Dec. 19 - White Nationalism + Antisemitism Workshop, Tu B'Shvat Coming
(1) Upcoming Shabbat (2) White Nationalism + Antisemitism, Countering the Movement and Building Solidarity (3) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (4) Have a Question About Havurah? The Transparency/Inclusivity Committee Welcomes Your Questions (5) Office Closure on Dec. 25 (6) Wednesday Minyan on Dec. 26 (7) Last Thursday Witness with IMIrJ (8) Community Minyan on Dec. 29 (9) Family Yizkor (Remembering Those We Loved) (10) Tu B'Shvat Happenings at Havurah (11) November Steering Committee Minutes (12) Weekend in Quest
This Shabbat we will explore the story of Jacob's passing and Joseph's death. In the above painting by Guercino (Wikimedia), Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Once again breaking with the tradition of the times, a patriarch blesses the younger son before the older, despite Joseph's admonition.
(1) Upcoming Shabbat: Bar Mitzvah of Etienne Timmons, Saturday, Dec. 22, 10:00 am – This Saturday, Etienne Timmons, son of Florence Deutsch and Robert Timmons, will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah. Please join us in celebrating with Etienne and his family, and welcome him as a member of our community. Mazel tov, Etienne!
(2) White Nationalism + Antisemitism, Countering the Movement and Building Solidarity, Thursday, Dec. 20, 7:00-9:00 pm– Over the past two years, there has been a marked rise in the presence of visible white nationalism in the United States. While white nationalism can take many forms, one thing remains consistent: Much of the ethos of the movement is rooted in antisemitism. Come learn about the relationship between antisemitism and white nationalism and how the Jewish community can join with other communities to counter this dangerous form of hate. This is an interactive workshop led by Natalie Lerner, Havurah member and Western States Center Defending Democracy Fellow, and it presupposes no prior knowledge. The event is sponsored by Havurah's Tikkun Olam Committee. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP here. Read more about Natalie and the workshop here on the Oregon Jewish Life website.
(3) Portland Homeless Family Solutions– Did you miss the Tikkun Olam Fair & Chanukah Celebration and miss signing up to receive information about the next Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) orientation? Here's another chance! Havurah has a once-a-month, regularly scheduled evening when we volunteer with PHFS. It is one of our ongoing, hands-on projects to help families who are experiencing homelessness. Parents (or guardians) are welcome to bring their child(ren) of any age. Interested? Contact Gloria Halper, PHFS Havurah coordinator, at losninos6@gmail.com.
(4) Have a Question About Havurah? The Transparency/Inclusivity Committee Welcomes Your Questions! – The Transparency/Inclusivity Committee welcomes your questions! 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 send your question to transparency@havurahshalom.org.
(5) Office Closure on Tuesday, Dec. 25– Havurah's office will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 25, for the holiday.
(6) Morning Minyan, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 8:30 am – Our usual Wednesday Morning Minyan is scheduled for 8:30 am on Dec. 26.
(7) Last Thursday Witness - IMIrJ ICE Vigil, Thursday, Dec. 27, 10:00 am, Portland ICE Headquarters, 4310 SW Macadam Ave– We will gather in vigil as we express our support and love for families affected by ICE detentions. Join this monthly gathering to lift up the reality of what happens every day at the Portland ICE facility and participate in solidarity in various interfaith expressions and rituals. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is very limited.
(8) Community Minyan, Saturday, Dec. 29, 10:00 am– At our Community Minyan on Dec. 29, Chris Coughlin, Marty Brown, Roger Brewer, and Susan Brenner will help us daven and explore the parsha Shemot ("Names"), which covers a wide range of events. These include the Israelites’ enslavement in Egypt, Pharaoh’s order to kill the slaves' baby boys, the early years of Moses' life, his marriage to Tzipporah and his encounter with the burning bush, and his first demand that Pharaoh free the slaves. Several service-maker volunteer roles for the Dec. 29 minyan still need to be filled. Learn here how you can help, and sign up for a role!
