HAVURAH HAPPENINGS (1) Dorot Shabbat (2) Bat Mitzvah of Serena Goldstone (3) Tikkun Olam Listening Opportunity (4) "Living While Dying" March Movie Night (5) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (6) Book Discussion Group (7) Immigration Seder/Vigil (8) Welcoming Our Fellow Havurahniks for Passover (9) April Kabbalat Shabbat with Hand in Hand (10) Not an Auction! Havurah Shindig

ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) Message from Andi Bales Molnar (2) Statement from Staff Disappearing Task Force (3) Expanding Lotsa Helping Hands (4) Shabbat School Registration (5) Climbing Through Mitzrayim with the Tree of Life (6) Art and Spirit: Finding Yourself in the Story

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Above is a photo of one of two murals now on the walls of Havurah's courtyard, thanks to Portland artist Lynn Takata, Havurah Design Committee Chair Joan Peck, and other members of the Design Committee. Havurah members of all ages created the tiles for the murals, which were blessed last Saturday during the Havdalah celebration at the close of Shabbat School.

(1) Dorot Shabbat, Friday, March 16, 6:00-7:30 pm - Join us for this casual, family-friendly, and music-filled service. Beginning with candle lighting, Kiddush and challah, the service continues with prayers and music, followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. Led by Jacob Mandelsberg, Sarah Shine, Gabe Adoff, Tanja Lux, and Ilene Moss. 6:00 pm Service, 6:45 pm Potluck. RSVP here.

(2) Bat Mitzvah of Serena Goldstone, Saturday, March 17, 10:00 am-12:00 pm - This Saturday Serena Goldstone, daughter of Caroline and Jeremy Goldstone, will be called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating with Serena and her family, and welcome Serena as a member of our community!

(3) Tikkun Olam Listening Opportunity: Tell Us What Issues Are Important to You, Sunday, March 18, 10:30 am-12:30 pm - Events happening around us may cause you to wonder or be concerned about justice, fairness, or compassion. The Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good (MACG) Core Team of the Tikkun Olam Committee wants to hear from you. What are the pressures that directly affect you, your family or friends? For example, do you have an adult child who can't find affordable housing? Are your children discussing their concerns about the environment and climate change with you? Do you have friends afraid to leave their homes because of ICE? Is something going on in the public schools that you think isn’t right? You are invited to this Sunday morning gathering to share your perspectives through dialogue with other Havurah members. Bagels and lox (and more) will be provided. RSVP to Michael Heumann at heumanncycle@gmail.com if you can come, and let him know if you'll need childcare.

(4) “Living While Dying," March Movie Night, Sunday, March 18, 7:00-9:00 pm - Death is a big mystery, yet the outcome is 100 percent certain. How do you plan for the unknown? 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. It is loving, hopeful and full of joy. "Living While Dying" transforms sorrow and fear into inspiration and beauty.

The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Rabbi Benjamin, Havurah member and OHSU oncologist Charles Blanke, Havurah member and palliative care physician Karen Erde, and Susan Hedlund, Manager of Patient and Family Support Services at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. The discussion will be moderated by Keren McCord, Havurah member and LCSW, Knight Cancer Institute. Learn more and RSVP here.

(5) Portland Homeless Family Solutions Volunteer Orientations, March 20 & 21 - Lots of homeless folks out there, lots of Havurahniks wanting to help! If you are one of those Havurahniks who has not yet taken the one-hour orientation at any of the PHFS shelters, here are some more opportunities (RSVP is required to Bethany Rocci, with date of orientation): Goose Hollow, 1838 SW Jefferson, Tuesday, March 20, 4:00 pm; Family Winter Shelter, Beth Israel, Wednesday, March 21, 4:00 pm. For more info, contact Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com.

(6) Book Discussion Group, Tuesday, March 27, 7:00-8:30 pm - Please join us for a discussion of Rivington Street by Meredith Tax. This sprawling historical novel follows the fortunes of four enterprising, courageous Jewish women on New York's Lower East Side. Hannah Levy masterminds her family's escape, despite her radical husband's objections, from czarist Russia after the Kishinev pogroms; elder daughter Sarah becomes a union organizer and a socialist while the younger Ruby rises to the top of the fashion design world; their friend Rachel abandons her ultra-Orthodox background to work for The Jewish Daily Forward. Through their lives, loves, and convictions, Meredith Tax draws the reader irresistibly into the explosive events that shaped women's possibilities in the early twentieth century. Sharon Reyes, who will lead the discussion, says, “this book, an engaging read, is a lovely complement to The Family that we read previously.” RSVP here.

