Havurot and Interest Groups

UNIVERSITY SYNAGOGUE HAVUROT

The word havurah comes from the Hebrew word “haver”, meaning friend. A havurah is a small circle of friends who share your values and interests. They will become your extended family within the greater synagogue community. Your “haverim” (friends) will be there to rejoice with you in times of happiness and support you in times of difficulty.

If you choose to join a havurah, it will become a wonderful way to experience the warmth and support of a close-knit community. It’s an opportunity to develop friendships with individuals and/or families who share similar interests by creating an extended family.

You will enjoy Jewish life together by celebrating holidays, planning family events, and participating in social action projects. You might also enjoy an evening out to dinner or the theater. There is no end to the variety of activities in which havurot can participate.

Your havurah will enrich every aspect of your Jewish life.

GENERAL INTEREST HAVURAH

General Havurah members typically have a general demographic similarity and meet for events, either outside of the synagogue, at the synagogue to celebrate Jewish holidays and Shabbat, or at a member’s home.

Some current havurot we have at University Synagogue include:

Empty Nesters
Families with Young Children
Families with Teens
Retirees
LGBTQA+

SPECIAL INTEREST HAVURAH

A Special Interest Havurah is a friendship group of members who share a single interest, such as books, restaurants, theater or sports – these are just examples.

Examples of special interest havurot we are forming:

ON THE TOWN – Focus on theater, film, and the arts
PAGE TURNERS – Reading group
TEAM SPIRIT WARRIORS – Sports enthusiasts, including hiking, biking,
pickleball, or basketball
FOODIES – Focus on food and wine,either at restaurants or in your home