Chavurah

A chavurah or havurah (Hebrew: חֲבוּרָה, romanized: ḥəḇurā, lit. 'fellowship' pl.: (c)havurahs or (c)havurot or (c)havuroth),

is a small group of like-minded Jews who assemble to facilitate Shabbat and holiday prayer services and share communal experiences such as life-cycle events or learning.

Chavurot usually provide autonomous alternatives to established Jewish institutions and Jewish denominations. Many chavurot emphasize egalitarianism in the broad sense (of which gender egalitarianism is one piece), depending on participation by the entire community rather than top-down direction by clergy.

In Orthodox usage, the etymologically related chaburah refers to a Torah focused study group.

History

The first chavurah in the United States was formed in September 1960 in Whittier, California. However, most chavurot in America had their origins in the North American Jewish counter-cultural trends of the late 1960s and early 1970s. During this period, groups of young rabbis, academics, and political activists founded experimental chavurot for prayer and study, in reaction to what they perceived as an over-institutionalized and unspiritual North American Jewish establishment. Initially the main inspiration was the pietistic fellowships of the Pharisees and other ancient Jewish sects.

As the Havurah movement expanded in the 1970s, these groups blended religious rituals with secular activities, meeting outside of traditional temple settings and without the formal guidance of rabbis. Denominational lines were often blurred and emphasis was on community and spirituality over formal synagogue elements.