Do you feel connected to Havurah?  Have you found a space for yourself here?  Or do you wonder about your place in it all, feel at a distance from the activities and workings of the congregation, or struggle with how close you want to connect? We are in a period of growth that presents a dilemma of how to sustain our welcoming community and culture while at the same time being mindful that our size alone can create distance and disconnection.

        Whether you feel connected or distant, we have each chosen to be part of this amazing community for a variety of reasons (Jewish spirituality, social conscience and activism, education and personal growth, providing a nurturing Jewish home for our children, etc.). But being in community can also be daunting if connection is lacking and presents a barrier to belonging. Our size can easily lead some to feel anonymous or isolated. It is really up to each of us to be generous with our presence, to make an effort (as Rabbi Benjamin noted during the High Holidays) to mingle and make small talk. After all, it is a fact that generosity makes people happier. Only we together can preserve and nurture a spirit of welcoming and inclusion by reaching out to those with whom we are less familiar with genuine curiosity and openness.

        Over the next month or two, our Welcoming Committee will be phasing in new name tags for each member.  It is our hope that everyone will use these as a way to ease introductions and conversation, and expand our sense of shared community. Look for more information about this in the coming weeks.

        Another way to defeat a sense of isolation is to get involved at some level, and take a small degree of ownership for the success of Havurah. With size comes a danger that some might think that there are plenty of other people to do what has to be done. But at our core we are a participatory congregation that depends on the active engagement of all our members. There are many committees and activities to connect with, to offer your thoughts and energy, or just to make new friends who may share a common vision. Volunteering is also associated with less depression, more life satisfaction and greater well-being. Our growing presence in Portland itself provides a greater degree of agency within the larger Jewish community, and Portland itself, to affect positive social change. Maybe this is where your interests lay. Or it can be as simple as helping set up or clean up an activity.

        Beginning soon Havurah will initiate some visioning exercises that will include an effort to engage the entire congregation in conversation. We will begin the process of creating a Brit Kehilla, or community covenant, with the aim of clearly expressing our values, addressing best practices in our interactions with one another, and setting out clear mutual expectations between the congregation and our members. Look for news about this process in the coming weeks.

        Another visioning effort will be the development of a long range plan that will address our growth and future needs over the next five years. It will take everyone’s input to arrive at a well thought out plan that provides clarity and direction for the future of our community.  If you have any interest in helping to develop these visioning efforts, please let Adela know of your interest.

        I believe that our growth is a testament to how many people find comfort and meaning in this space. May this coming year instill in us all the commitment to preserve the vitality of our congregation with our personal engagement as we also accommodate the blessings of our growth. You will find yourself happier for it.