April 25 - Shindig is Almost Here! Study & Cheesecake on Shavuot
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS (1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) #ICEoutofNORCOR (3) Climate Justice Action (4) Annual Cemetery Beautification (5) Shindig is Almost Here! (6) Kabbalat Shabbat Honoring High School Graduates (7) Mother's Day Interfaith Vigil (8) Dorot Shabbat (9) 'Shavuot' Text & Torah (10) Tikkun Leyl Shavuot: A Night of Learning, Connection, and Cheesecake (11) Contemplative Shabbat (12) Honoring Chris Coughlin at Song of Miriam Awards Brunch
ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) "Resisting Tyranny" Sara Glasgow Cogan Memorial Lecture Tonight (2) English Conversation Hour (3) Counting the Omer (4) Program Director Opening (5) Needed! Wine Rack (6) Lotsa Helping Hands & Hearts (7) Eastside Community Commons (8) Reconstructing Judaism Leadership Brief (9) ORA Call for Artists
If you're reading this in Gmail, click on "view entire message" at the lower left to see the complete email. *** Photo below was taken at the annual Mother's Day Interfaith Vigil in Tacoma.
(1) Bar Mitzvah of Samuel Plager, Saturday, April 28, 10:00 am-12:00 pm - Please join us in welcoming Samuel Plager, son of Constance and Josh Plager, as a Bar Mitzvah and member of our community. Mazel tov to Samuel and his family!
(2) #ICEoutofNORCOR, Saturday, April 28, 10:30 am-3:00 pm, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1805 Minnesota St, The Dalles - NORCOR (Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility) is a regional county jail in The Dalles that houses immigrant detainees from the Tacoma Detention Center. Conditions are terrible, and Oregon's jails should not be cooperating with ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement). Havurah is organizing to participate in an IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice) statewide action to get ICE out of NORCOR. Clergy and lay leaders from around the state will convene on the anniversary of immigrants' first hunger strike to protest conditions at NORCOR. We will learn from the local clergy and organizers who have been organizing since May 1, 2017 to get #ICEoutofNORCOR. We hope to have a big turnout from Havurah at this family-friendly event. Details can be found at the IMIrJ website here. Questions? Contact Bob Brown at rebrown47@gmail.com.
(3) Climate Justice Action, Tuesday, May 1, 7:00-8:00 am, Portland Convention Center – Havurah Climate Action Team and 350pdx will join others to call out the Portland Business Alliance for officially endorsing the Jordan Cove Project and Pacific Connector Pipeline. The PBA claims to represent 1,900 Oregon businesses and institutions. They have been a consistent opposition voice to environmental progress. Their annual breakfast is May 1, and many members have no idea what their organization is supporting, or the potentially devastating consequences. Bring a sign or help hold banner and pass out leaflets. Sign making parties happening. Contact Harriet Cooke at holisticooke@aol.com.
(4) Annual Cemetery Beautification Day, Sunday, May 6, 1:00-3:00 pm - We will gather at our cemetery, at 5656 SW Humphrey, to garden and honor our relatives who are no longer with us. You can find directions to the cemetery here.
(5) Shindig is Almost Here! Sunday, May 6, 4:00-8:00 pm - The Havurah Shindig is almost here! Get your tickets soon so we can plan for the right number of people! CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets. We have a small fund to support folks who can’t afford the ticket price; please contact the Havurah office at 503-248-4662 ext. 4 to learn more. Your organizing committee truly wants this to be accessible to all!
(6) Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, May 11, 6:30 pm Dinner, 7:30 pm Service - Join one of Portland’s most musical and spirited Shabbat gatherings, led by Rabbi Benjamin and Havurah musicians. At our May service, we will honor our High School seniors. The service is preceded by a catered dinner, which starts at 6:30 pm and requires advance registration. Dinner registration will close when the maximum number of seats have been filled or at noon on May 9, if the maximum number isn't reached by then, so RSVP here soon! Whether or not you attend the dinner, we hope you will join us for the Kabbalat Shabbat Service at 7:30 pm. No RSVP is required for the service, and all are welcome. Childcare is available.
(7) Faithful Resistance: Mother's Day Interfaith Vigil, Saturday, May 12, 12:00-1:30 pm, Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), 1623 E J St, Tacoma, WA - Immigrant rights advocates will gather for the 10th annual Mother's Day Vigil in Tacoma. (See photo from annual vigil at the top of this email.) NWDC is an ICE prison for undocumented immigrants. This has been an exceptionally difficult year for immigrants and refugees under persecution from the current administration. The event is a celebration of faith groups’ shared values and determination to resist racism and xenophobia. Join the Havurah contingent at this fun, inspirational, and important event. Carpool meet-up for Portlanders is 9:00 am, Ascension Catholic Church, 743 SE 76th Ave. To carpool with Havurah members, contact David Newman at davnew2@earthlink.net. RVSP is not strictly needed but it's good to know who is planning to go.
