From the Rabbi

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Newsletter

Words of the Spirit

And Yet…Towards Hope
These days, it is hard to know where to start, or what to focus on, when I write to you. Perhaps it is because my focus is constantly being pulled towards the prevailing Israel/Gaza crisis and its impact. Yet even in writing these words I know and understand that just the phrase “prevailing crisis,” without the qualifier, can refer to so many factors impacting our lives here and the lives of kol yoshvey tevel/all who dwell on earth. What should we look at? Where should we turn?

And yet. 

Our hearts, our kishkes/innards, our breath – as reliable barometer of our present experience – is collectively impacted by this place in this time. We are not well, many of us as individuals, and certainly the body of our people.

On Sunday, in a circle expertly shaped and compassionately held, many came to speak and listen to expressions of our present experience. This proved meaningful to and appreciated by all who attended, and we may well gather in this way again. How different, how utterly, painfully different, from the last time we gathered in our community to hold a Listening Circle related to Israeli/Palestinian issues. This moment now seems to be so powerfully shaped by one day, one date – October 7, 2023.

This awareness put me in mind of another date – lehavdil/heaven forfend you should think I am comparing – that shaped what followed in Israel: November 4, 1995. This is an excerpt of what I wrote about that date in 2015:

After his speech, and the rally’s closing song, Shir Lashalom (Song for Peace), a young Jewish student wheeled out of the darkness and shot him in the back. Rabin, the hero of war and the soldier of peace, was critically wounded. A short time later, he died of his wounds. The peace process also received a mortal blow…

Like so many times in the past twenty years since this tragic act – an act explicitly informed by a religious imperative from our precious heritage – it is easy to feel despair and hopelessness. Perhaps that’s okay, as a classmate of mine from RRC who made aliyah wrote the year of Rabin’s 7th yartsayt: “I decided last night that yom hazikaron l'yitzhak rabin (Memorial Day for Yitzhak Rabin) is the one day a year that I can allow myself to lose hope, as it is a little too much to ask to remain optimistic every single day.”

In these times, it may well become more and more difficult to remain optimistic every single day…>

We just passed the 28th yartsayt/anniversary of Rabin’s death. While there is much more I could say about its impact on me 28 years ago, what weighs on me more – and about which I do not have words – is the assasination’s prevailing impact on hopes for peace and justice in that land.

And yet.

As much as I hold and witness the existential fears of so many, here and there, I will continue to strive towards hope. The alternative, for me, would mean deactivating my very core, the wellspring of human-ness that renders me able to feel empathy, to envision and strive for a better world. 

For you, and for us, I hold on to hope.

Rabbi Liz

Coming Up At ORH

Double Chai Gala
Sunday, November 26
5pm - 8pm

It’s been 36 years of Or Haneshamah/Ottawa Reconstructionist Havurah’s official presence in Ottawa. It’s been 10 years since we welcomed Rabbi Liz as our Rabbi, and 10 years since we began meeting consistently at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. We have a lot to celebrate. Break out your fancy hats and sequins and don’t forget to mark Sunday, November 26 on your calendar. A silent auction, an elegant sit-down dinner, and musical talent Socalled! These are just a handful of the ways we’re partying it up. 

Spaces are limited so register for this fabulous event ASAP!

Double Chai Gala - Silent Auction
 
Do you have a special item you want to contribute to the silent auction? Please reply to this email and we will forward your info to the auction coordinator. Some ideas include unique jewelry, art, pottery, tickets to something interesting, special books, handmade objects… Use your imagination!

Contact administrator@orh.ca

Freylek Friday

November 10 is the next Freylekh Friday and Teddy Bear Shabbat. 

Tradition! Culture’s Glue or Peer Pressure from Dead Folx?
Jenny Burns is the Or Haneshamah Family Educator. She has an academic background in Humanities (BHums) and Folklore Studies (MA). Dating back to the Occupy Wall Street movement, she’s researched, written, and presented on issues of global/local dynamics in community programming. Nov. 10 Jenny will interweave these issues with the unintentional yet harmful Romanticizing of “Tradition” in our Judaism.

Fall Fair Reminder

Once a year our hosts First Unitarian Congregation run their Fall Fair. This is the one time of year when we do not have access to our home at 30 Cleary. Keep an eye out for virtual programs and offsite adventures the week of November 12 to 19.

Upcoming Services and Events

Freylekh Friday
Friday, November 10
Room 5 and Fellowship Hall 
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Teddy Bear Shabbat (in-person only)
Register Here
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Shabbat potluck, Kabbalat Shabbat, and Guest Speaker Jenny Burns (In-person and via Zoom) 
Register Here

Traditional Egalitarian Davening 
Saturday, November 18
Zoom ONLY
10:00 am - 12:00 pm 
Led by ORH Rituals Coordinator Shira Weidenbaum

Double Chai Gala
Sunday, November 26
Fellowship Hall and Worship Hall
5 PM - 8 PM
Click Here to Register

Reconstructionist Events

*Indicates new items. 

