Yahrzeits
If you would like Havurah to notify you when the yahrzeit dates of your loved ones are approaching, you can log into your Havurah membership account and add the names and dates there.
If you haven't logged in as a member yet, click on the "login" link in upper right corner of our website, enter the email address where you receive Havurah correspondence, and create a password for yourself. You'll receive an email from Havurah confirming that your password has been received, and then you'll be able to log into your account any time. If you have questions, call 503-248-4662.
End of Life
Having the Conversation: What Quality Means at the End of Life
Havurah’s Ma’avar Committee will offer the well-attended and greatly appreciated workshops on “Having the Conversation: What Quality Means at the End of Life” again in 2017-18. The first set of workshops will be on Sunday, Oct. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 12, 10:00 – 11:30 am. Please check our online calendar to confirm these dates and to watch for spring dates to be posted.
About Having the Conversation
It’s not easy to talk about how you want the end of your life to be, but it’s one of the most important conversations you can have with your loved ones; it can make decision making at the end of life less painful and overwhelming. With the help and guidance of your fellow congregants who have been trained in end-of-life care, we will work together in two supportive workshops to help people talk about their values around quality of life. We will use information from theconversationproject.org to guide us.
If you're interested in learning more about the Ma'avar Committee, please contact Sidney Gold.
Above photo is from The Conversation Project.
Chevra Kadisha
A Chevra kadisha is a group of men and a group of women who perform the traditional Jewish ritual of preparing individuals for burial. This service is one of chesed shel emet (ultimate kindness). In order to maintain the dignity of the one who has died, the ritual is performed by chevra members who are the same gender as the deceased.
Havurah member Rochelle Rosenberg coordinates Chevra Kavod haMet, a chevra kadisha for several Jewish communities in the Portland area. The following Chevra Kavod haMet resources explain Jewish traditions concerning death and mourning and how you can arrange traditional Jewish burial rituals in the Portland area.
Burial & Cemetery
Havurah Shalom’s cemetery is located off the Sylvan Hill, just west of downtown Portland, at 5656 SW Humphrey Blvd. You can find directions to the cemetery here and earn more about our cemetery in this brochure.
On Sunday, Sept. 24, at 10:00 am, we will meet at the cemetery for our annual gathering during the High Holidays to remember our loved ones. We will be led in song and remembrance. Please check our online calendar to confirm the date and time.
Join us on Sunday, May 6, at 10:00 am, for our annual event to beautify our cemetery. Please bring garden implements and wear appropriate clothing. Please check our online calendar to confirm the date and time.
Havurah works closely with Holman’s Funeral Service to coordinate funerals at our cemetery. It is located at 2610 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, phone number 503-232-5131. Holman’s offers preplanning as a way to make the end of life less stressful.
These are some helpful resources for making burial arrangements:
- Cemetery Information and Costs
- Burial Plot Agreement
- Cemetery Debit Payment Authorization Form
- Havurah Cemetery Policies
- Metro Regional Cemetery Policies
Jewish burial services and preplanning are also offered at River View Cemetery on SW Taylors Ferry Road in Portland.
Resources
- Commentary and research by Diane Chaplin for our Text & Torah session on Feb. 4, 2017 about Jewish mourning traditions
- Books for Children and Families about terminal illness, aging and death, in a Jewish context
- Books for Adults About Death in a Jewish Context, which can be checked out from Havurah's library
- Reference Information from end-of-life workshops at Havurah by former Havurah member Rabbi Me'irah Iliinsky
- Video of Rabbi Iliinsky's Interactive Play at Havurah on Tahara
