Oct 24 - Discovering Shabbat Morning, B'nai Mitzvah Mentors, Mikvah
(1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) Ballot Measure Endorsements (3) PHFS Orientation for New Volunteers (4) Poetry of the Soul (5) Info Session for LGBTQ Community (6) ORA NW Jewish Artists' Celebration (7) Climate Action Book Study (8) Pages & Pixels: The Book Smugglers & Aftermath (9) Mikvah Learning Session (10) Brownbag Lunch with Rosalyn Kliot (11) New Member Tea & Salon (12) Calling for B'nai Mitzvah Mentors (13) Have a Question About Havurah? (14) Universal Human Rights Lecture (15) Awakening the Divine Retreat (16) Havurah Authors Publish Books (17) Clearing Our Lost & Found (18) Weekend in Quest ** In Gmail, click on "View Entire Message" in lower left to see the full email. **
(1) Upcoming Shabbat: Discovering Shabbat Morning, Saturday, Oct. 27, 10:00-11:30 am – Join this upbeat workshop/minyan where we will walk through the Shabbat morning service and learn about the general structure of the service, the key themes and prayers, and some of the choreography. We will practice some prayers together and answer questions. This service is especially for families with youth in grades 5 and up who are in the b’nai mitzvah process, all adults who are curious or perplexed, and anybody else. Childcare is available every Saturday morning for children 0-9. Light lunch provided afterwards. Please RSVP here. (Above graphic of the Shabbat morning service was made by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner.)
(2) Havurah Ballot Measure Endorsements – One way we live Havurah’s mission to promote acts of social responsibility is through political action. Havurah’s Steering Committee has voted to take positions on the four ballot measures listed below based on the close alignment of these critical ballot measures with work happening in our Tikkun Olam work groups:
No on Measure 105 (Sanctuary)
Yes on Measures 102 (Housing)
Metro 26-199 (Housing)
Portland 26-201 (Clean Energy)
Other measures on the ballot also need our attention. Please read your voter pamphlet and make sure to vote! Click here for more information. While over the years we have taken positions on ballot measures, we are aware that there is not always consensus within our community. We will be clarifying our process for taking political positions over the next 18 months. If you are interested in helping to develop that process, please contact Tikkun Olam Lead Chris Coughlin.
(3) PHFS Orientation for New Volunteers, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 5:30-6:30 pm, Mt. Scott Church of God, 10603 SE Henderson Street – Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) is offering an orientation for anyone interested in becoming a new volunteer at any of the following locations: Family Winter Shelter at Beth Israel (a winter shelter only), Lents (the new home of PHFS), or 13 Salmon. This orientation is only if you have never before volunteered with PHFS. If you're interested, please contact Bethany Rocci or Gloria Halper: 503-704-3752.
(4) The Poetry of the Soul, Thursday, Oct. 25, 12:00-1:15 pm – We are reading the Psalms closely, one by one. How they lend voice to our oscillating emotions, engagement with a sublime Other, and a longing for refuge will help us honor our own truths. We use English translations and commentaries and refer to the Hebrew. Taught by Rabbi Joey.
About 80 people attended last week's screening of "The Reluctant Radical" and the discussion with Ken Ward afterward. Above photo was taken by Michael Heumann.
(5) PDX Israel 2020 Information Session for LGBTQ Community, Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:00-8:30 pm – PDX Israel 2020 will include a track for the LGBTQ community on Oct. 25. Please RSVP for the session to caron@jewishportland.org. Members of the LGBTQ community are helping to organize meetings between our community and the Israeli LGBTQ community as part of the Portland Federation trip to Israel. The trip is planned for March 2020, but there is an early discount that is only available until Nov. 15. Please feel free to contact carmellae@aol.com if you have any questions.
(6) Celebrate Art, Support Local Jewish Artists, Buy Fun Gifts! Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:00-9:30 pm, and Sunday, Oct. 28, 10:30 am-4:30 pm, MJCC, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy – At ORA: Northwest Jewish Artists' Celebration of Art, over 25 artists (including Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, with Tzedakah Jewelry) will display and sell innovative stone, metal, and beaded jewelry, fabric arts, glass arts, photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, sculpture, paper cutting, crafting, and more! Free food, drinks and festivity on Oct. 27; annual art display and sale on Sunday. It's the perfect time to support local artists and do some fun shopping for Chanukah or special gifts.
(7) Climate Action Book Study and Beyond, Thursdays, Nov. 1, 8, 15 and 29, 7:00-9:00 pm – The Havurah Climate Action Team invites you to a book study and discussion on the deeper roots and local solutions to our critical environmental and social justice crises and how we can further these solutions in our Portland-metro region. Real life economics is more exciting and understandable than you think! We will use, Enough is Enough, Building a Sustainable Economy on a Finite Planet, by Dietz and O’Neill, with two chapters from Frances Moore Lappe’s EcoMind. Copies can be made of the EcoMind chapters. Supplemental pages and intro will also be provided from Paul Hawken’s Drawdown, and Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics. Attending all four classes is not necessary. Please email questions, syllabus request, and RSVP to Holisticooke@aol.com. Small fee for handouts.
(8) Pages and Pixels: The Book Smugglers and Aftermath, Sunday, Nov. 4, 4:00 pm, Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane– During the coming months, the Portland Jewish Book Celebration will explore this year’s book choice: David Fishman’s award-winning The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis. Told with an historian’s precision and a storyteller’s art, The Book Smugglers brings to life the ghetto residents of Vilna, "The Jerusalem of Lithuania," who risked their lives to save thousands of Jewish books, letters, manuscripts, and cultural artifacts from the Nazis and then the Soviets. The Nov. 4 event is the first of several discussions, and participants will also view the 2011 film Aftermath (Poklosie). Learn more about all Portland Jewish Book Celebration events, including the event Havurah is hosting, on this flier.
