My new community

Last friday, Rachel (the newest Portland MHnik) invited me and Becca to her mother's house for Shabbat dinner.  After a few songs, we said Kiddush and then offered our reflection on the week over a series of l'chaims.  Dinner was delicous, and we stayed up until the wee hours of the night discussing politics, religion, israel, the economy and civil rights.  

What is blog worthy here is not the wonderful meal, nice family or good conversation but rather that I'm regularly going to Shabbat meals and am becoming part of a community that I was never a part of growing up, even though I was raised here in Portland.

In the year that I have been in MH I have come much closer to being part of a Jewish community than I ever have in my life.  I regularly celebrate Shabbat and holidays with local Jewish families, if not at the Moishe House.  I know rabbis that I can call with questions about Kashrut and Halacha (before I moved into MH I didn't even have questions about Kashrut or Halacha).  I even occasionally attend services at an Orthodox schul.   

I certainly appreciate the friendships I have made in my new community and thank the community for being so welcoming.

Jeremy