(8) Dorot Shabbat, Friday, May 18, 6:00 pm Service, 6:45 pm Potluck - 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. Please RSVP here. (Photo below was taken at a Dorot Shabbat.)
(9) Text & Torah on Shavuot, Saturday, May 19, 10:00 am-12:00 pm - Torah text study will be led by Diane Chaplin, followed by a shortened Saturday morning service. We will serve breakfast and coffee, including bagels and lox and gluten-free options. Please arrive early to eat before the study begins at 10:00 am. Childcare is available.
(10) 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.
(11) 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.
(12) Honoring Chris Coughlin at Jewish Women’s Round Table's Song of Miriam Awards Brunch, Sunday, June 3, 10:00 am – 12:15 pm, MJCC - Mazel tov to this year's Havurah Shalom Song of Miriam honoree, Chris Coughlin! Chris's work on the Steering Committee and her ongoing focus on Tikkun Olam have been hugely important as Havurah has grown and transitioned the last several years. Use this form to reserve your place at the brunch. The cost is $25 if you RSVP before May 26, $32 after. To arrange to sit with other Havurah members, contact Debbi Nadell at debbinadell@gmail.com.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
(1) “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 - Havurah's Alter Rockers are attending this lecture. 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.
(2) English Conversation Hour, Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 pm, Ortiz Community Center, 6736 NE Killingworth - For our Latin brothers and sisters to succeed, it is most helpful to be able to communicate in English. If you are interested in helping an hour a week at an English Conversation Hour at the Ortiz Community Center in the Cully Neighborhood, please contact Deb Kallan. It is possible that the day and/or hour might change in the future. Questions? Email debkall2010@gmail.com.
(3) Counting the Omer - 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, the ultimate goal of our collective freedom. For many people, "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: daily readings from Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and others at Ritual Well and a colorful chart of the 49 days from Reclaiming Judaism.
(4) Program Director Opening - Help us recruit Havurah's next Program Director! This position will be a key member of Havurah's leadership team along with Rabbi Benjamin and Education Director Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and work in close coordination with our 400 families to help the community meet our congregational goals. You can see the job desription here. All interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to havurahjobpost@gmail.com.
(5) Needed! Wine Rack - We are having a Wine Wall at the congregational Shindig. In the past this has been a very successful money maker. We need wine racks to construct the wall. If you have a rack we can borrow for the event, please contact Dave Weil at dave3082@aol.com or 503-293-6806. (Please leave a message.) Thanks.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
(9) Call for Artists, ORA, Northwest Jewish Artists - Submissions for October Celebration of Art event are due May 25 (Jury date is June 3) – Many Havurah members participate in ORA, which is calling for original art and fine craft in all media. Print and complete the application, and mail it with your jury fee of $25, made out to ORA, to the address on the application. Applications must be received by May 25. For the complete application, visit northwestjewishartists.org and click on “About Us.”
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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.
(IP) Shabbat School Shabbat, May 3rd 3:00p to 5:15p This program gives children a foundation for lifelong Jewish learning and engagement while integrating parents and children in a caring Jewish community.
(ZM) Progressive Israel Network Sessions Sunday, May 4th 11:00a to 12:00p Havurah Shalom is hosting a four-session series from the Progressive Israel Network. Come learn in collaboration with representatives from five to six of the participating Progressive Israel Network organizations, including T’ruah, New Jewish Narrative, Partners for Progressive Israel, New Israel Fund, J Street, and Reconstructing Judaism.
All perspectives on Israel-Palestine, as well as all curious people, are welcomed and encouraged. Our guests will give presentations and take questions. You can register for all sessions, below, but it's okay if you can't attend all three sessions.
(Reconstructing Judaism, the central organization of the Reconstructionist movement, of which Havurah Shalom is a part, is a member of the Progressive Israel Network.)
(IP) Writing for Peace and Reconciliation, Within and Between Us Sunday, May 4th 6:30p to 8:30p Commemorate the last day of Pesach and Yitzkor in community Passover not only invites us to retell our ancient story but to look at our current reality and ask: what is our mitzrayim today? The obstacle in our personal and communal life? Where can we break through in an act of courage and compassion? April 20th & May 4th, 6:30 PM at Havurah, join Harriet Cooke for a writing/drawing group to explore this theme along with Yitzkor, the Sephirot and Counting the Omer. (It is recommended to attend either just the first session or both sessions.)
(IP) Jewish Ethical Responses to the Problem of Racism Monday, May 5th 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.
(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.
