OrH Newsletter

Or Haneshamah - Ottawa's Reconstructionist Community

Shabbat in the Park on July 22
On Saturday, July 22, Join our community at Andrew Haydon Park as we gather to celebrate and explore growth, camp-style, through the traditional structure of our Shabbat morning service led by our educator, Eliyanah Delicate. We will mark the return of Rabbi Liz from education leave, and celebrate the culmination of a year of growth for our Machaneh Shabbat Camp and BaMa’gal/B’nei Mitzvah Group families. We will root ourselves in tradition and leaf out through the innovative as we connect with Shabbat in the beauty of the Park. After the service we will enjoy kiddush and a vegetarian pot-luck picnic lunch together. Meet at 10 am by the river behind the band shell (and in the band shell if it is raining). Bring your lawn chair and games. Invite family, friends, and neighbours to join in. For information contact info@orh.ca. See you there!
 
Note: please bring your own copy of Shabbat v’hagim if you happen to have one.

Seeking Volunteers for Shabbat in the Park
Our beautiful Shabbat in the Park will take place on July 22. We are looking for some strong volunteers and some people with vans to help us move tables etc. from Cleary Avenue to Andrew Haydon Park. Please contact Jan at jjottawa@hotmail.com.

July Shabbat-Around-the-Table
Our next community-member hosted Friday night Shabbat dinner is July 28. We currently have one host in the west end. If you are interested in attending please contact Olly at owodin@yahoo.ca. No food restrictions. If you are interested in hosting your own Shabbat on July 28 or August 25 please contact Jan at jjottawa@hotmail.com.

Help Design a New Or Haneshamah Logo
We are looking to create a new Or Haneshamah's logo, used on the website and other communication, and are reaching out to members for their ideas. Send any and all suggestions, creative inspirations, or sketches to communications@orh.ca. Professional-quality design not required!

Upcoming Services And Events
 
Shabbat in the Park
Saturday, July 22, 2017, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Andrew Haydon Park, 3169 Carling Ave
Our annual summer Shabbat morning service in the park, followed by pot-luck picnic lunch.   

Shabbat-Around-the-Table
Friday, July 28, 2017, West End
Our monthly community-member hosted pot-luck Shabbat, held this month in the west end. To rsvp contact Olly at owodin@yahoo.ca. To be a host or for more information contact Jan at jjottawa@hotmail.com.   

Reconstructionist News
 
A message from RRC/Jewish Reconstructionist Communities:
RRC/JRC is in the midst of a process designed to craft a new name and a clear message for our unified organization. We have concluded the first part of the process in which we spent seven months talking with Reconstructionist rabbis, congregants, educators, staff members, students, and others about who we are, what we do, and who we want to become. The thoughts and ideas we collected will guide us toward the next part of the process, in which we will select a new name and new messaging to best reflect who we are and who we aspire to be. The information we gathered will be used to craft a new distillation of who and what we are, including a new name, tag line, and logo. For this stage, we will again seek the input of the Reconstructionist community, and we invite you to participate. If you are interested in providing feedback, likely in the form of short online surveys that will be distributed over the next several weeks, please share your contact information by clicking here.
 
Masa Israel Teaching Fellowship Opportunity.
BINA, one of the Reconstructionist movement’s partner organizations in Israel, invites young North American adults (ages 21-30) to apply for a Masa Israel Teaching Fellowship. The 10 month-Fellowship offers teaching and volunteering opportunities with Israeli Jewish and Arab youth. Fellows serve as teachers (those with teaching certification) or teaching assistants in Arab schools, while engaging in unique learning experiences focused on social justice, Israeli society and Hebrew language immersion. Help make coexistence a reality, while promoting equal opportunities to reduce the education gap in Israeli society, fostering dialogue, and developing platforms for Jewish-Arab interaction. Participants pay $1000 and in return receive: airfare, housing, Ulpan (Hebrew language immersion classes), amenities, and a small stipend from about $650-$1,430 per month.
 
BINA considers itself “the leading organization at the intersection of Jewish Pluralism & Social Action in Israel.” They design and implement programming that integrates cultural, social and educational elements of Judaism, while promoting religious pluralism, honoring secular Israeli identity, and focusing on social justice work across all kinds of lines and sectors in Israeli society.
 
More information is available at www.bina.org.il/itf. If you have additional questions or want to speak directly with someone from BINA about this program, contact Elliot Glassenberg at elliot@bina.org.il or at (847) 920-8641. (This is a US telephone number and Elliot is based in the US).

In The Ottawa Community
* = New item this week
 
* Chanting & Chocolate: Joyful singing from the heart
Monday, July 31, 7:30 - 9 pm, Temple Israel Congregation, 1301 Prince of Wales Dr. Join us for sacred Hebrew chanting with beautiful melodies and spiritual intention to open the heart and connect with the Divine. Chanting, the repetition of a sacred phrase, is a way of transforming words of sacred text into a joyful experience. OrH member Lorne Mallin, who has brought Chanting & Chocolate from Vancouver, is joined by Ottawa musical friends. Hebrew knowledge is not required – chant sheets are provided. After the chanting, we'll enjoy tea and home-baked, triple-chocolate brownies. $10 suggested donation. Proceeds help five Ugandan orphans go to school. Contact Lorne at lorne.mallin@gmail.com or 604-222-3379, http://chantingandchocolate.com.
 
* Job Opportunity: Kosher Food Bank Manager
Kehillat Beth Israel is currently hiring a part-time manager for the Ottawa Kosher Food Bank (KBI-OKFB). This is a new, part-time paid position of approximately 15 to 20 hours a week. If you are interested, and for more information, please contact Susan Grossner at susan@kehillatbethisrael.com. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday August 2, 2017.
 