* Join the MORDECAI KAPLAN CENTER FOR JEWISH PEOPLEHOOD for special programming in 5784 in honour of Kaplan’s 40th yartsayt and the 90th anniversary of his hallmark work, Judaism as a Civilization: What Remains Revelatory in the 21st Century in Mordecai Kaplan’s Thought? with Drs. David Ellenson, Arnie Eisen, and Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer (RRC '82), moderated by Dr. Eric Caplan. 

Sunday, November 12, 2023 @ 3pm ET |  Register here
The first of a three-part series in honor of the 40th Yahzeit of Mordecai Kaplan and the 90th anniversary of Judaism as a Civilization!

Co-sponsored by Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, Reconstructing Judaism, The Jewish Publication Society, Linda Rich and Ittai Hershman, Rabbi Jeffrey Weill, and RRA Members Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben (HUC '76), Rabbi Dennis Sasso (RRC '74), Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (RRC '74)

Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 3pm Eastern
The Hanukkah Gift to the Jewish People and World that Keeps on Giving with Drs. Rabbi Deborah Waxman (RRC '99) and Elias Sacks on the significance of Judaism as a Civilization as we approach the 90th anniversary of its publication in 1934. Co-sponsored by Reconstructing Judaism, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, & The Jewish Publication Society

Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 3pm Eastern
The Great Kaplanian Report Card: Valley Beth Shalom as a Kaplanian Playground with Rabbis Ed Feinstein and Jeffrey Schein (RRC '77) on the successes and challenges of implementing the Judaism as a Civilization program. Co-sponsored by The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and The Jewish Publication Society

* Ritual Well Courses 
Looking online for creative Jewish learning, inspiration, and connection? Check out these UPCOMING CLASSES on ritualwell.org :

Spiritual Revolutionaries: The Ba’al Shem Tov
with Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein
Mondays, Oct. 16, 23, 30; Nov. 6, 20, 27 @ 1 p.m. Eastern

Honoring Heirloom through Words: Writing to Discover & Declutter
with Ellen Blum Barish & Gari Julius Wilbacher
Wednesdays, Oct. 18, 25; Nov. 1, 8 @ 12 p.m. Eastern

Community Events

CJPAC’s Generation: Student Leaders Program (Application extended) 

CJPAC’s Generation: Student Leaders Program is designed specifically for high school students who are politically curious. This program is open to all Jewish high school students in grades 10-12 (secondary 4 and 5 in Quebec) across Canada. Participants gather monthly throughout the school year for a combination of virtual and in-person sessions, meeting with a variety of experienced and insightful speakers. Generation participants engage in thoughtful discussions with other young adults that are designed to open the doors to engagement in the democratic process. During these sessions, students enhance their political knowledge, strengthen their voices, and hone their skills. As a part of the program, students may apply to attend a culminating trip in Ottawa in April 2024.
Although the official application period is closed, we’re extending it for Ottawa teens, but they need to apply quickly.  

The link is https://cjpac.ca/generation/generation-application/ . If anyone has questions, reach out to Jgorman@cjpac.ca

Ilse Koch on Trial: Gender, Violence and Making the ‘Bitch of Buchenwald’
A zoom webinar for Holocaust Education Month with Professor Tomaz Jardim.
Nov 13, 2023 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this webinar: https://carletonca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZTVbBBtkQK6pCYz_d6mUQw

An authoritative reassessment of one of the Third Reich’s most notorious war criminals, whose alleged sexual barbarism made her a convenient scapegoat and obscured the true nature of Nazi terror.

Make A Will Month Presentation
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
1:00 PM to 2:00 pm AND 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Are you prepared for life’s unexpected twists and turns? Discover the critical importance of having an up-to-date Will and Powers of Attorney by joining us on Wednesday, November 15th at 1:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. for an informative presentation hosted by Merovitz Potechin LLP, a local full-service law firm.

Presentation Highlights:

• Learn the fundamental principles of estate planning and why it is crucial for everyone, regardless of your age or wealth;
• Understand why having an up-to-date Will is the cornerstone of any comprehensive estate plan. Discover how it ensures your wishes are honored and your loved ones are taken care of; and
• Explore the critical role of Powers of Attorney in safeguarding your financial and healthcare decisions. Find out how these documents provide peace of mind during life’s unexpected turns. 

Presentation Speakers:
Yasmin M. Vinograd, Managing Partner and Estate Litigation Lawyer at Merovitz Potechin LLP.
Patrick R.J. Fontaine, Wills & Estates Lawyer at Merovitz Potechin LLP.

The presentation is free.
Please register in advance @spotechin@jccottawa.com  

The Dybbuk - movie and discussion - IN PERSON
In this mystical tale of lovers and supernatural possession, two friends tempt fate by betrothing their unborn children only to be thwarted years later. Chonen the young lover (Leon Liebgold, Tevye) turns to the dangerous power of Kabbalah to win back his love (Lili Liliana, Kol Nidre). Made in 1937 in Yiddish with English subtitles, this “Hasidic Gothic,” The Dybbuk, shines a light on Poland on the eve of WWII. Discussion and Q & A after the film. In partnership with the Vered Jewish Canadian Studies Program at Ottawa U.
Wednesday, November 22 from 7:00 - 9:40 pm
Cost: $10 per person

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.