with the Ortiz Center, a Multnomah County health facility working with Latino and East African refugees and immigrants. No teaching experience is needed, just a knowledge of basic math and reading. We know you can't be there every week. We will work with you on scheduling. RSVP to rosenthalpdx@comcast.net or moskovitzj@gmail.com with your name and dates you are available. The county asks people to complete a background check form and provide a copy of their driver's license.
(4) English Conversation Hour, Tuesdays, Noon-1:00 pm - Our Sanctuary work is growing at the Ortiz Community Center. When we began with this diverse immigrant group, we stepped in to keep their ELL program going. During class the issue of practicing English arose, which has led to another volunteer opportunity! Come join a group of animated, enthused people as they work their way through our complicated language during an hour of conversational activities. Tuesdays, Noon-1:00 pm, 6736 NE Killingsworth. Please RSVP to Julie Hastings at julie.hastings64@gmail.com to let her know which Tuesday you are coming.
(5) January 2018 Steering Committee Minutes - You can read the minutes from Havurah's January Steering Committee Meeting here.
(6) New Name for Reconstructionist Rabbinical College & Jewish Reconstructionist Communities - A new name has been chosen for the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College & Jewish Reconstructionist Communities: Reconstructing Judaism! Read about it here.
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.
[B'nei Mitzvah Run Through] Friday, Aug 15th 12:00p to 2:00p (This is a closed event and is included in our calendar for space reservation reasons and attendee reference.)
Shabbat Morning with Bat Mitzvah of Natasha Raish Shabbat, Aug 16th 10:00a to 12:00p Please join us for Shabbat morning services, including welcoming Natasha Raish as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community.
(IP) Elul Gallery Art Drop-Off Sunday, Aug 17th 12:00p to 3:00p As part of our annual holiday cycle, Havurah members are invited to share our own reflections on the themes and stories of the High Holiday season. In addition to prose or poetry that may be shared on the bima at High Holiday services, we are putting out a call for artistic expressions in any visual medium, including paintings, drawings and photography. We welcome your reflections on any aspect of the High Holidays experience, whether they arise from our tradition’s core concepts of teshuvah (return) or seliḥah (forgiveness), or from any other aspect of your own process of looking inward during the time leading into the holiday season. The Elul and High Holiday Gallery is a project of the High Holidays Committee and the Design Committee, led by Joan Peck and Marcia Suttenberg.
(ZM) Climate Change Book Group Slow Reading of "Not Too Late" Monday, Aug 18th 5:30p to 6:30p All are welcome! Havurah members and non-members alike are invited to join us in this slow, section-by-section reading of "Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility." Click and RSVP. Attend any or all of these HCAT (Havurah's Climate Action Team) Book Group discussions about "Not Too Late."
(ZM) Healing the Heart, Soothing the Soul: A Grief Process Support Group Tuesday, Aug 19th 5:30p to 7:00p **Note: Registration for this group is now closed.** During the month of Elul, we are guided to examine our souls, explore our relationships, reflect on our actions with God and others, and prepare ourselves spiritually to begin a new year. With the Spirit of Elul, we will journey into exploring the aspects of grief. For Havurah members only. Limited to 8 people. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions.
(IP) Israeli Dancing Wednesday, Aug 20th 7:30p to 8:30p Join us to learn Israeli dancing! We’ll teach the steps and tell the stories behind Israeli dances while you enjoy the catchy rhythms, creative body movements, and spending time with friends.
Led by Havurah members Cindy Merrill and Gail Schwartz with dance instructor Rhona Feldman.
Hakol Deadline is Thursday, August 21 Thursday, Aug 21st (All day) Havurah members, click to learn how to submit your contributions to our monthly newsletter, Hakol.
(HYB) Solidarity Kabbalat Shabbat Friday, Aug 22nd 5:45p to 8:00p 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. Please review Havurah's Brit Kavod for our community guidelines. Masks strongly encouraged and provided.
