OrH Newsletter

Biweekly Newsletter

28 June 2022

AGM goodness

What an AGM we had! Thank you to everyone who joined us. There is a quick summary below, but please know that we are excited about the year ahead with our community. Here’s hoping you are all enjoying this beautiful weather - in fact, you will notice a little upcoming Kabbalat Shabbat in a park if you want to enjoy the season with us. Happy reading!

AGM Summary

Our AGM was a mix of great discussion and essential business. Here are some highlights, for those of you who missed it:

• Machaneh Shabbat Aleph and Bet are going swimmingly, and Morah Jenny is looking into the possibility of having some children’s programming / drop off for those of you who want to attend in-person services with your kids in the future.
• Our tiny but mighty Board would love some new faces around the (virtual) table. Please contact manyhands@orh.ca if you would like to join the Board and help with planning the year ahead. Don’t be shy - drop us a line!
• Members approved a 10% fee increase this year to help us keep up with rising expenses and our limited budget. Please see the board documents for a detailed account of the budget and the costs of insurance, food service and rent.
• We welcomed a new Treasurer and Many Hands coordinator and gave a giant virtual thank-you hug to our outgoing Board members. 
• We thanked our incredible volunteers - we would be lost without you!
• We discussed the possibility of a new fee structure that would reflect a household’s average income. A committee will be created to explore this idea.
• We discussed our Long-Term Vision Statement that will help us guide our planning in the year ahead and had a fruitful break-out discussion to chat about the specifics. More on this ahead.

OrH Vision Statement - How Do We Get There?

The following vision statement was created during a board retreat that took place in July 2021. It exists to guide us in our planning for the years ahead, and to keep us focused on how we might look as an orgnization in 2030.

OrH in 2030 is a thriving inclusive community with a full time rabbi, paid full time support staff, rabbinic interns and a growing participatory membership. We offer a wide variety of programs to Jews and Jewish curious folx who relish our unconventional approach. We spread our enthusiasm and positive message to the entire world.

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? So… How do we get there? The AGM break-out discussion to explore this vision yielded some fabulous conversations. We would like to share a few of the ideas that our community put forward to help us reach our vision and increase our membership numbers:

• Conduct outreach at colleges and universities to find students looking for a community to join.
• More word-of-mouth and bringing friends / family members to events, especially now that in-person services will be resuming.
• Set up a booth at farmers’ markets - offer a coffee chat with the Rabbi!
• Find local Jewish organizations and clubs and do outreach about who we are. 
• Hold an ‘open doors’ type of event every year to allow curious folks to check us out.
• Continue with social media promotion / presence.
• Share more info about our amazing children’s learning programs to make young families feel welcome.

Over to you, dear readers. What are some of your ideas for finding new members? What are some innovative ways to reach unaffiliated Jews or Jewish-curious folx in our city and beyond? Please write to communications@orh.ca with your ideas.

Update on Covid-19 Protocols
 
With the lifting of many public health measures in Ontario, we would like to clarify our current approach to attendance and activities in person at 30 Cleary Ave. Unless otherwise indicated, we will be following the guidelines set by the Unitarians for the use of their space. Please email info@orh.ca with any questions.

Repairing the World Survey
 
The Repairing the World group has been working on a survey to help determine our next steps towards action. If you are a member of the group or have attended any of our learning sessions, be on the lookout for a survey link in your email in the coming weeks. Your participation and input are greatly appreciated.
 
If you aren't a RTW member or on our mailing list but want to connect, please contact us at: tikkunolam@orh.ca 
 
Learn more about RTW at: https://www.orh.ca/anti-racism-resources

Jewish Mourning Practices:

What is shmirah? What is tahara?
 
