Aug 1 - Music for High Holidays, Shabbat in the Pool, Looking for RJ Rep
(1) Dorot Shabbat in the Park (2) Saturday Service (3) Getting Ready for High Holidays (4) Shabbat in the Pool - For All Ages! (5) Want to Represent Havurah at the Movement Level? (6) Engaging with Israel Constructively (7) Urban Kibbutz Social Change (8) Tivnu Needs Furniture & Housewares (9) Women's Concert Tomorrow (10) Call Mr. Robeson: A Life, With Songs
(1) Dorot Shabbat in the Park, Friday, Aug. 3, 5:30-7:00 pm– Please join Dorot musicians Tanja Lux, Gabe Adoff, Jacob Mandelsberg, and Larry Reichman as we bring our family-friendly, musical Dorot service from the sanctuary to the beautiful grounds of Laurelhurst Park. All ages welcome! We have Picnic Area "F" reserved and will meet up at 5:30 pm. Bring a veggie dish to share and your blankets to spread as we welcome Shabbat in true summer style. Kiddos and parents are welcome to bring a music-making instrument and/or spirit! RSVP here. For questions, contact Karen Pomerantz.
(2) Bar Mitzvah of Chaim Gerber, Saturday, Aug. 4, 10:00 am – This Saturday Chaim Gerber, son of Cindy and Eric Gerber, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating with Chaim and his family, and welcome Chaim as a member of our community.
(3) Getting Ready for High Holidays with Music, Aug. 2, 16, 23, 30; Sept. 6, 7:00 pm (Daytime options TBD) – It may be summer, but the focus is now on High Holidays. Erev Rosh Hashanah begins on Sept. 9. Consider being a part of this year’s music! Typically, a group of singers and instrumentalists participate during Erev Rosh Hashanah and N’eilah, with more limited participation on Kol Nidre. We begin by exploring the music and themes of the holiday, so we can talk about which songs might be most meaningful to share. If you love to sing and plan to be with us over the holidays, please be in touch. If you can’t make all rehearsals or have concerns about the schedule, let me know. I'm sure we can figure something out. All ages welcome! There's nothing better than singing in the summertime. Contact Ilene Safyan.
(4) Shabbat in the Pool - For All Ages!, Saturday, Aug. 11, 5:15-7:30 pm, Sellwood Park Pool, 7951 SE 7th Ave, Portland – We have the pool to ourselves from 5:15 to 6:15 pm, then gather for Havdalah singing, a story, and BYO picnic under the trees. This year we are collecting money to help the waterways around us. Please consider donating $5, $10 (or more). All donations exceeding the cost of lifeguards and pool rental will help fund Havurah’s Tikkun Olam work, in honor of the Climate Action Team’s efforts to protect 485 Oregon rivers and streams by stopping the construction of the Jordan Cove fracked-gas export terminal and Pacific Connector gas pipeline. RSVP by Aug. 2 so we can reserve enough lifeguards.
(5) Want to Represent Havurah at the Movement Level? – Havurah is affiliated with Reconstructing Judaism, a diverse organization of Reconstructionist congregations, seminary, rabbis and educators. Policy decisions are discussed at semi-annual plenum meetings. Havurah is one of the largest affiliate congregations, and Andy Gordon has been our Plenum Representative, whose primary function is to speak for Havurah at plenum meetings and report back to us. A successful rep must know Havurah’s current issues and communicate with the Associate Director of Affiliate Support, Rabbi Maurice Harris. This is a fun opportunity to see how the movement works, meet people from around the country, and learn from other Reconstructionists. We need a new rep to replace Andy as he will be moving to Seattle. Andy will be available for consult during the transition and beyond. For more information, call 503-313-6544.
(6) Engaging with Israel Constructively – Havurah is developing programming to engage with Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intentionally and respectfully. Through education, dialogue, and encounter, we will explore our personal relationships with Israel as well as Havurah’s and the Jewish community’s. All Havurah voices are welcome! To begin, we need a small planning group to work with Rabbi Benjamin, Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, and Chris Coughlin. If you don’t have a strong view about Israel but would like to learn about different views, please consider volunteering. We also welcome folks who feel more supportive of the Israeli government than is often expressed at Havurah, who might, for example, feel closer to the Federation or AIPAC’s views than to J-Street or Jewish Voice for Peace. Please contact Benjamin, Deborah, or Chris if you’re interested.
(7) Urban Kibbutz Social Change – Ameinu, in cooperation with Dror Israel, is launching a new program called Urban Kibbutz Social Change. The first cohort of the five-month program will begin in February 2019 and is recognized by Masa Israel Journey. Participants will live communally in Haifa, volunteer in a range of social action settings alongside their Israeli counterparts, study Hebrew, and tour around Israel. “The distancing of young American Jews from Israel is well documented, and this program addresses that issue head on," said Ameinu President Kenneth Bob. “By living and working side by side with progressive Israelis who are making a difference in their society, young liberal American Jews will experience Israel with all its challenges and complexities. This will help the participants develop their own connection to Israel and the people.” Program and registration information available at www.kibbutzprogramcenter.net.
(8) Tivnu is Growing, Needs Furniture & Housewares – Tivnu: Building Justice,the social justice gap year program that built our beautiful sukkah and that we have partnered with on low-income housing advocacy, is expanding their program to include TWO houses of participants. They need everything that you can think of to stock their new second home - furniture, a TV, metal or glass kitchenware, bicycles for 18-year-olds, etc. If you have something to donate to help make this house a home, or have questions about what their needs are, please reach out to Steve Eisenbach-Budner at 503-232-1864 or steve@tivnu.org. Thank you for supporting this organization, whose participants will contribute 15,000 hours this coming year to many of our most beloved local nonprofits.
(9) Tziona Achishena: Live in Concert, Thursday, Aug. 2, 7:30 pm, Ahavath Achim, 3225 SW Barbur – Come together for an evening of music and singing by Tziona Achishena, a musician from Tzfat. “I use my music as a form of prayer,” Tziona writes. “Music and song are heart-opening tools that bring out what is inside and help move it higher.” This concert is for women only. Learn more here. Questions? Email Sandy Ramirez at sandylou29@yahoo.com.
(10) Call Mr. Robeson: A Life, With Songs, Friday, Aug. 10, 7:30-9:00 pm, Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis St, Portland – This one-man show on the life of Paul Robeson is performed by Tayo Aluko, one of the actors from the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. Aluko is from Nigeria, and Robeson, a strong anti-colonialist, spent much of his time in Africa. Aluko revives one of the 20th century’s most impressive but overlooked figures in a powerful and compelling performance. Learn more and purchase tickets here. Questions? Contact Sue Danielson, daniels@pdx.edu.
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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.
(HYB) Shabbat Morning Shabbat, May 3rd 10:00a to 12:00p Led by community members and Rabbi Benjamin (who is on sabbatical until July 1, 2025), this service includes davening, Torah reading, and discussion. Join us afterward for a light community brunch provided by the Lunches and Noshes Committee! Free childcare is provided. For Zoom information, please email info@havurahshalom.org.
(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.
