541.488.7716 185 N. Mountain Ave Ashland, OR 97520

Become a Member

WHY JOIN?

  • As a member, you are saying “I’m with you – I’m part of this community. I stand with you in good times and bad times.”
  • Your support, both financially and in all the ways we each give to our community, is an investment in each other and a Jewish future.
  • Becoming a member supports our rabbi and staff, who have been working harder than ever through this pandemic.
  • Members in good standing pay nothing to attend High Holy Day services. If you’re on the fence, know that whatever you pay to attend services will be put toward your membership should you choose to join us!!

We have two levels of membership. One is for local folks who have the option of joining us in person for our many wonderful offerings, and the other is for those who don’t live in the Rogue Valley or Northern California and live too far away to join us in person, but join us in the Zoom room. We have installed equipment that allows us to do hybrid services whenever we meet in person, so no one is left behind.

You may download a copy of our Local Member’s Dues Pledge Form for 2022/23 by CLICKING HERE for local folks here, or simply call our office at 541-488-7716 to request that Michelle, our Office Manager, mail you a New Member packet. For those who are not in our physical vicinity, please become Distance Members. Your support will be greatly appreciated and we would love you to be part of our community officially! You can download a Distance Member’s Pledge Form for 2022/23 by CLICKING HERE.

The Havurah was founded in 1985 as the Jewish Renewal Community Havurah of Southern Oregon. The Jewish Renewal movement is dedicated to nurturing spiritual life and revealing Judaism’s inner spirit for our modern world, bringing it to life through both traditional and contemporary practices.

Because of the great desire for spirituality and community, our congregation has grown from just a small number of families to over 100 family units. We welcome members from diverse spiritual paths and faith traditions. Our membership is composed of families from throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California, with highly diverse backgrounds and practices, providing a depth that enriches the Havurah.

We welcome the participation of all who desire to take part in our thriving community. Our continued success depends upon three types of commitments from our members:

Thank you for your interest in Havurah Synagogue membership. The Havurah was founded in 1985 as the Jewish Renewal Community Havurah of Southern Oregon. The Jewish Renewal movement is dedicated to nurturing spiritual life and revealing Judaism’s inner spirit for our modern world, bringing it to life through both traditional and contemporary practices. Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zt”l, the founder of Jewish Renewal, often referred to it as the Research and Development of Judaism. We are always innovating, such as incorporating Embodied Prayer, while remaining true to our roots.

Rabbi David Zaslow began serving our Havurah in July 1996, after our founding Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield z”l moved to Portland. Rabbi David leads Shabbat evening and morning services, joined on Friday nights by his wife, Devorah Zaslow, who is a storyteller. We gather for High Holiday services and holiday festivals throughout the year. Rabbinical student, Cantorial Soloist and Maggidah Cyrise Beatty Schachter, who brings the gift of her voice and deep teachings, is also on staff and leads services and teaches classes. Maggidah Ayala Zonnenschein leads services each month and NIA instructor, Rachael Resch, offers Embodied Prayer at some of our services, for those who enjoy prayer expressed in movement. Rabbi David plays an active role in the education of our children, as well as adults. His Torah teachings, music and wisdom inspire us to carry on the traditions of our people and to pursue a deeper relationship with G-d.

In support of our staff, we have singers, musicians and storytellers who support our services by contributing their passion. We have many special events throughout the year, such as our community Passover Seder, Rosh Hodesh gatherings for women, holiday celebrations at Chanukah, Purim and Sukkot, visiting scholars and teachers, as well as very enjoyable fundraising events.

Because of the great desire for spirituality and community, our congregation has grown from just a small number of families to over 100 family units. We welcome members from diverse spiritual paths and faith traditions and we are proud to be a LGBTQ safe zone. Our membership is composed of families from throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California and across the USA, with highly diverse backgrounds and practices, providing a depth that enriches the Havurah community.

We welcome the participation of all who desire to take part in our thriving community. Our continued success depends upon three types of commitments from our members:

  • Participation: The knowledge, experience and creativity of our members help make our services, classes and events vibrant and unique.
  • Volunteerism: To strengthen our community and to foster a sense of individual connection to the Havurah, we invite each adult to consider volunteering in an area of interest.
  • Financial Support: It takes an average of $1,500 per family member unit to meet our financial obligations and expenses. Our desire is for members to determine what they can truly afford and pledge their fair share.

Many synagogues that operate with this ability-to-pay structure use 3% of income as their guideline. Our dues are figured at 2% of gross income, to accommodate those who cannot meet the 3% standard. We hope you will consider 3% if it is within your ability. No one is turned away for inability to pay in full. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have about finances.

As a Havurah member, you will be welcome to participate at no extra cost.

Our Havurah is an inclusive and dynamic community, weaving Jewish tradition with song and prayer, striving to make Judaism truly meaningful in our lives. We hope you will consider joining us and pledging to become a member today. There is not better time to make the commitment to stand with our tribe!

Please contact me or Rabbi David with any questions you may have or if more information is needed. We look forward to speaking with you soon and hopefully welcoming you as a new member of our community.

B’Shalom,

Ayala Zonnenschein

Please contact  Ayala Zonnenschein, Havurah Executive Director, at ayala@ashlandhavurah.org or 541-488-7716, with any questions you may have or if more information is needed. We look forward to welcoming you to our community!