May 16 - Dorot Shabbat, Shavuot, Annual Congregational Meeting
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS (1) Upcoming Shabbat: Friday Night Dorot, Saturday Text & Torah, and Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (2) Sunday Shavuot Service with Yizkor (3) Training for Portland Clean Energy Fund Signature Gathering (4) Book Group Discussion (5) A Night of Reading (6) Contemplative Shabbat (7) Song of Miriam Awards (8) Annual Congregational Meeting (9) Last Kabbalat Shabbat Until October (10) Pride Parade (11) Program Director Opening
(1) Upcoming Shabbat - Dorot Shabbat, Friday, May 18, 6:00 pm Service, 6:45 pm Potluck – Join us for this casual, family-friendly, 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, and Tanja Lux. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share with 5-7 others. RSVP here.
Text & Torah, 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.
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, and bring fruit or a dairy dessert to share for the potluck.
(2) Shavuot Service with Yizkor, Sunday, May 20, 10:00 am - Join Havurah leaders and leyners Rabbi Benjamin, Ken Lerner, Chaim Wolin, Melissa Carpenter, and Roger Brewer for this Shavuot Service with Yizkor.
(3) Training for Portland Clean Energy Fund Signature Gathering, Monday, May 21, 7:00-7:45 pm - Join the Climate Action Team's efforts to collect signatures to get the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) on November's ballot. This training will give you the skills to successfully collect signatures. PCEF is an innovative city-wide initiative that will bring energy efficiency and renewable energy to Portlanders, prioritizing low-income households and people of color; bring clean energy job training and job opportunities to historically underrepresented workers (minorities and women); continue Portland’s national leadership in creating a just, clean-energy future; and reduce the impacts of climate change by requiring billion-dollar retailers to pay their fair share to fund clean-energy jobs and cleaner, greener housing. For more info, including training options if you can’t make the May 21 training: Michael Heumann (heumanncycle@gmail.com, 503-880-2226) or Elianne Lieberman(elianne97202@yahoo.com, 503-422-6402).
(4) Havurah Book Discussion Group, Tuesday, May 22, 7:00-8:30 pm – Please join us for a discussion of Henna House by Nomi Eve, led by Maud Naroll. Adela, a young Jewish girl in early 20th century Yemen, lives with her garrulous brothers, ailing father, and bitter mother. In a hidden cave, Adela dreams while protecting herself from the Confiscator, a Muslim official who seizes Jewish children whose fathers have died. Racing against time, Adela’s family makes an engagement with a distant cousin, Asaf, whom Adela invites into her heart. When Asaf leaves town, Adela is comforted by the arrival of her aunt, a henna artist. As Adela grows, we follow her journey to the prosperous port of Aden, and departure for Israel in the famous airlift Operation On Wings of Eagles. This novel is a welcome glimpse into this little-known culture. Please RSVP here. Questions? Contact Marjorie Walters at marjoriewalters@gmail.com.
(5) A Night of Reading, Thursday, May 31, 7:30 pm – The current Havurah Writing Group will share short, reflective works they have been developing over the past three months in their Tuesday evening gatherings. Join us for a fast-moving, lyrically-compelling, and plain old-fashioned evening of creative expression. Snacks and coffee with these possibly soon-to-be-really-famous authors to follow. Questions? Contact David Kertzner, dkertzner@proactive-english.com.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
(8) Annual Congregational Meeting, Sunday, June 3, 1:00-3:00 pm - As we prepare for the Congregational Meeting, our goal is to make the information shared meaningful. With that in mind, please let us know what questions you may have about Havurah's operations, programming, membership, etc. We may not have time to answer all the questions at the Congregational Meeting. If not, we will get an answer to you either via email or in Hakol. Questions can be sent to info@havurahshalom.org. Thank you in advance for helping us make this meeting a good use of everyone's time. We look forward to the conversation.
(9) Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday, June 8, 6:30 pm Dinner, 7:30 pm Service - This is our last Kabbalat Shabbat celebration before summer break! Join Rabbi Benjamin and our talented Havurah musicians for a joyful, musical service to welcome Shabbat. Our catered vegetarian dinner begins at 6:30 pm.Registration for thedinner closes at noon on Wednesday, June 6, or sooner if the maximum number of seats are filled first. RSVP here. We especially need volunteers who are willing to greet people as they arrive for the service. These shifts are from 7:20-7:40 pm, 7:40-8:00 pm, 8:00-8:20 pm, and 8:20-8:40 pm. Often greeters can watch the door from the social hall and participate in the service, too. Please click here to sign up for one of these important shifts, or for another volunteer role for the evening. Thanks!
(10) Pride Parade, Sunday, June 17 – Havurah has marched in Portland’s annual Pride Parade for two decades now. Last year, for the first time, Havurah joined with other Jewish organizations to participate. Learn more here about how to get involved.
(11) 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 description here. All interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to havurahjobpost@gmail.com.
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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.
[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.
