The Poverty and Homelessness Committee will be holding a face-to-face social gathering in our courtyard for Elul.

The courtyard has been the focus of a number of Havurah committees over the last year.  As we have returned to the building post-pandemic, we have led efforts to ensure its beauty and safety for all who come to our building.  

This work has included houseless neighbors who often come to the courtyard to rest on our benches and charge their phones.  And yes, there has been some abuse—garbage and some inappropriate behavior. And sometimes our congregants have been uncomfortable seeing people they did not know or understand.

We have hired a great nonprofit, Trash for Peace, to come several times a week to clean. We have posted rules of behavior, and we have offered some educational programs about homelessness to our congregation.
 
There seems to be a spirit of mutual respect evolving and our staff in particular have done a terrific job in getting to know folks, while also being clear about our building needs and appropriate boundaries.

So as a way of saying thank you to all who appreciate and respect our courtyard space, and to remind us to recognize each other’s basic humanity, we will hold a simple ice cream social where people can sit together and enjoy a treat. Not to discuss social problems, not to offer service, just share with folks who so often can feel invisible—a small way of gaining understanding for all who attend. We believe this event is in the spirit of Tikum Olam and Teshsuvah.

Questions? Please reach out to Steve Rudman or Gloria Halper, from the Poverty and Homelessness Committee.

Elul Tov!

This event is being offered as part of Havurah Shalom’s celebration of the Hebrew month of Elul! As Elul precedes Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we use this time for study, reflection, and mental and spiritual preparation. All are invited to attend our gatherings, which span spiritual, text-based, political, ecological and creative topics. We hope you will find them enriching, fun, moving, and worthwhile. You can find the full list of classes here, or see the calendar. For questions about this programming, please reach out to Rachel Pollak.