(7) Immigration Seder/Vigil, Thursday, March 29, 10-11:00 am at 4302 SW Macadam - The Sanctuary Committee of Havurah Shalom, along with other Jewish congregations, will be hosting a symbolic Seder vigil at the ICE immigration building as part of the monthly IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Rights) vigils. We will share how our Jewish story of being slaves in Egypt, to being refugees for a generation, to finally reaching liberation, is directly connected to the plight of immigrants in our country today. Passover comes at a time this year when decisions about DACA will be having a major impact on so many families. We invite you to attend this meaningful gathering and to lift our collective voices to denounce the persecution of immigrants and show our support. Questions? Contact marciasuttenberg@comcast.net.

The above Wikimedia photo is of a painting by Mathilde Hahn Meyer.

(8) Welcoming Our Fellow Havurahniks for Passover - This year for Passover, instead of hosting a community seder at Havurah, we are linking Havurah members in search of a seder with Havurah members who can welcome additional guests at their seder. This is a great opportunity to get to know other Havurah members better and to make our community connections stronger! If possible, we will try to link people with seders in their neighborhoods. If you are hosting a seder in your home this year and have room for one or more guests, please complete the form below. Then if a Havurah member calls our office in the hope of attending a seder, we can tell you about the member's interest, and you can extend an invitation to them yourself and provide any additional information they need to know about your seder. Thank you for helping bring our Havurah family closer together!

Pictured above are students of Hand in Hand.

(9) Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, April 13, 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. On April 13, we are excited to 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.

The Kabbalat Shabbat service is preceded by a catered dinner at 6:30 pm, which requires advance registration. Due to space limitations, we must limit seats for the dinner, so please sign up as soon as possible to be assured of a seat. Registration will close when seats are filled; however, RSVP no later than noon on Wednesday, April 11. If your RSVP is being mailed, please let the office know. All are welcome to attend the service at 7:30 pm - no RSVP is required. Childcare is available.
 

(10) Havurah Shindig, Sunday, May 6, 4:00-8:00 pm - Not an auction! Mark your calendar: May 6 is our Havurah Shindig, our mix and mingle fundraiser (4:00-8:00 pm). Lounge and schmooze in our nightclub, gamble at our casino, enjoy delicious appetizers, desserts and signature cocktails. Adults only. Buy tickets here! If you’d like to help in any way or have questions, contact Nancy Becker at nancyjbecker@gmail.com.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) Message from Andi Bales Molnar - Dear Havurah Community, It is with a heavy heart that I will be leaving my role as Program Director on March 23, 2018. I have been offered and accepted a position with the State of Oregon, in the field of early childhood education. It was a difficult choice to accept, as I have truly loved my work here at Havurah Shalom. In my short time here, I have been equally impressed with the community at large and each individual I have met. From the interview process to my interactions with Shabbat School families to my collaboration with Rabbi Benjamin, Deborah, Teri, Rachel, Ilene and Carrie. I have felt warmly welcomed. I have deeply appreciated the opportunity to serve this community. Becoming connected to this community has been a blessing in my life. My family and I hope to remain connected to this wonderful community. I want to especially thank Julia Lager-Mesulam, Chris Coughlin, Janet Byrd and Lisa Cordova for all the work they have done to support me and bring this position into action. Additionally, I want to thank Ed Glad and Bill Kwitman for creating a great working space for the Program Director. I know that the next person in this role will have the same support and be successful. Warmly, Andi Bales Molnar

(2) Statement From Staffing DTF - On behalf of the Staffing DTF (Disappearing Task Force), Chris Coughlin, Lisa Cordova, Janet Byrd and Julia Lager-Mesulam, we want to thank Andi for her work during her time at Havurah and we wish her the best with this new opportunity. We will be posting the position shortly and will share the link with the community so you can share with your networks. In the interim, Carrie Kirschner, the former ACE, is able to come back and provide coverage for ACE tasks until we fill the Program Director position. Thank you, Carrie! Carrie will cover those ACE responsibilities specific to Shabbat School, Middle School and High School. We ask for your patience with staff and leadership during this time of transition. Please communicate with the Staffing DTF if you have questions or concerns at lagermes@gmail.com.

