HAVURAH HAPPENINGS (1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) Cultural Humility Training (3) Everything You Don't Know About Electric Vehicles (4) New & Prospective Members Orientation (5) Tot Shabbat (6) White Ally Trainings (7) Book Group Discussion (8) Havurah Shindig - Registration is Open! (9) Tikkun Leyl Shavuot: A Night of Learning, Connection, and Cheesecake (10) June Contemplative Shabbat

ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) Yom HaShoah Commemorative Service Tonight (2) It is NOT Too Late to Start Counting the Omer (3) Lotsa Helping Hands & Hearts (4) Eastside Community Commons (5) "Resisting Tyranny" Sara Glasgow Cogan Memorial Lecture (6) New Shelter for PHFS (7) Opportunity for Young Adults: Moishe House Residence Opening

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(1) Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, April 13, 7:30-8:30 pm - We are excited to host three representatives from Hand in Hand, Center for Jewish-Arab Education in Israel, at this Friday's service: 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. The Hand in Hand presentation will follow a musical service led by Rabbi Benjamin, Margie Rosenthal, and our talented Havurah musicians. All are welcome - no RSVP required. Childcare is available. (Students of Hand in Hand pictured below.)

Bar Mitzvah of Jonas Frost-Hausman, Saturday, April 14, 10:00 am - Please join us in welcoming Jonas Frost-Hausman, son of Stefanie Hausman and David Frost, as a bar mitzvah and member of our community. Mazel tov, Jonas!

(2) Cultural Humility Training, Sunday, April 15, 3:00-5:00 pm, Havurah Shalom - Learn about best practices in communicating with people from cultural backgrounds different from ours. Lynn Reer will lead this training. She has a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and has been working as a teacher trainer for many years. She will give us some tips on ways to challenge our cultural perspectives, so we can honor individuals as they truly are, as members of a culture with customs and practices we may not be familiar with. We will bring in two "cultural informants," one whose native culture is Mexican, the other, Somali, to look at examples of communication misunderstandings. Please RSVP to Deb Kallen at debkall2010@gmail.com.

(3) Everything You Don't Know About Electric Vehicles, Monday, April 16, 7:00-8:30 pm - Paul Reno, retired faculty member of the Marine Science Center at Oregon State University, will present a brief history of electric cars. He will dive deep into what you need to know: types of EVs, cost, effect of weather and accessories on battery life, charging issues, environmental impact and more. He will also briefly discuss fuel cell vehicles. A question and answer period will follow. Co-sponsors: Northwest 350PDX and Havurah Climate Action Team. For additional information, contact Kahler Martinson at martinsonkahler@yahoo.com or Steve Birkel at sjbirkel@gmail.com.

(4) New & Prospective Members Spring Oneg Orientation, Saturday, April 21, 12:00-1:30 pm - Did you join Havurah during the past 18 months? Do you have questions about our history, our committees and affinity groups, and our future plans? If so, join us for our annual orientation for new and prospective members. It begins with a vegetarian oneg lunch, and childcare will be available. You'll hear from Havurah leaders, including Rabbi Benjamin and Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, and have plenty of time to ask them questions. You're also invited to the Community Minyan before the orientation, which begins at 10:00 am, and/or to Tot Shabbat, which is from 10:30-11:30 am that morning. Please RSVP here by Wednesday, April 18, if you can join us for the orientation!

(5) Tot Shabbat, Saturday, April 21, 10:30-11:30 am - Young children and their parents celebrate Shabbat with singing, movement, blessings, and storytelling. We touch on the main highlights of the Shabbat morning service: wonder, fun, song, listening to the world, dancing, and Torah. Tot Shabbat is fashioned for the under-6 crowd, but older kids are welcome (and can help tell a story, etc.). Afterwards, we enjoy an informal potluck oneg nosh and the chance to play and schmooze. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. Please RSVP here.

(6) White Ally Trainings, Sunday, April 22, 2:30-5:30 pm, First Congregational UCC, and Tuesday, April 24, 9:00 am-noon, Muslim Education Trust (MET) - Learn tools and skills to effectively engage with people who don't think racism is real. Trainings are led by David Campt, a nationally renowned trainer who developed the White Ally Toolkit. This is a continuation of the equity work Havurah has been doing for several years, including the SURJ (Stand Up for Racial Justice) training we had for parents at Havurah in January. If several of us attend a training, our collective learnings will empower us all! For April 22, the cost is $15-$45, sliding scale. Register here. For April 24, the cost is $45 without lunch and $60 with lunch. Contact MET if you're interested in a sliding scale. Register here. Please email Susan Rosenthall if you register so Havurahniks can watch for each other at the training and possibly carpool.

(7) Book Discussion Group, Tuesday, April 24, 7:00-8:30 pm - Reports of growing water shortages around the world underscore the urgent need to find solutions. Based on meticulous research and hundreds of interviews, Seth Siegel's book Let There Be Water reveals the history, methods, and techniques behind Israel’s ability to lead the world in cutting-edge water technology. Israel not only solved the water problem within its desert, but it also supplies water to others. This book also discusses how cooperation on water systems can forge diplomatic ties and promote unity. Phil and Marjorie Walters will lead the discussion, and Phil will offer a means to assess our own household water usage. Michael Heumann, who heads the Havurah Climate Action team, will add local perspectives about water issues on our horizon. Join us! RSVP here.
 

(8) Havurah Shindig, Tickets Now Available Online, Sunday, May 6, 4:00-8:00 pm - Get your tickets now! Come party with your Haverim! CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets to our premier fundraiser event/party. Food, desserts, wine, and beer are included with the price of admission. You can also purchase raffle tickets and a seat at the casino tables. There will be plenty of opportunities to purchase more casino scrip, raffle tickets, specialty cocktail tickets, and wine wall "chances" at the event. Why are we doing this fundraiser? Because we care about our programming, our community, and each other. Buy your tickets now and support your favorite synagogue! Questions? Email Nancy Becker at nancyjbecker@gmail.com.

