Havurat Shalom
@havuratshalom.bsky.social
Havurat Shalom is a small, pioneering, egalitarian Jewish community founded in 1968 in Somerville, MA. We are a lay-led congregation where people come to pray, celebrate, and grapple with Jewish texts and traditions and work for social justice.
Join us for Shabbat davening tomorrow at 10:00 am. Good Shabbos!
December 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Join us for Shabbat davening tomorrow at 10:00 am. Good Shabbos!
The word for this week begins with the letter “Tzade” (צ): צִיצִת. It refers to the four knotted cords on the tallis. It's usually translated as "fringes", but I don't think that what we see on the tallis is actually fringes. The origin of the word is unclear.
December 11, 2025 at 8:19 PM
The word for this week begins with the letter “Tzade” (צ): צִיצִת. It refers to the four knotted cords on the tallis. It's usually translated as "fringes", but I don't think that what we see on the tallis is actually fringes. The origin of the word is unclear.
Join us for tomorrow for Shabbat davening and a potluck lunch! Good Shabbos!
December 5, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Join us for tomorrow for Shabbat davening and a potluck lunch! Good Shabbos!
Join tonight for Shabbat services online at 6:00. Email info@thehav.or to get the Zoom link. Good Shabbos!
December 5, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Join tonight for Shabbat services online at 6:00. Email info@thehav.or to get the Zoom link. Good Shabbos!
The word for this week begins with the letter “Peh” (פּ). Here it is: פַּרְשָׁה. It means "section or portion". A lot of Hebrew roots that begin with the letters פּר relate to separating or dividing.
December 4, 2025 at 4:49 PM
The word for this week begins with the letter “Peh” (פּ). Here it is: פַּרְשָׁה. It means "section or portion". A lot of Hebrew roots that begin with the letters פּר relate to separating or dividing.
See this month's newsletter: mailchi.mp/015640793156...
B'Shalom - Havurat Shalom's December 2025 newsletter
mailchi.mp
December 2, 2025 at 5:33 PM
See this month's newsletter: mailchi.mp/015640793156...
See Aliza's thoughts on turning 70 in this month's blog post: www.thehav.org/blog/on-turn...
on turning 70
by Aliza Arzt
www.thehav.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM
See Aliza's thoughts on turning 70 in this month's blog post: www.thehav.org/blog/on-turn...
Join us for Shabbat services tomorrow, 10:00 am. Good Shabbos!
November 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Join us for Shabbat services tomorrow, 10:00 am. Good Shabbos!
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online, tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
November 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online, tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
The word for the week begins with the “Ayin” (ע): עֲלִיָה. It means "going up". We use our word to refer to coming up to the Torah to say the blessings and also to moving to Israel. What do those 2 things have in common?
November 20, 2025 at 6:42 PM
The word for the week begins with the “Ayin” (ע): עֲלִיָה. It means "going up". We use our word to refer to coming up to the Torah to say the blessings and also to moving to Israel. What do those 2 things have in common?
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online (email info@thehav.org to get the Zoom link), tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
November 14, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online (email info@thehav.org to get the Zoom link), tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
The word for this week begins with the letter “Samech” (ס): סוּס. It means "horse". In the Bible, a horse is often used as an example of something that God doesn't want: we're told in the book of Deuteronomy that a king shouldn't have too many horses. Why do you think this is?
November 13, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The word for this week begins with the letter “Samech” (ס): סוּס. It means "horse". In the Bible, a horse is often used as an example of something that God doesn't want: we're told in the book of Deuteronomy that a king shouldn't have too many horses. Why do you think this is?
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online, tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
November 7, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Join us for Shabbat services, tonight online, tomorrow in person. Good Shabbos!
New book out by Havurah founding member Rabbi Art Green: www.benyehudapress.com/books/can-ju...
Can Judaism Be Saved? - Ben Yehuda Press
Can Judaism be saved from its most dangerous currents? That’s the question Rabbi Arthur Green poses in this urgent exploration of the spiritual and ethical challenges facing Judaism today. Green exami...
www.benyehudapress.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:27 PM
New book out by Havurah founding member Rabbi Art Green: www.benyehudapress.com/books/can-ju...