(9) Family Yizkor (Remembering Those We Loved), Sunday, Jan. 13, 4:00-5:00 pm– Has your family lost a loved one, who you continue to remember with your child/ren? We will gather to remember, share, sing, and reflect on the lives and the loss of dear ones – in a way that gently includes children and their experience. Your family loss may have been very recent or years ago. We are focusing this experience on children ages 4-14, but older and younger are also welcome. Please RSVP with names and ages of children. We will ask you to bring 1-2 of these: a photo, an object that reminds you of the person you are remembering, something that your family wants to share about that person through words. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner and Rabbi Benjamin.
(10) Tu B'Shvat Happenings on Jan. 20, 21 & 24– Midwinter. The sap begins to rise in the trees. It's a time of reenergizing and awakening: Tu B’Shvat, the New Year of the Trees. With climate solutions significantly connected to the restoration of healthy forests, the Havurah Climate Action Team (HCAT) will host three events in honor of Tu B’Shvat. The first two include a presentation by John Talbert on the State of Our Forests and a Tu B'Shvat Seder (Jan. 20, 6:30-8:30 pm) and a Tu B'Shvat Tree Planting with Friends of Trees (Jan. 21, 8:45 am-12:00 pm). Please RSVP for the tree planting by Jan. 7. Learn more here about both events.
Tu B'Shvat Book Reading with Live Music, Thursday, Jan. 24, 7:00-8:30 pm, at Havurah– Havurah members Alicia Jo Rabins and Rebecca Clarren will read from their newly published books, Fruit Geode and Kickdown. Alicia's first collection of poems, Divinity School, won the APR/Honickman First Book Award; she is a poet, musician and Torah teacher, and will perform live music as part of the reading. Rebecca is an award-winning journalist with extensive experience reporting on environmental issues; Kickdown, her debut novel, was shortlisted for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. In the spirit of Tu B’Shvat, the authors will read passages from their books related to the natural world.
(11) November Steering Committee Minutes– You can read the minutes and reports from our November Steering Committee Meeting on the Governance page of our website.
(12) Weekend in Quest, March 1-3, Astoria, Oregon – 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. She 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.
Prayer Flags for Our Planet Thursday, Apr 25th 11:00a to 3:00p This exhibit is about science and art.
It is meant to be a learning experience, about the top 60 solutions to climate change, as researched by over 5,000 scientists.
And most importantly it is about hope.
It is about learning about these solutions to climate change and
changing the hearts and minds of those around us,
so that we can all work together.
Anne Nesse, 2024
(ZM) Racial Justice Committee Meeting Thursday, Apr 25th 7:00p to 8:30p Please join us for our monthly Racial Justice Committee Meeting. We will learn of upcoming events and plan new ones.
(IP) HCAT & Partners' Climate Action Fair at MJCC Sunday, Apr 28th 12:00p to 4:00p HCAT invites you to continue with our climate action month by attending a community wide Climate Action Fair at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. Cosponsored by the MJCC and the Jewish Federation’s Climate team, meet dozens of environmental organizations and discover resources for actions you can take. A series of speakers will talk about forestry, electrification, native plants and climate friendly foods. (And let Elianne Lieberman know if you can give someone a ride or are seeking a ride!)
Passover Minyan (Yizkor) Tuesday, Apr 30th 8:00a to 9:15a For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. We will observe Yizkor today as well. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org for join info.
Experience the Omer: Making it Count! Tuesday, Apr 30th 7:00p to 7:30p [RSVP to be emailed a recording of the April 9 intro session.] The Omer is an ancient tradition marking time between the Exodus from the Narrow Place to the Expanse at Sinai. Explore tools and practices to facilitate your own learning and experience from Liberation to Revelation. We will have an intro class followed by half-hour check-ins, one for each Sephira. Led by Andrine de la Rocha. 7 pm, Tuesdays, Apr. 9 (Intro), 23 (Chesed), 30 (Gevurah); May 7 (Tiferet), 14 (Netzach), 21 (Hod), 28 (Yesod); Jun. 4 (Malchut) Led by Andrine de la Rocha.
(ZM) Book Group: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders Tuesday, Apr 30th 7:00p to 8:30p February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.” Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boy’s body.
From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying.
