(1) Rabbi Benjamin's T'ruah D'var Torah (2) Upcoming Shabbat (3) Goose Hollow Shelter (4) Wear Cool Clothes for Shiva Minyan (5) Early Morning Contemplative Hike Tomorrow (6) Israel at 70 Celebration (7) MJCC Summer Concert (8) Alter Rockers (9) Book Group Discussion (10) Reconstructing Judaism Convention (11) Two-Question Survey on Transparency & Inclusivity (12) Membership Dues Reminder

Thank you to our wonderful Havurah gardening team for planting and pruning last week to make our courtyard beautiful.

(1) Not Striking the Rock Again: Rabbi Benjamin's T'ruah D'var Torah – You can read Rabbi Benjamin's reflections on Chukat, this week's Torah portion, here on T'ruah's website.

(2) Community Minyan, Saturday, June 23, 10:00 am – Join us this Saturday as we daven together, read Torah, and discuss Parshat Chukat. In Rabbi Benjamin'sT'ruah D'var Torah, he describes a key part of Chukat: "In Parshat Chukat we witness a generational shift that invites us to consider contemporary action in relation to the past. In a perplexing narrative, God tells Moses and Aaron that they will not enter the Promised Land. The incident preceding the decree is Moses’ striking the rock to bring forth water, rather than speaking to it as God had instructed. The episode is all the more confusing in that it partially repeats a scene from Exodus, in which God does command Moses to strike the rock. So why now is Moses’ action so offensive as to prevent him and Aaron from fulfilling their 40-year journey?"

(3) PHFS Goose Hollow Shelter Orientation, Wednesday, June 20, 5:00-6:00 pm – Are you interested in direct service and cooking up a nutritious meal for needy families? Love hanging out with kids, enjoying a new experience, or looking to get out of your comfort zone? Volunteering once a month on a Thursday night with our Adopt-a-Night Havurah group at Goose Hollow, the night shelter of Portland Homeless Family Solutions, could be the program for you. How to connect: Take an hour-long orientation at the shelter on June 20. RSVP to the shelter's volunteer coordinator, Bethany Rocci at bethany@pdxhfs.org. For more information about this direct service project, contact Gloria Halper: losninos6@gmail.com, or John Devlin: john.t.devlin@gmail.com.

(4) Shiva Minyan for Susan Newman – If you plan to attend the shiva minyan for Susan Newman at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church tonight, you may want to wear cool clothing because the building isn't air conditioned. The minyan will be held in the downstairs area. May Susan's memory be a blessing.
 

(5) Early Morning Contemplative Hike, Thursday, June 21, 6:30-8:30 am, Holman Lane Trailhead in Forest Park – Rabbi Benjamin will lead us in walking together mindfully in nature on this early morning of the summer solstice. Utilizing walking meditation, stops along the way for chanting, and intentions to guide us from Jewish tradition, we will aim to heighten our awareness and wake up more fully in our lives. This will be a moderate hike at a gentle pace. Wear clothing and shoes for hiking and bring water. Please register online here. Contact Rabbi Benjamin with questions.

(6) Israel at 70! Celebration Through Dance, Saturday, June 23, Afternoon & Evening - Attend Some or All, MJCC – To celebrate Israel at 70, Israeli folk dancers in Portland are planning a celebration through dance, music, food and camaraderie. With local dance leaders and guest dance leader from L.A., Lior Haykeen, they will offer dance sessions for families, tweens, teens, and adults. Israeli folk dance is a foundation of Israel’s history and culture. The celebration includes instruction and open dancing, a scrumptious Israeli style buffet dinner, a fun dance party, schmoozing, and more. Register and learn more here. Questions? Contact Debbi Montrose or Sue Wendel at pifdnews@gmail.com.
 

The Unpresidented Band accompanied the Jewish contingent at the Portland Pride Parade on Sunday, June 17. Photo above was taken by Rabbi Benjamin.

