Transparency Archive
Previous Transparency Q&As
Havurah's Transparency and Inclusivity Committee has invited Havurah members to submit questions to them about Havurah. Below is an answer to one of the questions. (Updated on April 24, 2023 to reflect current staffing.)
Question:
- What is the process when you have a great idea for a project to become a reality?
Answer:
- Determine which committee or cluster your idea is best connected to. You can do this by either looking at the organization chart on the website or asking the Gesher Team for their suggestions. The committee organization chart can be found on the Governance page of our website, and information about the Gesher Team can be found on the Planning an Activity page.
- Contact the appropriate person(s) and discuss your idea with them.
- Utilize the Principles and Practices: A Checklist for our Participatory Governance as a guide for the discussion as you develop the project or activity.
- Your idea might be found consistent with priorities and move forward, determined to be consistent but shelved for a later time if scheduling, space, staff, and/or volunteer resources are not available at that time, or found not to currently match congregational priorities.
Further questions about this process? Let Fran Weick or Judy Steinberger know, and they will try to answer them. You can find their email addresses in our membership directory on our website.
Question:
- I’m confused about who does what in the office so I know who to contact.
Answer:
When you visit or call the Havurah office, you will meet two staff members: Tara Anderson, the Participation & Publications Coordinator, and Rachel Pollak, the Office & Facilities Manager. Both can help you with general inquiries, but you may want to contact one or the other for the following things.
Tara's roles at Havurah include the following:
- Welcoming new and prospective members and providing information about Havurah in print and online
- Helping all members engage in the Havurah community by connecting them with groups, committees, and activities of interest to them
- Managing production of printed brochures, including annual community brochure
- Producing the monthly printed newsletter Hakol
- Sending weekly news emails to Havurah members about upcoming activities and opportunities and monthly emails to non-members interested in Havurah
- Managing Havurah’s website and social media
- Providing staff support to the Kehillah (community) cluster
- Providing planning guidelines so members know how to plan Havurah activities
- Managing Havurah’s branding, including logo, fonts, and color palette
- Managing external publicity and advertising, in print and online
Here are some of Rachel’s main roles:
- Assisting members with account questions, billing, and payments
- Helping b'nei mitzvah families and others to rent the building
- Reimbursing people for program expenses
- Managing contractors such as janitors, child care providers, IT support, and building maintenance providers
- With Makom cluster, being responsible for building upkeep, repairs, improvements, and security
- With Tara, adding events to the calendar and keeping it up to date
- Arranging set-up for Havurah events and other logistics
- Managing High Holiday logistics
- Supporting Havurah cemetery management
- Being a liaison to the Safety Committee
Both Tara and Rachel are always happy to help. Don’t be afraid to reach out to either of us if you’re not sure whom to call!
Is there something about Havurah you have wondered about or would like to better understand? Send your question/concern to transparency@havurahshalom.org and we will make sure to forward it to the appropriate person.
Sat, December 2 2023
19 Kislev 5784
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Havurah Updates
Hineinu: Rebecca Clarren Book Convo, Adult B'nei Mitzvah Due Date, Kabbalat Shabbat, Chanukah
The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance by Havurahnik Rebecca Clarren
5:30 to 7 pm, Wednesday,
Hineinu Correction: Regarding Two Events Tomorrow (Tuesday, November 28)
Correction: Upcoming Havurah Events
Havurah Book Group to Discuss The
Upcoming Events
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Saturday ,
DecDecember 2 , 2023
Shabbat, Dec 2nd 5:15p to 8:00p
Grade 4 Shabbat School class gets together to hang out and have fun! -
Sunday ,
DecDecember 3 , 2023
Sunday, Dec 3rd 10:00a to 12:00p
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Sunday ,
DecDecember 3 , 2023
Sunday, Dec 3rd 6:30p to 8:00p
Watch Selma before we meet, and we'll discuss the film together over Zoom. (Film rating: PG-13; teens welcome to join too.) -
Monday ,
DecDecember 4 , 2023
Monday, Dec 4th 1:00p to 4:00p
We are excited to bring mahjong back to Havurah. It is a fun, social activity that builds community, encouraging new friendships and cementing old ones. And while some of us may play elsewhere as well, we all agreed that restoring its place as an ongoing congregational activity will be a good fit for Havurah and those of us who play or want to learn the game. So please don't hesitate to join us! -
Monday ,
DecDecember 4 , 2023
Monday, Dec 4th 7:00p to 8:30p
We will explore the military occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip through film, lectures, and discussion. We will ask questions about the declared purposes, political and legal foundations, impact, and future of the Occupation. Led by Joel Beinin. -
Tuesday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2023
Tuesday, Dec 5th 7:00p to 8:30p
Join members of the Havurah Leadership Development Committee to learn more about our unique community and the ways we all support each other in our participatory culture. All members are welcome to join us! -
Tuesday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2023
Tuesday, Dec 5th 7:00p to 8:30p
Eyal Bitton is the cantor at Portland's Neveh Shalom and was raised in the Moroccan Jewish community in Montreal. Through lecture and song, he will examine various elements of Moroccan sacred music—synagogue song, cantillation of sacred texts, the piyyut (liturgical poetry), and life cycle songs. Moroccan Jews have a very rich and proud religious culture, and a varied and ancient musical tradition, reflecting its Moroccan milieu, its Andalusian heritage, and more. -
Tuesday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2023
Tuesday, Dec 5th 7:30p to 8:45p
Jewish text study is similar to tuning a radio. Each type of text—TaNaKH (Bible), Rabbinic Literature (Midrash and Talmud), Medieval Commentary (Rashi, ibn Ezra, Nachmanides) and Mystical (Kabbalistic and Hasidic)—operates on a different frequency. Each seeks to clarify what we are hearing about the world, following a set of rules. Each reads the world’s signals. We will spend two weeks tuning into specific passages from the four genres. Hebrew is not necessary for this overview , although we will read some of the “greatest hits” together in the original. Transistor radios preferred to digital, because we are all subject to static. Led by Rabbi Joey Wolf. -
Wednesday ,
DecDecember 6 , 2023
Wednesday, Dec 6th 4:00p to 6:00p
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Wednesday ,
DecDecember 6 , 2023
Wednesday, Dec 6th 6:30p to 8:30p