Sadly, most of us, by the time we’re adults, know Jewish mourning practices: shiva (3 days, 7 days); shloshim (30 days); the first year; Yahrzeit. Far fewer of us are familiar with aninut, the period between the death and the funeral/burial (interment). In the recent and immediate past, our community has been called to perform some of these sacred and meaningful rituals. This session will explain the traditional practices of tahara and shmirah, and how they are relevant to members of OrH. Kohenet Judith Maeryam Wouk, Neviah Metophephet: Oracle of Rhythms/Re-Framer of Stories, is an ordained Hebrew Priestess and a long-time member of OrH. She has been involved with the Green Burial movement for many years, and has personal experience with these issues. You can find the details of this talk below in the events section under our next Schmooze ’N Learn.

Upcoming Services and Events

Shloshim gathering in honour of Elias Mendeloff z"l
Wednesday, June 29, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Fellowship Hall at 30 Cleary Avenue

Schmooze ’N Learn: What is shmirah?  What is tahara?
Sunday, July 10, 10:30-Noon
With Kohenet Judith Maeryam Wouk
Zoom  
 
Lay-Led Kabbalat Shabbat Evening Service and Potluck - in person
Friday, July 15
Time: TBA (but not before 6:00 PM)
Location: a park outside TBA
Join Shira for a short outside service to welcome in Shabbat with song and community. Stay for a potluck and probably more singing. ***Volunteers needed*** Please email rituals@orh.ca to lend a hand.

Reconstructionist News and Events

Statement by Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Assembly on the US Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

Donations to OrH

Donations are a significant part of the funding for activities and rabbinic support in our community. You can direct your contribution to different areas of Or Haneshamah’s activity, including: general donations to fund programming, rabbinic leadership, donations in honor or in memory of a person or event, or dedication of ritual objects. We also welcome donations to the Gita (Tova) & Zvi Taub Memorial Fund, the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, the Or Haneshamah Endowment Fund. Federal employees or retirees can also give to OrH through the Annual Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign. Information on all these programs and how to give can be found at this link, or by clicking on the "Donate" tab on the main menu of the OrH website.

Board of Directors

Chair: Carolyn, president@orh.ca 
Treasurer: Ben, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Nicola, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: Andrea, communications@orh.ca
Membership: Myrna, membership@orh.ca
Many Hands Coordinator: Caroline, caroline@orh.ca

Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton: rabbi@orh.ca
OrH Members are welcome to contact Rabbi Liz, the Hesed team (hesed@orh.ca),
or any member of the board, regarding pastoral needs.

Or Haneshamah
30 Cleary Ave., Ottawa, ON, K2A 4A1
613-239-4988
www.orh.ca
info@orh.ca

** Disclaimer Regarding Community Event Postings **

Or Haneshamah frequently receives requests to post notices of upcoming events in the community at-large.  These events run the range from cultural, educational, and in some cases explorations of topical political issues.  In the interest of providing information to our congregation about the diversity of interesting events in the Ottawa community we will post notices of these events in our regular newsletter.

We recognize also that from time to time we are requested to post notices of events which are highly controversial in nature and reflect a wide range of opinions among our congregation on particular issues.  We are, however, of the opinion that it is appropriate for us to post events taking place in the community which may challenge us, which may cause discomfort, and which may cause us to reflect on some of our beliefs.  Our openness to post notices for a wide range of community events, however, does not mean that we have abdicated our responsibility to show discernment and to distinguish between those events which demonstrate an open-minded and thoughtful approach to specific issues and those which do not appear to reflect such values.  So, we will make judgments about what notices we believe are appropriate to post and those which we believe will not contribute to a thoughtful and balanced exploration of ideas and issues.

Will we make mistakes along the way?  Probably.  But the possibility of errors of judgment does not mean that we can excuse ourselves from the responsibility to show judgment in posting notices about events in the community and we promise to do so with openness tempered by a sense of responsibility.

In agreeing to post any notice of an event in the community, Or Haneshamah does not endorse, support or promote any perspectives, positions or ideas expressed in the events which are posted in our newsletter.