(3) LOTSA HELPING HANDS: Do you know what it is? How it works? Who can use it?

Pictured above are two of the four new Lotsa Helping Hands community leaders: Linda Appel and Susan Lazareck. Photo by Sandy Ramirez.

LOTSA HELPING HANDS was for many years in the capable hands of Lisa Kenn. She was attentive, thoughtful and organized in finding those HELPING HANDS in our community. Thank you Lisa! Recently, the baton has been passed to new coordinators, in fact, four new coordinators. We are Linda Appel, Ted Scheinman, Emily Kurzweil and Susan Lazareck.
 
Lotsa Helping Hands enables Havurah community members to schedule and sign up for tasks to help members going through challenging times. This could include making and delivering meals, providing transportation to medical appointments, and making home visits. Tasks are posted on the Lotsa Helping Hands calendar by a coordinator and requesting member. Volunteers can easily see what is needed and sign up for individual tasks, and an email can be sent to the Lotsa Helping Hands network of volunteers, alerting them to the need for help. Regular reminders are sent to volunteers who sign up so no one forgets their commitments.
 
So if you have a new baby and need a break, a meal, a shoulder to lean on…we have volunteers for you. Knee or hip surgery? Give your caregivers a break, get meals delivered with a smile and maybe have a chat to pass the time (or not, if you need to rest). Havurah members are here for  you! Read more here on the Havurah Shalom website.

(4) Shabbat School Registration Opens March 20 - Havurah Shalom Shabbat School is for Havurah families with children in grades K-6. This program is designed to bring families together for learning and teaching. With the direction and support of our education staff, parents work together in teams to plan and implement the curriculum and community building activities for their child’s grade. All levels of experience are welcome at Shabbat School – nobody knows too little (or too much) to be part of a teaching team! The cost for this year long program is $100 for one child, and $180 (total) for two or more children. Our Shabbat School program starts with our Family Summit on May 12 (3:00-5:00 pm). Each grade’s class also organizes various community building events throughout the summer. Parents are required to attend the summit. For more information, please visit the Shabbat School page of our website.

(5) Climbing Through Mitzrayim With The Tree Of Life, March 20-May 15, 2929 SW Multnomah Blvd, Portland - Taught by Havurah member Hariett Cooke. Following Pesach, the ancient Kabbalists encouraged us to use the lower seven sefirot as a pathway of emotional inner reflection and development that unfolds into the physical reality of our everyday lives. The weeks leading up to Passover, invite us to use the upper sefirot to meditate and reflect on where we are stuck, the narrow places we are ready to move through. Climbing Through Mitzrayim is a nine-week class involving meditation, study, reflection, writing, sharing, energy medicine, and prayer. Through community we support each other in identifying, moving through our stuck places, and courageously stepping out into a more inspired, compassionate, courageous, empowered, connected, and joyful life. Learn more on this flier.

(6) Art and Spirit: Finding Yourself in the Story with Havurah Member Cassandra Sagan on Sunday, March 25, 2:00-4:00 pm, MJCC - Step into the Living Torah! Beginning in text, we’ll flow between simple, brief, incremental forms of “sacred play,” and time to create through our chosen art form, written or visual. Using voice, movement, story, stillness, and a bissel silliness, we’ll learn ways to cultivate personal midrash. Through embodied Torah study, we find ways to discover and express meaning, EVEN WHEN WE CAN’T ARTICULATE IT. Bring your own notebook or art supplies. Cassandra Sagan is an ordained Maggid, educator, poet, artist, songwriter, and InterPlay leader who is on the faculty of Reclaiming Judaism’s Maggid-Educator Training Program. Presented by ORA: NW Jewish Artists, MJCC, and Reclaiming Judaism. Learn more on this flier.

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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