Our Annual Theme
5782 Theme: Shleimut v'Shever
שְׁלֵמוּת וְשֶׁבֶר
Wholeness & Brokenness
Tradition tells that for the entire journey in the wilderness, alongside the second set of tablets bearing the ten commandments, our ancestors also carried the fragments of the first set which Moses had smashed. In our present time of rupture and fragmentation, this image reminds us to make room for the broken along with the whole — in our lives and in our world. Often we can find in the fractured places pathways to wholeness. What is broken can become the foundation for healing and regeneration.
In moments of brokenness, we can help one another find comfort amidst loss, meaning in the face of upheaval, and agency when our values have been breached. However brokenness manifests, we can support each other to turn toward it with compassion and courage, so that we might discover wholeness alongside or even within it.
Previous years' themes...
5781 Theme: Nishmat Kol Ḥai
נשמת כל חי
The Breath of Every Life
We are sustained in every moment by our breath. When it is compromised or restricted, our lives are in jeopardy. Yet we mostly take it for granted until that occurs. This year’s theme, Nishmat Kol Ḥai: The Breath of Every Life, turns us toward fuller awareness and appreciation of this vital life force and all it sustains.
Neshamah means "breath" and also "soul." It is our essence, through which we are connected to one another and to all life. Nishmat Kol Ḥai asks us to listen closely for the breath that is not our own, to awaken to the preciousness of each breath and each soul.
Collectively, we are witnessing the tragic consequences of breath constricted, through illness and through violent oppression. All breath is not yet equally valued. Nishmat Kol Ḥai demands that we expand our notions of kinship and work to ensure that everyone can breathe freely, and every soul can flourish.
5780 Theme: Hineinu
Our theme for 5780 – Hineinu: We Are Here.
היננו
Our ancestors responded to calls at pivotal moments in Torah with Hineini, “Here I am.” Hineinu is how we answer the call to be present as we are needed in this moment, as individuals and as a community. We can say Hineinu by comforting each other amidst hardship and loss; by rejoicing together however possible; by listening and communicating honestly as we navigate discomfort; by finding each other amidst vulnerability; and by cultivating resilience and compassion in response to injustice, oppression, and despair. This is how we say Hineinu: We are here.
5779 Theme: Panim el Panim
Our theme for 5779 – Panim el Panim: Encountering One Another.
פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים
Panim el panim, literally “face to face,” directs us to recognize and honor how we live in relation to one another. From the intimate, one-on-one connections that exist within Havurah, to the broader partnerships and networks of which we are a part, this relationality is at the heart of who we are. To live panim el panim is to genuinely encounter one another, sometimes to affirm and sometimes to challenge.
When we build relationships with people from whom we differ as well as those like us, striving to know the other for who they are, we grow as individuals and enhance our potential as a community. Through meeting one another in this way, we make room for connection and holiness. And amidst tensions in the world, the notion of panim el panim challenges us to perceive our interdependence and build bridges however possible.
5778 Theme: Edut
Our theme for 5778 – Edut: Witness.
עֵדות
In selecting a theme, Havurahniks seek to find common language to help us consider what animates our community and to set an intention for the year. Our theme is both a conceptual framework as well as an operational commitment.
In this time in which we are confronting vastly divergent representations of reality, we need to continually notice, be willing to bear witness, and stay present with our own truths. This requires showing up, both physically and spiritually, and returning - over and over again.
One more outgrowth of this root is the word oded, “to encourage and strengthen.” Ultimately, the actions of returning, building continuity, and bearing witness create strength within us, as individuals and as a community. What encourages you to continually show up and to speak your truth? How do we create a community that strengthens our ability to know and testify about what is right and good?
Sun, May 29 2022
28 Iyyar 5782
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Upcoming Events
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Monday ,
MayMay 30 , 2022
Monday, May 30th 7:00p to 8:30p
We will read three novels that ponder the human response to severe trauma—William Styron's Sophie’s Choice, Toni Morrison's Beloved and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things—and explore whether and how these novels illuminate how people process, integrate and adapt to traumatic events. -
Tuesday ,
MayMay 31 , 2022
Tuesday, May 31st 7:00p to 8:30p
Join the Leadership Development Committee for a two-part orientation for new Committee Chairs. We will be in Zoom Room Gimel. -
Wednesday ,
JunJune 1 , 2022
Wednesday, Jun 1st 7:00p to 8:30p
A thorough decoding of Exodus 13:17-17:16, Song of the Sea. We continue to build vocabulary and delve into what it means to escape oppression, rejoice, receive privilege at the expense of others, and keep moving. We will refer to ancient and modern midrashim (interpretation) that stem from the nuances of the Hebrew text. Basic Hebrew decoding ability needed (even slowly). Led by Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. We will meet in person and in Zoom Room Dalet. For login info, contact info@havurahshalom.org or see Hineinu. -
Wednesday ,
JunJune 1 , 2022
Wednesday, Jun 1st 7:00p to 8:15p
Rabbi Benjamin will guide students and parents in responding to the text with their own questions and walk through the Shabbat morning service. (Please check back close to the date of this event for information on gathering. Depending on circumstances, it may take place in person, on Zoom or both. If it will be accessed via Zoom, please use Zoom Room Heh. For login info, contact info@havurahshalom.org or see Hineinu.) -
Wednesday ,
JunJune 1 , 2022
Wednesday, Jun 1st 7:00p to 8:30p
For cohort members. (Members, please check back close to the date of this event for information on gathering. Depending on circumstances, it may take place in person, on Zoom or both. If it will be accessed via Zoom, please use Zoom Room Dalet. For login info, contact info@havurahshalom.org or see Hineinu.) -
Friday ,
JunJune 3 , 2022
Friday, Jun 3rd 10:00a to 12:00p
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Saturday ,
JunJune 4 , 2022
Shabbat, Jun 4th 10:00a to 12:00p
Please join us in welcoming Arianna Gammage as a Bat Mitzvah and member of our community. -
Sunday ,
JunJune 5 , 2022
Sunday, Jun 5th 10:00a to 12:00p
We will celebrate Shavuot with a morning service, including Yizkor and a short Torah service, and we will also welcome a new Torah to Havurah Shalom, lent by the Lager Family. Afterward, enjoy an oneg with simple dairy (and non-dairy!) treats. -
Monday ,
JunJune 6 , 2022
Monday, Jun 6th 12:00p to 4:00p
Mahjong meetups take place the first and third Monday of the month. At noon, we will offer a training session for beginners and those who want to brush up on their skills with experienced players, followed by the regularly scheduled game, which runs 1 to 4 pm. Based on interest, an evening option can be scheduled for people who are unable to attend during the day. Please contact Leah Hershey if you are interested. -
Monday ,
JunJune 6 , 2022
Monday, Jun 6th 5:30p to 6:30p
We are a group of Havurah members interested in climate social justice. We will be reading "Braiding Sweetgrass" to connect to indigenous wisdom about life and social action around the environment. We are reaching out to see if new people want to join our lively and joyful book discussions. Open to non-members as well as members. We will meet every other Monday through July 4.