Chanukah
Chanukah
On Chanukah we celebrate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE, when the Jews successfully revolted against King Antiochus of the Seleucid Empire.
Judah the Maccabee, the eldest son of the priest Mattathias, led the revolt. The eight-day celebration was patterned after Sukkot, though later rabbinic tradition attributed the length of the festival to a miraculous small amount of oil that burned for eight days.
A central part of the holiday is the lighting of the chanukiah, or menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum to which one candle is added on each night of the holiday until the chanukiah is full of light on the eighth night. To commemorate the oil that kept the menorah lit, we eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes and jelly donuts.
Each year Havurah hosts at least one Chanukah celebration, bringing people of all ages together for singing, candle lighting, story telling, and more. The popular CD, "Just in Time for Chanukah," was produced by Havurah Music Coordinator Ilene Safyan and Havurah founding member Margie Rosenthal. You can find many of their songs here on CD Baby.
Sat, May 24 2025
26 Iyyar 5785
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Havurah Updates
Hineinu: Kabbalat Shabbat & More Musical Shabbaton, New(ish) Member Welcome Brunch, Shavuot Approaches!
Join Our Musical Shabbaton, May 9 to 10,
with Musician-in-Residence Aly Halpert
- On Friday evening, May 9, all are welcome
Upcoming Events
IP = In person only (normally at Havurah Shalom);
ZM = On Zoom/online only;
HYB = In person and online; and
ANN = In person at Havurah's Annex.
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Sunday ,
MayMay 25 , 2025
Sunday, May 25th 7:00p to 8:15p
A gender-inclusive New Moon group, learning and celebrating each Rosh Ḥodesh with ancient and contemporary ritual. Open to any and all genders, inviting each to connect with our closest heavenly body, the Moon. An introductory meeting will happen on the full moon of Elul on Wednesday, Aug. 30 outdoors—weather permitting—in North Portland. Subsequent meetings will be on or near the new moon of each month either in person in North Portland or on Zoom, depending on seasonal shifts in the weather. Attend any or all sessions. RSVP to be updated on location and other details throughout the year. -
Monday ,
MayMay 26 , 2025
Monday, May 26th (All day)
We are taking May off for Memorial Day. See you in June! We hold monthly letter writing group Zoom gatherings to write letters to our lawmakers for Israel/Palestine justice. Questions? Email Dale Oller (member log-in required to access directory). Feel free to drop in any time! There’s no need to RSVP, but please do RSVP if you need the Zoom login. Non-Havurah-members very welcome as well. -
Tuesday ,
MayMay 27 , 2025
Tuesday, May 27th 7:00p to 8:30p
The Havurah Shalom Book Group meets monthly to discuss fiction and nonfiction books voted on by Havurah members. All are welcome to any and all meetings. Copies of our upcoming books can be checked out by members in the Havurah library. *This is the last meeting for the year. We will start up again in September 2025.* -
Wednesday ,
MayMay 28 , 2025
Wednesday, May 28th 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. -
Saturday ,
MayMay 31 , 2025
Shabbat, May 31st 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. -
Saturday ,
MayMay 31 , 2025
Shabbat, May 31st 2:00p to 3:30p
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Sunday ,
JunJune 1 , 2025
Sunday, Jun 1st 1:00p to 2:00p
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Sunday ,
JunJune 1 , 2025
Sunday, Jun 1st 4:30p to 6:00p
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Sunday ,
JunJune 1 , 2025
Sunday, Jun 1st 7:00p to 11:00p
Please RSVP and join us for a night of noshing, music, and learning! Click here to learn more & RSVP. All are welcome! -
Tuesday ,
JunJune 3 , 2025
Tuesday, Jun 3rd 8:00a to 9:15a
For all who want a regular prayer practice and for people saying Kaddish. Today's service will include Yizkor for Shavuot. We meet both in person and streaming online in Zoom Room Aleph. All are welcome. Please email info@havurahshalom.org for join info.
Address: 825 NW 18th Ave, Portland OR 97209 Phone: 503-248-4662
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