Rabbi Joseph Wolf
Rabbi Joseph Wolf
Rabbi Joseph Wolf came to Havurah Shalom in 1987, where he discovered a community hard at work at teaching Torah in a contemporary idiom, along with inventing a spiritual path that took pluralistic cultural opportunities into account. What’s more, he was immediately engaged by activist leaders intent on developing a collaborative model for decision-making and participation. Joey is fervently committed to the idea that all Jews determine what it means to pray and do meaningful work in the world, not just the professional clergy. While teaching texts and both traditional and innovative spiritual practices, he has brought local and global social change issues to the forefront. In particular, he has been a supporter of conflict reduction in the Middle East, and has advocated for strategies to combat poverty.
He grew up in Boston, and he received his BA from Brandeis University in 1973, his MA and ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1979, and an honorary doctorate from that institution in 2005. Additionally, Rabbi Joey also spent two separate years studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, during 1971-2 and 1976-7. He credits his early years growing up around Boston, time spent with extraordinary peers and mentors in a hotbed of radical inquiry and experimentation, as formative for the work that he does today.
He has served on numerous commissions and boards in the metropolitan Portland area, including an involvement with workers’ rights panels for Jobs With Justice, the Metropolitan Alliance for the Common Good (a coalition of faith-based communities and labor unions working on healthcare, livable wage and housing issues), the founding board of Black Parent Initiative. In 2001, he was a co-founder of a local dialogue group which probed relationships and affinities between Jewish and Muslim and Arab leaders in the community. Joey was recently a member of the national board of Rabbis for Human Rights and serves on the Rabbinic Advisory Cabinet for J Street. He participated in one of the original rabbinic cohorts of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. In this context, he has invigorated his work to ground Jewish identity in the study of deep texts and intentional spiritual practice. He has led trips to Israel, on which fellow travelers have met with like-minded progressives who pride themselves on their own critical social discourse. In 2008, he led an American Jewish World Service work service trip of Havurahniks to eastern Uganda, which initiated an examination of what it might mean for Jews to confront the extraordinary challenges of a developing world in a way that is honest and meaningful.
Rabbi Joey considers it a privilege to serve alongside the vibrant and creative chorus of voices in Havurah, whose ideas – intellectual, spiritual, political – spark his own. In his spare time, he loves to hike, do yoga, meditate, cook, listen to music, and read and write – and then read some more. He lives in Hillsdale with his wife Lisa, and is the proud father of four children – Simeon, Sarah, Amelia and Gavriella.
Sat, January 16 2021
3 Shevat 5781
Upcoming Events
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Sunday ,
JanJanuary 17 , 2021
Sunday, Jan 17th 4:00p to 6:00p
The new Israel/Palestine Committee will hold its first meeting since becoming an official committee. We will begin planning future events. This is a meeting of a working committee, not an event to discuss Israel/Palestine issues. Any member of Havurah is welcome to work with us. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact one of the co-chairs: Joel Beinin, Elinor Gollay, or Lee Gordon (contact info is in the member directory). The meeting will take place in Zoom Room Bet. Members only, please. RSVP here. -
Sunday ,
JanJanuary 17 , 2021
Sunday, Jan 17th 7:00p to 9:00p
Have you ever wanted to explore stories in Torah and use the writing process to personally understand the significance of Torah stories in your life? Join a small group of Havurahniks to delve into Torah using the writing process to explore and record our journey. Each evening will include a summary of that week's Torah portion and pearls from commentary. We will then begin two free-writes from prompts from the portion. All that is required is a journal. There is an optional opportunity to choose one portion to study, summarize and use to create writing prompts. Facilitated by Harriet Cooke and Jenni Besen. Harriet trained and led groups with Portland's Write Around Portland, then led an eight-year writing group on Torah. 10-person maximum. This class takes place in Zoom Room Gimel. Please see the weekly Hineinu newsletter for the link. -
Tuesday ,
JanJanuary 19 , 2021
Tuesday, Jan 19th 7:00p to 8:30p
Through readings, writing prompts and discussion, we will deepen our understanding of how we are impacted by the intersection of Jewishness and white supremacy. Facilitated by members of the IMIrJ Countering White Nationalism cohort. Limited to 20 participants. This class takes place in Zoom Room Gimel. Please see the weekly Hineinu newsletter for the link. -
Wednesday ,
JanJanuary 20 , 2021
Wednesday, Jan 20th 5:00p to 6:30p
This meeting will be in Room Gimel. -
Wednesday ,
JanJanuary 20 , 2021
Wednesday, Jan 20th 7:00p to 8:30p
The biblical prophets left us a legacy of clarion calls opposing inequity and demanding a more just society. Their vision and poetic voice has inspired Jews and others throughout the generations. In this class we will explore the prophets’ theology and worldview, and the language they used to express them. In particular, we will consider the role of the prophetic voice and approach in our own pursuits of justice, examining tensions between truth and compassion, activism and organizing, and confrontation and relationship-building. Taught by Rabbi Benjamin. This class takes place in Zoom Room Bet. Please see the weekly Hineinu newsletter for the link. -
Thursday ,
JanJanuary 21 , 2021
Thursday, Jan 21st 7:00p to 8:00p
Would you like to improve your ability to speak conversational Hebrew? Can you already read Hebrew but don't always know what you're reading? Did you take Hebrew lessons ages ago or did you participate in an Ulpan experience in Israel but have forgotten all you learned? Would you like to laugh and learn with fellow Havurahniks? Come join Racheli Ross as she continues a beginning Hebrew class in which the focus is on functional Hebrew conversations and vocabulary development. Thursdays, 7-8:00 pm, with an optional 8-8:30 practice session, starting on January 14, and continuing until March 18. This will be in Zoom Room Heh. -
Thursday ,
JanJanuary 21 , 2021
Thursday, Jan 21st 7:00p to 9:00p
Have you thought about trying to write prose? Do you want to try with others? This year’s Havurah Adult Writers Workshop (for Non-Writers!) begins January 14 and continues for the next 7 Thursdays, through March 4. The workshop is for anyone who wants to explore prose writing – and is NOT a published writer or working on a big writing project. The focus is memoir writing generated through reflection, engaging prompts, discussion and feedback. While the Jewish experience often comes up in memoir writing in a Jewish community, our focus is the writer’s personal exploration from any perspective. Participants develop one piece from the workshop and may choose to read at a culminating Friday Oneg Reading for the Havurah community. Led by David Kertzner. Group size limited to 8. -
Friday ,
JanJanuary 22 , 2021
Friday, Jan 22nd 7:30p to 8:30p
Please join us for our spirited and joy-filled Kabbalat Shabbat Service, led by Susan Brenner. Music will be provided by our talented Havurah musicians. This service will take place in Zoom Room Aleph. Please email info@havurahshalom.org if you need Zoom join info. -
Saturday ,
JanJanuary 23 , 2021
Shabbat, Jan 23rd 10:00a to 12:00p
This upbeat, interactive service, led by Rabbi Benjamin, focuses on the structure and key themes and prayers of the morning service. For the time being, all services will take place on Zoom in Room Aleph. Please contact the office for help connecting: info@havurahshalom.org. -
Saturday ,
JanJanuary 23 , 2021
Shabbat, Jan 23rd 3:00p to 5:15p