April 17 - Happy Passover, Zenith Tar Sands Community Forum
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS: (1) Upcoming Shabbat - Community Minyan (2) Zenith Tar Sands Community Forum (3) Hametz Removal (4) Safety Tour of Havurah (5) Book Discussion of Burning Lights (6) Happy Hour for New & Newish Members (7) Death Cafe (8) Annual Cemetery Beautification Day (9) Havurah-Ortiz Center Language Exchange (10) Travel Through Jewish History & Food the Portland Way (11) 40th Anniversary Celebration (12) Where are the Steering Committee Minutes? (13) Have a Question About Havurah?
COMMUNITY NEWS: (1) Eastside Commons End of Passover Celebration (2) Yom Hashoah Commemorative Celebration
(1) Upcoming Shabbat, Community Minyan, Saturday, April 20, 10:00 am – Maria Lisa Johnson, Ken Lerner, Sam Sirkin, and Marty Brown will lead and read Torah for this special Shabbat service during Passover, which will include Hallel. Our Wednesday Morning Minyan on April 24 will also include Hallel and Torah readings in honor of Passover. It will start earlier than usual, at 8:15 am.
(2) Community Forum: Zenith Tar Sands Oil Expansion, Wednesday, April 17, 6:30-8:30 pm (Gathering and tabling at 6:30 pm; Speakers, including Havurah's own 18-year-old, Solomon Duke, start promptly at 7:00 pm) – The Havurah Climate Action Team invites you to a community forum to learn more about Zenith Energy's Tar Sands Oil Expansion in NW Portland and ways to stop it. Zenith Energy is one of dozens of polluting industries on the banks of the Willamette River. It is expanding its terminal to accommodate four times the amount of oil trains loaded with Canadian Tar Sands crude coming through Portland for export to Asia. This is taking place without public input. Learn more here.
(3) Hametz Removal – On Pesach we keep our building free from hametz. Hametz means any of the five grains — wheat, oats, barley, spelt, and rye — which are not already in a product labeled specifically kosher for Passover. Any of those grains on their own or listed as an ingredient in a product not specifically certified as kosher for Passover needs to be removed before Pesach and should not be brought into the building until after the holiday is over. In addition to bread, this includes pasta, crackers, or cookies not explicitly marked kosher for Passover, as well as beer, whiskey, or any other alcohol made from grain. During Pesach the wine brought into the building should be labeled kosher for Passover. Products with hametz should either be removed from the building or placed in our freezer. Before the start of the holiday, we will tape up our freezer and label it as hametz. It shouldn’t be opened until after the holiday is complete.
Kitniyot are foods which are not hametz but which were historically avoided by Ashkenazi Jews during Pesach. These include rice, millet, beans, peas, soybeans and corn, as well as any products made from them (e.g. tofu or hummus). At this point, many Ashkenazi Jews eat kitniyot. In any case, even among Jews who avoid them, there is no prohibition against owning them, so they do not need to be removed from our kitchen. However, when preparing food during Pesach, anything which contains kitniyot should be labeled as such, so that our members who do not eat kitnoyot can avoid them.
(4) Safety Tour, Monday, April 22, 6:30 pm – Learn all about the safety and security policies and resources at the Havurah building in this brief but very informative tour with Office & Facilities Manager Rachel Pollak. Please RSVP if you plan to come! Would you like a Safety Tour for participants of your group or committee? Contact Rachel to arrange a tour before or after your next meeting!
(5) Book Discussion of Burning Lights by Bella Chagall, Tuesday, April 23, 7:00-8:30 pm – This charming memoir by Bella Chagall, a gifted author and actress, recalls her childhood in Vitebsk, the Russian-Jewish market town where she and her husband, Marc Chagall, grew up. Warm reminiscences of her well-to-do Hasidic Jewish family life in pre-Revolutionary Russia are illustrated with 36 pen-and-ink drawings by Marc Chagall. The Chagalls wrote the book while living in France in the 1930s to commemorate their native town. The book is structured around the rhythms of Jewish life: weekly, monthly, yearly festivals as practiced by Bella's family. The title refers to the festive candles that lit up the holidays. From reviews: a “short and very poetic read” and “sweet without being cloying ... as if Bella were in front of you, holding a conversation with you.”
(6) Death Cafe at Havurah Shalom, Sunday, May 5, 10:00 am-12:00 noon – 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 with your email address and preferred phone number. Questions? Email Buff Neretin at aurorasilks@gmail.com.
