National Havurah Committee

The National Havurah Committee (NHC) is a network of diverse individuals and communities dedicated to Jewish living, learning, community building, and tikkun olam (repairing the world). NHC is non-denominational, multigenerational, egalitarian, and volunteer-led. The NHC’s values include egalitarianism, inclusiveness, participation, and lay leadership. NHC seeks to spread its values to the larger Jewish community and to facilitate the activities of havurot. Havurot are small participatory communities creating authentic and meaningful Jewish experiences. Leadership is generally shared by the members of a havurah. Havurot typically do not have professional rabbinic or spiritual leaders. Independent havurot tend to be non-denominational, egalitarian, and inclusive.

Our annual week-long Summer Institute brings together Jews from across North America to participate in a joyful grassroots Judaism and to help them build empowered Jewish lives and communities. Courses at the institute address Jewish texts, arts, culture, politics, spirituality, and practice from many different perspectives. The NHC model of summer programs for lay adults has been adapted by other organizations. The longevity of the Institute and the replication of its model attest to its success. In addition, the NHC sponsors regional weekend retreats, publishes newsletters, and maintains a list of havurot on its website.