July 31 - Tisha B'Av Candlelight Vigil, Add Your Voice to High Holidays
HAVURAH HAPPENINGS
(1) Upcoming Shabbat: Community Minyan (2) Name Tags Coming to Havurah (3) Children's Book Collection (4) Hebrew Teacher For Youth & Amateur or Pro Filmmaker Needed (5) Portland Homeless Family Solutions Orientation (6) Ways to Help Interfaith Alliance on Poverty (7) Shabbat in the Pool (8) Tisha B'Av Candlelight Vigil (9) Invitation to Add Your Voice to High Holidays (10) Play Reading of "God of Vengeance" in Preparation for "Indecent" Shabbaton (11) Training with Catholic Charities to Support Refugees (12) Have a Question About Havurah?
COMMUNITY NEWS
(1) Eastside Jewish Commons Pool Party & Ice Cream Social (2) Healing & Transformation for the Days of Awe
(1) Upcoming Shabbat: Community Minyan, Saturday, Aug. 3, 10:00 am – This Saturday Rabbi Benjamin, Maria Lisa Johnson, Frances Springgate, Tivona Reith, and other Havurahniks will lead, leyn, and discuss Parshot Matot and Masei, in which we learn the commands regarding vows, laws about murder, and where each of the 12 tribes will live.
(2) Name Tags Coming to Havurah – Soon we will all know each other by name with wooden name tags coming to members over the age of 13. Names will be used from Havurah's membership directory. Since Havurah young adults over 18 may not live at home or attend Havurah, we are planning to just print name tags for those who are at Havurah frequently or even occasionally. Note that we will NOT use the name tags outside the building, for High Holidays at the Tiffany Center, for example. Please complete this form by Thursday, Aug. 1, if you WOULD LIKE your young adult child (18+) to have a name tag.
(3) Children's Book Collection – Tikkun Olam Adelante is collecting English language children’s books to give to immigrant children at an upcoming community event in the Ortiz Center neighborhood. If you have any books you would like to pass along or care to purchase, please put them in the collection box on the counter in the Havurah coat room. All donations must be in the box by August 5. Thank you! Questions? Contact Deb Kallen. (Her email address is in our online directory; learn how to access the directory here.)
(4) Hebrew Teacher for Youth & Amateur (or Pro) Filmmaker Needed – Havurah Shalom seeks a part-time teacher for youth ages 8-10, who can teach beginning Hebrew reading with a very clear Tora Aura curriculum. Hours of instruction are 16 Saturdays (already scheduled) between Sept. 21 and May 9, 1:30-2:40 pm, at Havurah. 7-14 children per class. Competitive compensation. Please contact Deborah Eisenbach-Budner, Education Director, deborah@havurahshalom.org; describe your experience and expertise. Amateur (or Pro) Filmmaker Needed – Would you like to collaborate with Deborah Eisenbach-Budner on a short and casual movie (5-8 minutes) that we could use to help celebrate Shabbat School's 40th Birthday on November 23 (and put on our website after that). The vision is 2-3 minutes of interviews interspersed with photos from the last 40 years and some fun music from our own musicians. Youth (high school, college age) filmmaker or adult is great! Contact Deborah Eisenbach-Budner (deborah@havurahshalom.org).
(5) Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) Orientation, Thursday, Aug. 15, 5:00-6:00 pm – Havurah has been supporting PHFS on a monthly basis, filling all of the needed volunteer positions, since July 2015. Our PHFS Havurah volunteer list currently has over 70 families. Homelessness is something we all see daily in our city. An hour orientation is the first step to get involved. Orientations are at PHFS' new Lent location (address given when you RSVP). PHFS is just a few months away from opening its doors to approximately 26 homeless families; currently eight families are being housed there. These families have to move between two buildings for day and night shelter as in the past. Join our very dedicated, active group of Havurah volunteers at the Lents shelter by attending a PHFS orientation. RSVP at TC@pdxhfs.org. Questions? Email John Devlin (Havurah member and PHFS board member) or Gloria Halper (Havurah member and PHFS coordinator). Their email addresses are listed in Havurah's online directory, which members who are logged in can access. Click here to learn how to access the directory.
(6) Ways to Help Through Interfaith Alliance on Poverty – Havurah is still a fairly new partner of the Interfaith Alliance on Poverty. Here are some “hands on” opportunities for us: 1) Renovation of the Oak Leaf Mobile Home Park. The residents will be moving back gradually over the coming weeks, and they can use help unpacking, sorting through stored items, etc. If able to assist, please contact Nicole Jones, Resident Services, St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County, 541-214-0546, nicole.jones@svdp.us. 2) The Walnut Park Shelter (at MLK and Killingsworth) continues to be open. Some congregations helped a lot with preparing dinner during the colder months; this has dropped off and there is need now for groups to help. Please contact: Emily Coleman, Volunteer Coordinator with Transition Projects, 503-488-7745 or emily.coleman@tprojects.org. 3) Help continues to be needed this summer with Agape Village and the building of tiny houses. Please contact Ron Clark for specific times: rclark@agapecoc.com or by phone at 503-313-5329. Havurah contacts are Gloria Halper and Steve Rudman. (Email addresses are in our online directory. Learn how to access it here.) You can read the latest Interfaith Alliance on Poverty newsletter here.
