Havurat Shalom accepts members regardless of marital status, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity or expression, economic condition, (dis)ability, or sexual orientation. We affirm the full equality and welcoming of LGBTQ people and families. Havurat Shalom welcomes interfaith families, and those who are or have been members of other Jewish congregations or who have never practiced Judaism in a structured way.
Havurat Shalom functions on a democratic and participatory basis and relies on the active engagement of all members. We encourage members to contribute their individual perspectives and background to the activities of the community, including the contents of holiday services and celebrations, creating a constantly evolving expression of Jewish ideas and Jewish practice. We value the contributions of people of other faiths and identities who are part of our community.
As a Reconstructionist congregation, we look to the Torah and Jewish sacred texts as a source of spiritual and moral insight and guidance in our lives. At the same time, even as we engage with tradition we listen to our own consciences and lived experiences as important sources of truth and inspiration. We welcome community members who have different personal understandings of the Divine, including those who aren’t sure what they believe or who don’t use God-language to describe their beliefs.
Havurat Shalom affirms the Jewish values of G’milut hesed, acts of kindness; Tikkun olam, social activism, literally “world repair”; and Tzedaka, from the Hebrew root tzedek, “justice,” often translated as “charity.” G’milut hesed affirms the obligation to visit the sick, care for elders, comfort mourners, welcome guests, and celebrate new families and children. Tikkun olam represents an attempt to repair a breach in the functioning of the world and advance systemic change. Tikkun olam draws on Jewish tradition and Jewish history in pursuing social justice and equality for all peoples. Tzedaka is also an expression of justice not charity in the usual sense; its aim is to help restore justice through recognizing the need for a fairer distribution of resources.
As a congregation, we seek to engage with other faith communities that embody and advance our values. Along with being a member of the Jewish Reconstructionist Movement, Havurat Shalom is a member of the Merrimack Valley Jewish Federation, which includes Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox and Chabad congregations as well as Reconstructionist; and of Welcoming Faiths, a coalition of LGBTQ welcoming congregations in the Merrimack Valley.