(1) Contemplative Shabbat (2) Planning Meetings for Purim Tonight & Sunday (3) Drawdown Book Study & Climate Conversation (4) 40th Anniversary Celebration Planning Meeting (5) The Chosen People? A Film About Jewish Identity (6) Lev Tahor (Pure Heart) Chanting (7) Writing Group (8) Family Shabbat (9) Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions (10) PHFS Volunteer Orientations (11) Counting the Omer (12) Help Wanted (13) Calling All Former Students of Michele Goldschmidt (14) Save the Date for "Indecent" Shabbaton (15) Steering Committee Minutes

(1) Contemplative Shabbat, Saturday, March 2, 10:00 am – Rabbi Benjamin will lead us in contemplative practice. Covering less of the liturgy than we normally do, we will take our time chanting particular verses as well as leave plenty of room for silent prayer and/or meditation. We will then connect through some reflective Torah discussion and share blessings through chanting a few aliyot.

(3) Drawdown Book Study & Climate Conversation, Thursday, Feb. 28, 7:00-8:30 pm – There is way out of the climate change disaster. And there are many things we can do to have an impact. These actions are addressed in depth in the New York Times best seller, Drawdown. The editor and creator is Paul Hawken, and the Drawdown Project was developed by an international coalition of almost 200 researchers, professionals, and scientists from 22 countries. They came together to offer a set of realistic and bold solutions to climate change that are already successfully being done and need our support to scale up. The Havurah Climate Action Team invites you to join us for a discussion about this ground-breaking book. Please prepare by reading the introductory chapter and any other sections that speak to you. The book is available from the Multnomah County Library and the usual retailers. RSVP here if you can come.

(4) 40th Anniversary Celebration Planning Meeting, Friday, March 1, 9:00 am – We've started planning for our 40th Anniversary Celebration on May 19! If you are interested in helping with logistics, publicity, food, the program, or honoring Havurah history, join us at our next planning meeting this Friday. Contact Debbi Nadell, debbinadell@gmail.com, for more info.
 

(5) “The Chosen People? A Film About Jewish Identity,” Sunday, March 3, 3:00 pm – Do you feel uncomfortable with the idea of being the chosen people? What does it mean to be chosen? How has this notion of chosenness changed over time? Why does the belief in chosenness remain so powerful among religious people in the 21st century? These are some of the questions explored in the new film, "The Chosen People? A Film About Jewish Identity." Please join the Lifelong Learning Committee for a screening of the film followed by a discussion. Learn more and RSVP here.

(6) Lev Tahor (Pure Heart) Chanting, Monday, March 4, 7:00 pm – We will gather to lift sacred phrases through melody, harmony, and rhythm in order to open our hearts, clarify our minds, and cultivate qualities such as gratefulness and compassion. Interspersed with periods of silent meditation, the chanting will be guided by teachings and intentions from Rabbi Benjamin. Each of these gatherings is open to anyone – no experience, musical ability, or commitment necessary.

(7) Writing Group, Thursdays, March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11, 18, and May 2, 7:00-9:00 pm – In the spirit of Havurah’s theme this year, David Kertzner is organizing a new Havurah adult amateur writers workshop for anyone who wants to go Panim el Panim with themselves, as exploring writers, and with the community. The workshops will culminate with a Friday oneg with writers sharing their work in a public reading. Joining the group does not mean you must read publicly, but it has been fun, transformative, and moving in the past. The goal is to create a supportive, reflective environment for people who want to write and share in a context that they might not have experienced before. Limited to eight participants. Learn more and register here.

(8) Family Shabbat, Saturday, March 9, 10:30 am-12:00 noon – A big fabulous morning of singing, storytelling, Torah learning, celebration and noshing. We gather together for some parts of the service and break into smaller age-focused groups for Torah learning and family activities. Especially for families with youth grades K–6 and anybody who wants a boost of kid energy. Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Rabbi Benjamin, and community members. Followed by potluck oneg lunch. RSVP here.

(9) Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions, Mondays, March 11 and 18, April 1, 8 and 15, 7:00-8:30 pm – Don't know much about climate change or want to learn more? Join us for a five-week discussion course which will explore climate change from scientific, psychological, and social perspectives. The class will follow the curriculum developed by the Northwest Earth Institute and will require purchase from them of the e-book Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions. RSVP here.

(10) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) Volunteer Orientations, Tuesday, March 12, 5:00 pm & Saturday, March 16, 10:00 am, 6220 SE 92nd – Children can attend if they will be volunteering too, but their attendance at the orientation is not required. The Family Winter Shelter (FWS) closes end of April, so there's still time to volunteer!! RSVP with your name and which orientation date you're interested in to Bethany Rocci at bethany@pdxhfs.org. For other PHFS issues, email Gloria Halper at losninos6@gmail.com.

(11) Counting the Omer: Seven Weeks of Spiritual Refinement, Meeting Tuesdays 8:00-9:00 am or Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 pm, April 23 or 24 to June 4 or 5 – The Counting of the Omer, which connects Pesach with Shavuot, lasts for 49 days. Each of its seven weeks represents one of the kabbalistic sefirot, divine emanations or qualities. Thus each week is an invitation to reflect on the presence or absence of that quality in our lives, as a means of refining our awareness and behavior. Following the liberation of Passover, this period gives us a road map through which to live the question: To what do we dedicate our freedom? At each of our meetings, we will connect with material about the sefirah of the week, reflecting on its meaning and how we understand its role in our lives. Toward that end we will utilize various practices – meditation, chanting, contemplative study, and dialogue. If you are interested in learning more or participating, please follow this link and indicate whether one or both of the times would work for you.

(12) Calling All Former Students of Michele Goldschmidt! – As you may know, Michele Goldschmidt will be leaving Portland soon to be closer to her family. Havurah will be honoring her at the community minyan on Saturday, April 6. We would like to reach out to as many of her past students as possible to invite them to participate in the service if they are interested. Please contact Keren McCord if you or your child had Michele as a b'nai mitzvah tutor. When you contact Keren please include your name, your child's name and the date of the bar or bat mitzvah. Thank you!

(13) Help Wanted – Two opportunities for Havurah members to share their talents and interests with the community – * Our Safety Committee is looking for new members, especially those with disaster preparedness experience. * We need three to five volunteers to work with the Northwest Neighborhood Parking Committee to see how our needs can be accommodated, and also to work with nearby businesses on potentially using their parking after hours. Contact Debbi Nadell, debbinadell@gmail.com, for more information. * We also need volunteers for these office projects. Contact Rachel Pollak at rachel@havurahshalom.org.

(14) Save the Date for "Indecent Shabbaton with Temple Emek Shalom," Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 30–Sept. 1, Ashland, Oregon – This season, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is presenting the Tony award winning play "Indecent," written by Paula Vogel. A spirited and revolutionary love story (with fabulous music and dancing) that celebrates Yiddish language and literature, "Indecent" charts the real-life controversy surrounding Sholem Asch’s play "God of Vengeance" and the Jewish artists who faced persecution when bringing it to Broadway in 1932. In addition to being an excellent play, the Jewish themes are rich and deserving of a Shabbaton with our friends from Temple Emek Shalom. Learn more here.

(15) Steering Committee Minutes – You can read the minutes and reports from the January Steering Committee Meeting here and on our governance web page.
 

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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