Jewish Family Services volunteer opportunities 

• JFS is looking for a couple or other team of two volunteers with access to a vehicle and a couple of hours to spare 1-2 times per month.  One person will take a client grocery shopping at the College Square Loblaws, while the other hangs out with her husband at home.  Call 613.722.2225, x315 to help.
• An isolated senior living in the South Keys area needs a friendly visitor to spend a couple of hours with her every week or two, wandering Carlingwood mall, going out for coffee, attending a class, or just sitting and chatting. Jewish female preferred. Please call 613.722.2225, x315 to help.

 
The Canadian Jewish Experience presents an evening remembering Louis Rasminsky: Great Canadian, Jewish Icon 
The event will celebrate Rasminsky’s achievements as Governor of the Bank of Canada (1961-73), chair of the drafting committee at the Bretton Woods conference, which laid the groundwork for the post World War II international financial arrangements. The lecture will be based on historical and anecdotal material on Lou’s career and how his Judaism influenced it. It will be delivered by Charles Freedman, former Deputy Governor, Bank of Canada, and currently Scholar in Residence and Adjunct Research Professor, Economics Department, Carleton University, with remarks by Gordon Thiessen, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, and Dr. Michael Rasminsky. Sunday, July 23rd at 7 PM at the SJCC, 21 Nadolny Sachs Private. Refreshments will be served. RSVP to 2017cje@gmail.com.
 
March of the Living Chaperones needed.
Currently seeking chaperones for the April 2018 March of the Living trip. For more information contact Natalie at nabenhaim@jewishottawa.com, or 613-798-4696 ext. 355.
 
The Jewish Federation's Volunteer Centre is looking for volunteers to assist with a wide range of activities in the community. There is something for everyone. For a complete list of opportunities visit https://jewishottawa.com/volunteering. Help give back! Volunteers help make our community strong! For more information contact lkaufman@jewishottawa.com or call Leslie Kaufman at 613-798-4696, ext. 297.

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:

Donations toward ongoing congregational operations:

• General donations, which fund programming, rabbinic leadership, and essential administrative costs.
• Donations in honour of, or in memory of, a person or event. All such donations are acknowledged through the Or Haneshamah card program, which sends notices of donation and a personalized message to a designated recipient.

Targeted donations:

• Dedication of ritual objects and books. We are currently seeking donations of $54 for each new copy of our Machzor (high holiday prayer book). Donations will be recognized by bookplates that may be in honour of, or in memory of, a person or event.
• Gita Taub Education Fund, which supports educational programming and access for members who would otherwise be unable to afford participation in Or Haneshamah or other valuable activities. Our present focus for disbursements from the fund is OrH’s new Machaneh Shabbat (Shabbat Camp) for primary school-aged children, which launched in September.
• Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. Donations that the Rabbi gives to people in need or to support charities the Rabbi deems important.

Please make any of the above donations through the website by clicking on the "Donate" menu item.

Or Haneshamah Endowment Fund

• Established in May 2016, the Endowment Fund is a pool of financial assets that is invested to provide a reliable and ongoing source of income for our community's activities. Annual payouts from the fund go into Or Haneshamah's general revenues. Donations are made through the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF) online at www.ojcf.ca or by telephone at 613-798-4696 ext 274.
  
  

Thank you for your generosity and support of OrH!

Potluck Protocol
Our community’s long time practice is to welcome egg, dairy and fish on the potluck table. Please label your meal contributions with all ingredients to help people with food allergies or sensitivities; also advise kitchen staff whether dish is to be served hot or cold.

Rides to Services and Events
Will you need a ride to services and OrH events? Are you able to offer a ride to services OrH events? We encourage members to be generous with their offers of rides. Please contact  info@orh.ca  with your name and area of the city you are coming from.

Visiting or Studying in Toronto or Montreal?
If you or your children will be in Toronto or Montreal, they are very welcome at our sibling congregations. We have reciprocal memberships with both Darchei Noam (Toronto) and Dorshei Emet (Montreal). Likewise, we welcome their members to our services, programs, and High Holy Day services. For security reasons we ask to call ahead to make arrangements for the High Holy Days.

A Caring Community
Members are encouraged to contact the rabbi or any board member to let us know about your pastoral care needs, or the needs of another member, whether related to a new or an ongoing circumstance. These may include such situations as a pending hospitalization, a change in health, relationship, or employment status, other life transitions, or the death of a loved one. Through knowing what is happening in each other’s lives, we give each other, including our rabbi, the opportunity to perform acts of gemilut hasadim/loving kindness, the hallmark of a caring community.

We Are Listening
How do you feel things are going in our community? Do you have ideas about programs or events that we should pursue? What aspects of Or Haneshamah do you feel are working well, and what do you think can be improved?  In the interest of making OrH the best community that it can be, the board and rabbi invite you to submit comments and feedback at any time. Please send your thoughts to  feedback@orh.ca  or directly to any member of the board (email addresses below).

Board of Directors
President: Paula,  president@orh.ca
Treasurer: Jacob,  treasurer@orh.ca
Education: Heni,  learning@orh.ca
Communications: David,  communications@orh.ca
Secretary: David,  secretary@orh.ca
Membership: Janet,  membership@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Jean,  member-at-large.jean@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Jan,  member-at-large.jan@orh.ca
Past President: Mark,  past-president@orh.ca
 
Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton:  rabbi@orh.ca ​​​​​​​
Members are welcome to contact Rabbi Liz, 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.

Or Haneshamah - Ottawa's Reconstructionist Community
30 Cleary Ave.
Ottawa, ON K2A 4A1

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