The word for this week begins with the letter “Nun” (נ): נָתַן. It means "give". The feminine form is נָתְנָה. The word is an important one in the blessings people say when they come up to the Torah for an aliyah.
November 6, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The word for this week begins with the letter “Nun” (נ): נָתַן. It means "give". The feminine form is נָתְנָה. The word is an important one in the blessings people say when they come up to the Torah for an aliyah.
See this month's newsletter: mailchi.mp/0a98fd91fbc1...
B'Shalom - Havurat Shalom's November 2025 newsletter
mailchi.mp
November 3, 2025 at 8:15 PM
See this month's newsletter: mailchi.mp/0a98fd91fbc1...
See this month's blog post - Bev's reflections on what this years High Holidays were like for her: www.thehav.org/blog/i-survi...
I Survived a High Stress High Holidays Season
by Bev Schwartz
www.thehav.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:13 PM
See this month's blog post - Bev's reflections on what this years High Holidays were like for her: www.thehav.org/blog/i-survi...
Join us for a vegetarian, potluck Shabbat lunch after davening tomorrow! (And on-line services tonight). Good Shabbos!
October 31, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Join us for a vegetarian, potluck Shabbat lunch after davening tomorrow! (And on-line services tonight). Good Shabbos!
The word for this week begins with the letter “Mem” (מ): מִדְרָשׁ. It comes from the root דרשׁ which means "to investigate". It refers to the practice of "investigating" additional meanings behind biblical verses. In Arabic, this same root, درس means "to teach".
October 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The word for this week begins with the letter “Mem” (מ): מִדְרָשׁ. It comes from the root דרשׁ which means "to investigate". It refers to the practice of "investigating" additional meanings behind biblical verses. In Arabic, this same root, درس means "to teach".
Havurah alum Shalom's shiur from Shabbat Shuva: www.sefaria.org/sheets/68551...
Lest We Become Like Pharoah...or like slaves, or unable to tell the difference | Sefaria
What are our obligations when we're in a position of power over another? As employer, or more generally? And what of the reverse, is there an obligation when we are the ones afflicted yet powerless?
www.sefaria.org
October 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Havurah alum Shalom's shiur from Shabbat Shuva: www.sefaria.org/sheets/68551...
The word of the week begins with the letter Lamed (ל): לְבָנָה. It's a word for "moon", from the word for "white" - לָבָן. We started a new month a few days ago, and a new Hebrew month occurs when the moon becomes visible as a sliver.
October 23, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The word of the week begins with the letter Lamed (ל): לְבָנָה. It's a word for "moon", from the word for "white" - לָבָן. We started a new month a few days ago, and a new Hebrew month occurs when the moon becomes visible as a sliver.
Havurah founding member Rabbi Art Green has a new book coming out: www.benyehudapress.com/books/can-ju...
Can Judaism Be Saved? - Ben Yehuda Press
The Jewish people stand at a critical crossroads in history, grappling with profound questions about identity, morality, and the future of Judaism itself. In Can Judaism Be Saved? Rabbi Arthur Gree...
www.benyehudapress.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Havurah founding member Rabbi Art Green has a new book coming out: www.benyehudapress.com/books/can-ju...
Hope you can join us for Shabbat davening at 10:00 am tomorrow (in person). Good Shabbos!
October 17, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Hope you can join us for Shabbat davening at 10:00 am tomorrow (in person). Good Shabbos!
Angela has a d'var Torah on Disability Torah Project: www.disabilitytorahproject.org/writings/ber...
Eden, Cain, and Ableism at the Door — Disability Torah Project
By Angela Vierling-Claassen “Eden, Cain, and Ableism at the Door” | Parashat Bereshit | 5786
www.disabilitytorahproject.org
October 17, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Angela has a d'var Torah on Disability Torah Project: www.disabilitytorahproject.org/writings/ber...
Join us for combined Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah services tomorrow at 9:30 am! (The Havurah keeps 7 days of Sukkot - so this is a day earlier than most other diaspora communities.) Chag sameach.
October 13, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Join us for combined Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah services tomorrow at 9:30 am! (The Havurah keeps 7 days of Sukkot - so this is a day earlier than most other diaspora communities.) Chag sameach.