(7) Annual Cemetery Beautification Day, Sunday, May 5, 1:00-3:00 pm, 5656 SW Humphrey – We will gather at our cemetery to garden and honor our relatives who are no longer with us.
(8) Happy Hour for New & Prospective Members, Sunday, May 5, 4:30-6:30 pm, Havurah Shalom – Happy Hour: A chance to connect for new members, new-ish members, prospective members, and all members seeking more connection. In the spirit of Panim el Panim: Encountering one Another, we'll meet face-to-face to shmooze, nosh, kibbutz, and learn about Havurah happenings ... and we'll leave with something "more" in us as we embrace Panim el Panim. According to Philosopher Martin Buber, a face gazing into another face is a moment of "revelation." RSVP here if you can join us! Please include names and ages of children in the notes box when you RSVP.
(9) Havurah-Ortiz Center Language Exchange – Would you like to help a Latinx person in our community improve their English? Would you like to improve your Spanish? We can match you up with a language partner! The time commitment is limited, about one hour a week, when you will meet with your partner at an agreed-upon location, generally in Northeast Portland. The rewards go far beyond language learning. Make a new friend, help them navigate the complexities of living in the U.S., learn about their culture. Questions? Contact Deb at debkall2010@gmail.com.
(10) Travel through Jewish History and Food the Portland Way, Wednesdays, May 8, 15, and 22, 10:00 am-12:00 noon – Travel the world. (And eat it!) Join Jewish educator David Feder to look at the travelogues of Benjamin of Tudela (900 years ago), Doña Gracia Mendes Nasi (500 years ago), and the Roden family (100 years ago) for a fascinating look into Jewish history that stretches from Spain and German to Persia and China. But this is not idle historical inquiry: we’ll turn primary sources into a lunch menu each day. Portland’s finest food carts will serve up the last piece of our study as we re-create our subject’s travels with our own forage through delicious downtown. If you think history can seem dry, you’ll love this look at our Jewish world travelers. Plus, you can always order the soup. Participants pay for their own food. Please RSVP here by May 1. Questions? Email David Feder at davidfeder@sbcglobal.net.
(11) Havurah 40th Anniversary Celebration, Sunday, May 19, 5:00-8:00 pm, Havurah – Havurah Shalom is 40 years old! Join us to celebrate and support your favorite community with shmoozing, food, drink and music! Whether you've been a member for one year or for 40, our party will be a great time to reflect on our history and look forward to the next 40 years! Party is for members age 21 and over. If you aren't available on May 19, you can donate to our Mitzvah Moment at the RSVP link below. Questions? Contact Debbi Nadell, debbinadell@gmail.com. RSVP here.
(12) Where are the Steering MInutes? – Since the Steering Committee minutes and monthly cluster reports may include information about Havarah security plans, these documents are now only available to Havurah members. To access the documents, just log into the Havurah website, point to "About" and select "Steering MInutes." Happy Reading! Questions? Email makom@havurahshalom.org.
(13) Have a Question About Havurah? – 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.
COMMUNITY NEWS
(1) Eastside Jewish Commons End of Passover Celebration, Saturday, April 27, 7:00-11:00 pm, Washington High School (1300 SE Stark) – Havurah encourages our Eastside members to join in this fun community-wide celebration which is the Inaugural Event of the Eastside Jewish Commons (EJC). EJC invites the Eastside Jewish community to an End of Passover celebration. We will say “goodbye” to Passover and “hello” to Chametz as we celebrate a growing and thriving community on the Eastside. Live music, dancing, and food and drink respectful of the holiday will be provided. Kids of all ages are welcome. The event is free, but RSVPs are required to attend. Questions? Contact Mia Birk at miabirk1@gmail.com). RSVP here.
(2) Yom Hashoah Commemorative Service, Wednesday, May 1, 7:00 pm, Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane – Yom Hashoah commemorates those who perished and those who survived the Holocaust, and the generations that have carried on the legacy of our community. The topic is heavy but our focus is hopeful. Join in a musical performance of two songs by Cantor Eyal Bitton. We invite all generations of descendants of the Holocaust as well as anyone else who would like to participate to join for a performance rehearsal on Monday, April 29, at 7 pm, in the Stampfer Chapel at Neveh Shalom. The service is sponsored by the Oregon Board of Rabbis and the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.
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Havurah Shalom is a vibrant, diverse, participatory Jewish community steeped in Jewish values promoting 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.