(7) MJCC Summer Concert Series, Lior Ben-Hur + Sol Tevél, Sunday, June 24, 5:30 pm – Havurah Shalom is helping sponsor the MJCC Summer Concert Series. The first concert is on June 24. Born in Jerusalem, Israel with Greek and Iraqi roots, Lior Ben-Hur has traveled to over a dozen countries where he spent time learning, performing and sharing experiences with musicians and artists around the globe. Along with his 8-piece band, Lior Ben-Hur continues to focus on his passion for Reggae music while incorporating Jewish melodies. Cost: $10. Series Pass: $25, Kids 3 and under free. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

(8) Alter Rockers Rock Again, Tuesday, June 26 – Join the Alter Rockers for a visit to the Jewish Museum and then a happy hour. We will meet at the museum at 3:30 that afternoon, then head to Eleni's Philoxenia (112 NW 9th Avenue) at 5:00 pm for their happy hour. Please let Sarah Rosenberg know at sarah.r.rosenberg@gmail.com if you are coming to the happy hour so the restaurant can be aware. (And it's OK to just come to the happy hour if that fits better in your schedule!)

(9) Book Group Discussion of Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber, Tuesday, June 26, 7:00-8:30 pm – The book Crescent draws the reader deeply into the experience of Arab refugees, immigrants, and their descendants from a broad perspective, making palpable their feeling of loss, not only of family members, but of identity, including the difficulties of creating a new one, while in exile. “Green-eyed, 39-year-old Sirine cooks up Arab specialties in a bustling cafe in Los Angeles where Arab students gather for a taste of home. When her doting uncle … introduces her to his colleague Hanif, the placid surface of her life is disturbed. Their affair begins quickly and ardently, as Sirine … discovers the pleasures of romance, and the exiled Han struggles to feel grounded in a place far from the Baghdad he loved as a boy.” - from Amazon

(10) Who Wants to Go to Philadelphia for the Reconstructing Judaism Convention? – Have you ever davened with 400 joyous people who have come long distances just to be with you? Have you ever been to a convention where 400 people brought their own traditions to share with you? That's what a Reconstructionist Convention is like. Please join me at the Reconstructing Judaism Convention in Philadelphia Nov. 15-18. A generous donor has offered $5,000, which we will provide in four $1,250 scholarships towards a significant portion of the registration, flight, and hotel for four members. Two of these spots will be filled by Julia Lager-Mesulam, soon to be Co-president, and the future Reconstructing Judaism representative from Havurah, who is yet to be determined. We would like to offer two additional members who are involved on committees, or wish to be more involved, to attend the convention with the assistance of this donation. Email Andy Gordon at andygordon1017@gmail.com by Thursday, June 28, if you are interested. Early Bird rate ends 6/30! Learn more here. 

(11) Transparency and Inclusivity Committee – Transparency, inclusivity, and feeling connected are valued within the Havurah community and were major themes from the debrief of the Equity Class in Spring 2017. A committee was formed to address these issues. Help us: 1) We are looking for additional voices and multiple perspectives to inform the work. 2) Please take the quick two-question survey below to help us know how best to communicate with you. For more information, to add your voice, or to join the committee, contact Judy Steinberger, jlasteinberger@gmail.com, or Fran Weick, weick2@yahoo.com. Did you submit a question to the committee at the annual meeting on June 3? The answer to your question may already be posted here on our website. You can find this new page on our website in the drop-down menu under "About," under the "Q&A" page. Watch for answers in Hakol, too.

(12) Fiscal Year Ending June 30: Pay Your Dues, Make Your New Commitment – First, thank you to Havurahniks who have already submitted their membership/dues renewal for 2018-19. If you haven’t done so, please click here to renew your dues commitment. If you are on automatic debit, pay unadjusted dues and there are no changes, nothing more is needed. But if you adjust or pay by check, stock or credit card, please fill out the forms. We have 401 members for whom we need to keep dues records. More information / more communication about your intentions regarding dues is BEST! And, as we approach the end of the current fiscal year, we ask that you finish paying your 2017-18 commitment. If you pay by check, please send it to Havurah Shalom, 825 NW 18th Ave, Portland, OR 97209. You can pay by credit card using this link. A 3% fee is added. Thank you, Karen Westerman Havurah Shalom Membership/Dues, Karen.Westerman@Havurahshalom.org, 503-421-4533

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Havurah Shalom is an engaged, 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