(9) Tikkun Leyl Shavuot: A Night of Learning, Connection, and Cheesecake for Teens and Adults, Saturday, May 19, 7:30 pm to Late - Please join us as we celebrate the festival of Shavuot by connecting with the wisdom of our tradition and with one another. Deborah Eisenbach-Budner will lead off the evening with “The Book of Ruth: Witnessing Personal and Spiritual Change.” At the same time, David Feder will facilitate some meaningful discussion for teens. At 9:00 pm we will all break for cheesecake, followed by more learning into the night for those who have the energy. Rabbi Benjamin will lead us in exploring texts and images of Revelation and Witness, and how we might understand the notion of revelation as progressive Jews today. Please RSVP here.

(10) Presence, Light, Manna: What We Need is Here - A Contemplative Shabbat, June 1-2 - Led by Rabbi Benjamin and Rabbi Joshua Boettiger of Emek Shalom in Ashland. Beginning Friday evening, then continuing all day Saturday from morning through Havdalah, we will immerse ourselves in contemplative Jewish practice. Through meditation, chanting, and prayer, supported by instruction and teaching, we will aim to open hearts and refine our awareness. Our time will be spent in silence, aside from prayer and chanting, as well as brief opportunities to check in about the practice. The retreat is open to everyone, regardless of experience. Registration to cover expenses is $40 for members of Havurah or Emek Shalom, $50 otherwise. You can register here. The Shabbat morning service and lunch following are open, with no registration needed. Contact Rabbi Benjamin at benjamin.barnett@havurahshalom.org with questions.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) Yom HaShoah Commemorative Service, Wednesday, April 11, 7:00 pm, Beth Israel, 1972 NW Flanders St - Join local Holocaust survivors, their families, rabbis, and community members for a candle lighting ceremony to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day. Please bring a yellow flower to symbolize life. Ceremony will include Ida Rae Cahana and Eyal Bitton, cantors; Ralph Huntley, piano; Andrew Ehrlich, violin; and the Teen Choir of Congregation Beth Israel and Neveh Shalom. Presented in partnership with Congregation Beth Israel and Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. Free and open to the public.

(2) It is NOT too late to start Counting the Omer – or to add to your practice - The period between Passover and Shavuot marks two kinds of movement through time: the passage of the seven weeks between the barley offering and the first wheat offering at the ancient Temple during these spring festivals, and the transition from slavery to true liberation. On Passover we leave Egypt, but on Shavuot we receive the Torah, which gives us our purpose as a people, answering the question of the ultimate goal of our collective freedom. For many people, the "counting of the Omer"—these 49 days—provides a time for reflection and growth.
If you are curious about why and how people count the omer, you might find these resources helpful: Ritual Well and Reclaiming Judaism.

(3) Lotsa Helping Hands - “Lots of Helping Hands” and hearts have been reaching out to our Havurah families in this past month. Meals were prepared and delivered. Home visits and caregiver breaks provided the kind of support that families needed to catch a breath and renew themselves for the days of recovery ahead. And those who could not pitch in with meals or visits made phone calls to break up the long days. Cards were sent to cheer and remind folks that they are remembered. Thank you to the volunteers: cooks, phone callers, note writers, and sit and chat-ers. By the way, just because you “don’t cook,” doesn't mean you can't help. You can go to New Seasons or Whole Foods to buy a ready-made meal and then you can say, “I brought it with my own little hands."  Remember that it is a mitzvah to help another in need, and it is a mitzvah to allow another to help you. Learn more here.

(4) Eastside Community Commons - The Eastside Community Commons has approached Havurah about our interest in being a partner in their dreams of creating a Jewish community space on the Eastside of Portland. The vision for the project is to have a shared space used by many community organizations.  You can learn more here. The Steering Committee will have conversations over the next few months about whether we should partner in the visioning of what the Commons might become. If you are interested in seeing Havurah have a role in the Commons and/or have ideas of how we could be a part of this effort, please email Aaron Pearlman at aaron@pearlmanoffice.com.

(5) “Resisting Tyranny: Lessons from the European 20th Century," Sara Glasgow Cogan Memorial Lecture, Yale University Professor Timothy Snyder, Wednesday, April 25, 7:30 pm, PSU - If you are interested in attending, RSVP here soon, as the lecture may fill quickly. The recommendation is to arrive by 7:00 pm to ensure early admission and a seat with your RSVP.

(6) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) Future Plans - We are excited to let you know that PHFS has made an offer to purchase a building that will be used as a permanent shelter and administrative office. This new shelter will have room for 26 families – more than three times the current capacity of eight families. Because the 24-hour shelter will be in a single location, it will provide a much more stable and supportive experience for the families. PHFS also made an offer to purchase eight adjacent housing units to provide affordable housing and has launched a capital campaign to raise the money to buy the building. Learn more.

(7) Opportunity for Young Adults - Moishe House Portland, a hub for young adult Jews in Portland, is looking for a new housemate aged 22-32 to move in with us and create Jewish community! The application deadline is May 6. Here are some benefits of the position: subsidized rent, budget to create events every month, scholarships and retreats, socializing and networking opportunities, leadership coaching, communal living, Shabbat leftovers! If you are interested or know someone who might be, please get in touch with me, Jake Sullivan, at Jake.moishepdx@gmail.com. You can apply by clicking here. Be sure you select the Portland Moishe House. Click here for more information about the larger Moishe House organization. Please help spread the word!

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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