From the Rabbi

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Weekend Snapshot

Recent Events - Information and Resources

“How a rabbi and imam are providing their communities with comfort”
Rabbi Liz and Imam Sikander were interviewed about providing care during these current times of grief. Click HERE to listen to the full segment.

Emergency Counselling 
The Team at JFS and the Counselling Group are offering free single-session counselling if you need to speak with someone about the terror attacks in Israel. Support is here for you in English, French, Hebrew, and Russian and more sessions are being added every day. 
https://www.jfsottawa.com/counselling-programs/

How to Talk About the Current War with Kids
If you’re looking for some guidance on how to talk with your kids about this moment, this piece from Kveller might be helpful. (You’ll note that this is from a few years ago; how devastatingly sad that it’s still so relevant today.) The bottom line is this: You don’t have to have the answers. You just have to be there.

This Weekend's Services and Programs

Shabbat Limmud VeRuach - Study & Spirit
Saturday, October 21
Fellowship Hall (in-person only)
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Bring your full self to this Shabbat experience, as we bring another challenging week to a close. A period of quiet contemplative sitting, singing and chanting will be followed by a deep dive into our parshah of the week, Noach. We’ll follow our service and study with a potluck gathering of kindred spirits sharing a meal and the comfort of community. 
Following Kiddush lunch, Rabbi Liz will stay for those who wish additional time to be together in supportive conversation, a salve for our grieving hearts and troubled souls. Let this Shabbat morning offer a restorative and renewing integration of body, mind and spirit.

Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, October 21
Room 5 (First U) 
9:40 a.m. start
Families will explore some tough questions, like what prayer is for, and what Noah and Naamah were feeling during the flood. We’ll also sing, play games, meet new Hebrew words, and make some beautiful rainbows. We’ll conclude with Or Haneshamah for Kiddush and the potluck luncheon.

Chanting and Chocolate 
Saturday, October 21
Room 5 (First U)
7:30p start time
Chant for Peace with the Ottawa Chanting & Chocolate Band featuring founder Lorne Mallin visiting from Vancouver. Come together in community to raise our voices for an end to violence at this terribly difficult time. Tea and Lorne's triple-chocolate brownies after the chant. Suggested $10 donation supports the education of four Jewish children in the Abayudaya community in Uganda.

Community Opportunities

Come Leyn Torah!
Leyning is the beautiful art of chanting from the Torah and a meaningful way to connect deeply with Torah. If you already know how to leyn and would like to chant an aliya this year, please let Shira know as soon as possible at rituals@orh.ca. 
If you don't know how to leyn but would like to learn, let Shira know and she will be happy to teach you. You can reach her at rituals@orh.ca. 
If you leyned a long time ago and would like some support in refreshing your skills, you guessed it... email Shira at rituals@orh.ca.

Volunteers Needed
Or Haneshamh programs are amazing thanks to our volunteers. We need some Setup/Takedown, Tech, and Zoom volunteers for our upcoming events and services. Click HERE and add your name.

Board of Directors

Chair: Andrea, president@orh.ca 
Vice President: Gabrielle, gabrielle@orh.ca
Past President: Carolyn, carolyn@orh.ca 
Treasurer: Janice, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Emmet, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: Andrea, communications@orh.ca
Membership: TBD
Volunteer Coordinator: TBD
Interim Member-at-large: Sarah, sarah@orh.ca  
Interim Member-at-large: Ari, ari@orh.ca
 

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.