Activities at P'nai Or for 2023
To reduce Covid risk, we offer hybrid services for all indoor services and conduct most other educational events and meetings on Zoom. We require good quality masks to be worn at all in indoor events except when eating or drinking.
Shabbat services: Jewish Renewal services are joyous, spiritual, and musical. We meet in person twice monthly on Saturday mornings at our home sanctuary, Hillsdale Community Church near Multnomah Village, and on the third Friday of each non-summer month at the Eastside Jewish Commons. On the other Friday evenings, we have a Kabbalat Shabbat service on Zoom. Check our calendar on the website to see the schedule.
Shabbat in the Park: In the summer months (June-August), on the third Friday, we have “Shabbat in the Park” bring-your-own picnic and services, alternating between Gabriel Park in SW and Wilshire Park in NE.
Torah Study and Adult Ed classes on Zoom led by Rabbi Hannah; date and time announced in the weekly newsletter This Week at P’nai Or and on the website.
Tikkun Olam Committee – Guided by the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam (a Hebrew phrase meaning “repair of the world”) the committee brings together principles of social, economic and climate justice, ecological renewal and peaceful coexistence with their spiritual practice. Thus members engage in activities that promote healing and transforming our world. One of these is guiding the congregation every year to select an organization, called a Tzedakah (in Hebrew “Justice”) Partner whose goals coincide with theirs. The Committee then supports and provides opportunities for congregational involvement with the Tzedakah Partner throughout the year. It meets monthly on Zoom.
Chantlings - The P’nai Or Chant Group is known as the Chantlings. While primarily focused on chants written by Rabbi Shefa Gold, the Chantlings also draw from other chant leaders and some of Linda Zahavi’s niggunim. They are accompanied by shruti with occasional light drumming and movement. The emphasis is on meditation and prayer through chant, rather than performance. However, the Chantlings also lead chants at some P’nai Or services, interfaith events, and rituals. The Chantlings meet on the last Sunday of each month, 11 am-noon, primarily on Zoom.
Kabbalah Study – The Kabbalah group studies various texts ranging from the Zohar to the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria of Safed. They meet the last Sunday of the month at a private home in Lake Oswego.
Making Sense of the Siddur – This intro class will present a "macro" view of the prayer book, about how the morning prayer service takes us through the four worlds of Kabbalah and, in doing so, mirrors how we received the Torah on Mt. Sinai. With this perspective, we'll take a quick walk through the individual prayers and see how they fit in to this journey. If we have time, we'll take on one example of the challenge of prayers that can be off-putting because of their apparent inconsistencies with our personal values. We'll do so by taking on one of the most uncomfortable - and most frequent - words in our blessings: "Melech," usually translated as king. We'll unpack alternative interpretations of this word. Open to all who are interested, but especially new and prospective members. If you’d like to attend, please contact Bob Lowe at bob.pnaior@gmail.com for location and reading material.
Outdoor Connections: A monthly opportunity on a Sunday to walk and explore the local outdoors with members and other interested people; dates and times announced in our weekly newsletter, This Week at P’nai Or.
Community Food Program: From early summer until Rosh Hashanah, the P’nai Or Community Food Program purchases food from a local organic farm and makes it available at P’nai Or services to members in need.