Havurah Shalom

Havurah members, join the Racial Justice Committee for our monthly meeting (2nd Thursdays, 7 pm to 8:30 pm, Zoom Room Bet). We will make plans to create learning opportunities for our community and engage in learning together during the meeting. Questions? Contact Julia Lager Mesulam. *Log in to your Havurah member account on our website and look under the Contact tab for the Member Directory and Zoom Room login info.*

What do I do when visiting someone who is sick or in the hospital? What do I say to someone in mourning, or who is experiencing loss or suffering of any kind? How do I work with my own questions and discomforts around illness, death, and suffering? Havurah Shalom’s theme this year of Hineinu: Here We Are takes many forms. In this workshop, we will explore how we can say Hineinu when visiting those who are ill (bikkur ḥolim) or comforting mourners (niḥum aveylim). We will learn how to cultivate a listening heart and to sit with each other in compassionate and caring ways. The workshop will include study of Torah and other Jewish texts, chanting and meditation, reflection and discussion, and more. This series is a first step in creating a Bikkur Ḥolim (Visiting the Sick) cohort within Havurah, and will be designed as a training for those interested in helping us support each other in this way. Everyone is welcome to participate in the workshop, though, regardless of future commitment. This training will take place on Zoom while Coronavirus precautions are in place. For information on how to join, participants may contact Rabbi Benjamin or the office.