Nov. 21 - Take a Safety Tour, Tikkun Olam Fair & Chanukah Celebration
(1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) Office Closures for Thanksgiving (3) Take a Safety Tour of Havurah (4) Book Discussion (5) Continuing to Stand with Our Immigrant Neighbors (6) IMIrJ Last Thursday Witness Vigil (7) Special Dorot Shabbat (8) Death Cafe (9) Forest Defense is Climate Defense (10) PHFS Volunteer Orientation (11) Increase the Light! Tikkun Olam Chanukah Fair & Celebration (12) Have a Question About Havurah?
(1) Upcoming Shabbat: Community Minyan, Saturday, Nov. 24, 10:00 am – In this week's Torah portion, Vayishlach, Jacob wrestles with a mysterious being, takes the name Israel, and reconciles with his brother. Maria Lisa Johnson, Susan Brenner, Sam Sirkin, and Harriet Cooke will provide leading, reading and the drash. Join us!
(2) Office Closures for the Holiday – Havurah's office will be closed this Thursday and Friday, Nov. 22 and 23, for Thanksgiving.
(3) Take a Safety Tour of Havurah, Monday, Nov. 26, at 7:00 pm, or Monday, Dec. 10, at 7:00 pm – Take an informational tour of the Havurah building with our office and facilities manager to learn about our safety resources and our emergency procedures. This tour is also available by appointment. Each tour is limited to 15 people. Committee leaders and those who often use the building are especially encouraged to attend! Questions? Email rachel@havurahshalom.org. Sign up here: Nov 26 Tour & Dec. 10 Tour.
(4) Book Discussion of Saving the Jews: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust, by Robert N. Rosen, Tuesday, Nov. 27, NEW START TIME: 4:00 pm – Was FDR an indifferent, possibly anti-Semitic president who abandoned European Jews? Or was he a pragmatic leader who understood that winning WWII as swiftly as possible was key to saving the Jews? Saving the Jews is a rigorously researched narrative and interpretive history of how FDR dealt with the Nazi persecution of the Jews, 1933-1945. It disputes the accepted view that Roosevelt abandoned the European Jews, that America was a passive, callous bystander to the Holocaust. For example, Rosen describes how American and Palestinian Jews opposed bombing Auschwitz and never asked Roosevelt to bomb the camps. Rosen found no credible evidence that FDR was an anti-Semite. Still, the controversy about Roosevelt continues. The discussion will be led by Art Boussel. Questions? Email Marjorie Walters at marjoriewalters@gmail.com.
(5) Continuing to Stand with Our Immigrant Neighbors – Please make an official comment against the proposed rule changes to “public charge," a rule that makes immigrants choose between their family’s well-being and their immigration status. Comments can be sent through this link. Let’s make our voices heard! Any questions? Contact Bob Brown at rebrown47@gmail.com.
(6) IMIrJ Last Thursday Witness Vigil at the ICE building, 4310 Southwest Macadam Ave, Thursday, Nov. 29, 10:00-11:00 am– Please join Rabbi Benjamin and the Sanctuary Committee as we come together to explore the theme of Gratitude as Resistance. This vigil is a collaborative effort between Havurah Shalom, First Unitarian Portland, and Journey Koinonia. Come lift your voice in song and prayer for true thanks giving cannot be silent in the face of injustice. Questions? Please contact shari.raider@gmail.com.
(7) Special Dorot Short & Sweet Shabbat Service, Friday, Nov. 30, 6:00 pm Service, 6:45 pm Vegetarian Potluck – This casual, family-friendly, and music-filled service begins with candle lighting, Kiddush and challah, and continues with prayers and music led by Jacob Mandelsberg, Sarah Shine, Gabe Adoff, Larry Reichman, and Tanja Lux. The Hebrew word dorot means 'generations.' The Dorot service is designed with the idea that adults and children can experience Jewish spiritual practice together. This special Dorot service is being expanded to include the Alter Rockers, Havurahniks who are retired or contemplating retirement, who meet for social activities. Of course, all are welcome! After the potluck dinner, we'll play board games, cards and puzzles. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share with 5-7 others and your favorite board or card game that is appropriate for 6+ people. Learn more and RSVP here. (Photo below was taken at a Dorot Shabbat Service.)
(8) Death Café at Havurah, Sunday, Dec. 2, 10:00 am-12:00 pm – At a Death Café folks gather to converse about the ever so many aspects of dying and death, including but not limited to end-of-life paperwork, the multitude of feelings about caring for one who is ill/dying, what might a good death look like, grieving, celebrating and any/everything else this topic inspires for you. This is not a therapy or counseling group. Feel free to speak or just listen. Or both. Completely confidential. For those who are 21 and over. Refreshments will be available. Please join us. RSVP here. Questions? Email Buff Medb Neretin at aurorasilks@gmail.com.
(9) Forest Defense is Climate Defense! Tuesday, Dec. 4, 6:30-8:30 pm, First Unitarian Church, 1211 SW Main St, Portland – Join us for this community event co-sponsored by the Havurah Climate Action Team, for an insightful discussion about the relationship between the climate crisis and our forests. We’ll be hearing from experts about how changing clearcutting practices can dramatically reduce carbon emissions and how forests, when protected from industrial logging, can mitigate climate change by capturing and storing vast amounts carbon. Come learn how protecting more of our old-growth forests can help plants and animals adapt to the impacts of climate change. We will learn some ways we can act together to defend our forests. For more information contact Michael Heumann at heumanncycle@gmail.com.
(10) PHFS Volunteer Orientation, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 6:45 pm –For this orientation, we are meeting off site at a partnering church in SE Portland. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to bethany@pdxhfs.org. Havurah has a once-a-month regularly scheduled evening when we volunteer with Portland Homeless Family Solutions. It is one of our ongoing, very active direct service projects to help families who are experiencing homelessness. Questions? Contact Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com.
(11) Increase the Light! Tikkun Olam Fair & Chanukah Celebration, Saturday, Dec. 8, 4:30-7:00 pm – This year, in concert with our theme of Panim el Panim (face to face), we’ll celebrate Chanukah all together, focusing on the light our Tikkun Olam work groups are bringing into the world with Shabbat School families and Havurahniks of all ages. Join us any time between 3:00 and 7:00 pm to visit the Tikkun Olam displays in the social hall and learn how you can increase the light. (Shabbat School will be in session, as scheduled.) The celebration begins at 4:30 pm:
4:30-5:15 pm, Havdalah, Chanukiot lighting, skit, and singing
5:15-6:15 pm, Vegetarian potluck dinner
6:15-7:00 pm, Dreidels, games, and merriment
Please bring a vegetarian salad, latkes or dessert to share (reheat-able latkes are welcome, but we can’t fry in the Havurah kitchen.) Also, please bring socks, gloves, or handwarmers for people experiencing homelessness. When you RSVP here, we hope you will consider signing up for a short volunteer role as a greeter, welcomer, or latke server, or help on the food set up or tidy up team.
(12) Have a Question About Havurah? – The Transparency/Inclusivity Committee welcomes your questions! We will find the answer and publish the question (but not the name of 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.
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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.