(7) Shabbat in the Pool, Saturday, Aug. 10, 5:15-7:30 pm, Sellwood Pool – We've got Sellwood Pool to ourselves, for Shabbat games, followed by a potluck picnic and Havdalah. Music? Yes! Fun for everyone? You bet! RSVP here to save your spot and help us know how many lifeguards to request.
(8) Tisha B'Av Candlelight Vigil, Saturday, August 10, 8:30-10:00 pm, ICE Headquarters, 4310 SW Macadam Ave – Havurah Shalom joins Rabbis of Portland and people of goodwill on our Jewish Holy Day of Tisha B'Av (collective mourning) to quietly protest oppression. #closethecamps.
(9) Invitation to Add Your Voice to High Holidays – Havurahniks, we invite you to add your voice to our prayer and celebration at High Holidays this year by submitting a “mini-drash” or kavanah to be included in our services. These short reflections or sharing of life experience, two to three minutes long, can be either in response to this year’s theme “Hineinu” or connected to the annual themes of teshuvah (returning/renewal/repentance) or forgiveness. The writing can be your own, or it can be a reading that expresses something true for you. Depending on participation, we may not be able to include all of them in High Holiday services, but we hope to share each of them in one form or another. Through your contributions we will include more voices and reflect more diversity of experience. -Rabbi Benjamin Barnett ... The deadline for contributions is Labor Day. Send to Rachel (rachel.pollak@havurahshalom.org) with the subject line Mini-drash 2019.
(10) Play Reading of "God of Vengeance" In Preparation for "Indecent" Shabbaton, Wednesdays, Aug. 7 and Aug. 14, 7:00 pm, Havurah Shalom – To support the joint Shabbaton over Labor Day weekend with Temple Emek Shalom, Emily Simon will lead an informal, participatory play reading of "God of Vengeance," the play on which "Indecent" is based. Act I will be read on Aug. 7, and Act II will be read on Aug. 14. The evenings will begin with a short show introduction by Emily, who will then assign the parts based upon who shows up and what part they want to read. Hopefully there will be enough time after the reading to then discuss the play. Everyone is welcome to participate in either evening event (no need to attend both), whether they are attending the Shabbaton, seeing "Indecent" at another time, have already seen it, or are not seeing it at all. Please RSVP here for Aug. 7 and RSVP here for Aug. 14.You can read a pdf file of the play here. PLEASE NOTE: You will need to download, print, and bring your own copy of the play to the readings. Havurah will not be able to provide printed copies for attendees.
(11) Training with Catholic Charities to Support Refugees, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 6:30-8:30 pm, 2740 SE Powell Blvd, Portland – As part of Havurah's Tikkun Olam work to support refugees arriving in Portland, we partner with Catholic Charities. A number of Havurah members have been trained over the last several years to volunteer to support refugee families. Catholic Charities is hosting another refugee volunteer training on Aug. 13, and we hope some Havurah members will be trained. For more information and how to register, click here.
(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 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. In June's Hakol, the question dealt with the issue of Havurah's growth. Our current co-presidents were interviewed to provide an answer. Questions? Contact Judy Steinburger or Fran Weick. Their email addresses are in our online membership directory, which you can learn how to access here.
COMMUNITY NEWS
(1) Eastside Jewish Commons Pool Party & Ice Cream Social, Sunday, Aug. 4, 9:45-11:45 am, Grant Park Outdoor Pool, 2300 NE 33rd Ave – Eastside Jewish Commons is excited to welcome everyone to a summer pool party and ice cream social! This is an event for all ages - just a chance to have fun and build connection with our Eastside Jewish community. Plan for a warm day and enjoy the outdoor pool before it gets really hot. There is no admission for this event, plus there will be free ice cream treats for everyone!
(2) Healing and Transformation For the Days of Awe, Sundays, Aug. 11-Sept. 22 and Oct. 6, 7:00-9:00 pm, 2929 SW Multnomah Blvd, First Floor Conference Room – In “This Is For Real And You Are Totally Unprepared," the late Rabbi Alan Lew weaves a mystical approach to Torah in the weeks between Tisha B’Av and Sukkot. Rabbi Lew teaches that the seeds of the New Year, and our renewal, begin with the acknowledgement of our great losses, commemorated on Tisha B’Av. The ten weeks between this tragic date and Sukkot allow a deep introspective opportunity to run through our High Holidays. Through meditation, study, short free writes, and sharing, this weekly class invites participants to know these weeks and themselves through Torah and our Kabbalistic Tree of Life. If you have an interest in working with this powerful time of year in a small confidential group, please contact Havurah member Harriet Cooke. Class is limited to 12 people and offered at $180. Scholarships are available. Harriet's email address is in Havurah's online directory, which you can learn how to access here.
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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.