(9) Mikvah Learning Session, Wednesday. Nov. 7, 11:00 am-12:30 pm – A mikvah is a Jewish ritual bath, which has “living waters” sourced from rain. People immerse in a mikvah to mark and sanctify transitions. At its core, this ritual is a sensory way for us to connect with ourselves, our ancestors, the divine, and the water cycle of our planet. Come visit the brand-new community mikvah, Rachel’s Well, and consider how engaging with this ritual can enhance our Jewish lives and identities (no immersing this time). Maximum of 12 people can enroll. Please RSVP here. (The above photo of Portland's new mikvah was taken by Benjamin Ariff.)
(10) Brown Bag Lunch with Rosalyn Kliot, Thursday, Nov. 8, 12:00-1:00 pm, 724 OJMCHE, NW Davis St – Noted artist and author Rosalyn Kliot will share her story, from origins in Vilna (now Vilnius) and Lodz, to her life in Oregon today. Questions? Contact Ruth Feldman at ruthtenzerfeldman@gmail.com.
(11) New & New-ish Member Tea & Salon, Sunday, Nov. 11, 3:00-5:00 pm – In the spirit of Panim el Panim, or “Encountering One Another,” the Havurah Welcome Team would like to invite new Havurah members, those new-ish to Havurah, and those who may be interested in joining Havurah to an afternoon of storytelling, noshing, schmoozing, and learning more about our community from Havurah members and leaders in an informal setting. Families are welcome, and childcare will be provided. Please RSVP here. Questions? Email stefhausman@gmail.com.
(12) Calling for B’nai Mitzvah Mentors– As Havurah membership grows, the B’nai Mitzvah Committee is eager to add additional mentors to guide families through the b’nai mitzvah process. Mentors help brainstorm ideas, plan, reassure, and support the family as they progress through the various stages of preparation and planning. Through the b’nai mitzvah years with their own families, most mentors are connected to Havurah, are organized and proactive, and enjoy supporting others who are going through this unique journey, especially for the first time. Would you like to be a mentor? Or do you know someone who might be a good mentor? If so, please write to the committee’s mentor coordinator, Amanda Coffey, at akcoffey23@gmail.com.
(13) Have a Question About Havurah? – The Transparency/Inclusivity Committee welcomes your questions about Havurah! We will find the answer and publish the question (but not the questioner) and answer in an upcoming Hakol. It is our intention at Havurah that what you know and understand about our congregation should not be a function of who you know. So if you find yourself wondering about something related to Havurah, or if someone shares their question with you, we hope you will remember to send the question to transparency@havurahshalom.org. For more information, email Judy Steinberger at jlasteinberger@gmail.com or Fran Weick at weick2@yahoo.com.
(14) “Universal Human Rights in Our Schools” Fundraising Lecture & Dinner, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 6:00–8:00 pm, Szechuan Chef Restaurant, 3551 SW Macadam Ave – The Wholistic Peace Institute is hosting a fundraiser to support the Torah for Justice, Torat Tzedek, an NGO that defends the human rights of all Israelis and those under Israeli control, advocating for Palestinians, socioeconomic justice for Israelis, African asylum seekers, and Israel’s Negev Bedouin citizens. The speaker will be Torat Tzedek Director/Founder Arik W. Ascherman, a well-known leading human rights advocate and symbol of hope to many Israelis and Palestinians. Learn more here.
(15) Awakening the Divine Jewish Spirituality Retreat, Dec. 25-30 – Rabbi Benjamin will co-lead this five-day retreat on the East Coast in December, alongside other skilled teachers of contemplative Jewish practice. Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels, the retreat’s lead teacher, is one of the foremost teachers of meditation in the Jewish world today. This is Rabbi Benjamin’s fourth year teaching at this retreat, and he would be happy to answer any questions for those who are interested. You can learn more on this flier.
(16) Award-winning Havurah Authors Publish Books – Two Havurah authors and Shabbat School parents have just published books. Rebecca Clarren's debut novel, Kickdown, was released in September, and Alicia Jo Rabins' second book of poetry, Fruit Geode, was released this month. On Thursday, Jan. 24, during the week of Tu B'Shvat, the authors will read passages from their books related to the natural world at a Havurah event sponsored by the Havurah Climate Action Team. Learn more about the authors here.
(17) Clearing Our Lost & Found – Have you lost something recently? The time to check Havurah's lost and found is NOW. We will be donating all unclaimed items to Goodwill on Thursday, Nov. 1. The lost and found container is in the coat room. We have a lot of clothing items, water bottles, a few books, and some toys and miscellaneous small items. Please come take a look. A growing number of coats have also been left hanging in the coat room.
(18) Weekend in Quest 2019, March 1-3 – Modern Jewish Writers Reinterpreting Tradition–A Shabbaton: Weekend of Study & Community with Scholar-in-Residence Professor Naomi Sokoloff with the University of Washington. Professor Sokoloff will present four lectures entitled: Hey, Izzy, Listen Up! New Takes on the Shema; The Blessings of Women Poets; 13 ways of Looking at the Kaddish; and Prayer Shawls: Making Space for Prayer in Poetry. Professor Sokoloff will share her deep knowledge of Jewish literature and liturgy. The weekend also includes Shabbat services led by Ilene Safyan. Learn more and register here. Questions? Email mimiepstein42@comcast.net.
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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.
