OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

2 December 2020

OrH Annual Campaign 5781

Yesterday we launched our annual fundraising campaign. While we always rely on our annual campaign to cover our costs and balance our budget, this year’s campaign is particularly important. Though we have been forced to shift our services and events online, our expenses remain the same, while our revenues have declined. This was not entirely unexpected, and the community approved a deficit budget at our AGM last spring. Recognizing that the pandemic has stressed household incomes, we introduced a “pay what you can” model for our annual membership and High Holiday visitors fees. While these actions have ensured that we stay true to our commitment to be inclusive, open, and accessible, they have resulted in a shortfall in our revenues, more than we have experienced before.
 
To sustain our ongoing programming and to ensure the necessary resources to allow us to offer unique, engaging and meaningful online services and events, we have set an ambitious campaign target of $36,000 – 10% higher than last year’s successful campaign target. 
 
We are appealing to all OrH members, High Holiday visitors, and friends to please support Or Haneshamah with a donation to our annual campaign this year. Together we can achieve our ambitious goal. Donating is easy: visit orh.ca/annual-campaign.html, where you can make a payment by credit card or PayPal with no added convenience fees. If you wish to pay by e-transfer or mail a cheque, instructions are on our donation page. 
 
Thank you for your continued support,
 
Your OrH Board of Directors

Parshat Vayishlach – This Land and Human Rights
 
Join us this Saturday morning, December 5, 2020, the Shabbat prior to the anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as we explore our relationship to the land and its original inhabitants. Sarah Waisvisz will offer a devar torah and guide us in crafting personal reflections about our connection to the natural world and in thinking about how we relate to the land on which we live and gather as a spiritual community. More info at: https://www.orh.ca/event/zoomservice120520

Celebrating Hanukkah as a Community

Please join us on Friday, December 10 for a Kabbalat Shabbat service to mark the second night of Hanukkah. Have all your candles ready to light as we welcome Shabbat and celebrate the Festival of Lights with song and spirit.
 
On Sunday, December 13, at 5:45 pm, Rabbi Liz will lead the Ottawa Community virtual candle lighting, organized by the SJCC and Jewish Federation of Ottawa. Register by December 9 at https://jewishottawa.redpodium.com/community-virtual-chanukah-candle-lighting.
 
We would like to invite members who want to share Hanukkah candle lighting with other community members over Zoom to reach out to us. We will compile a list of “hosts” to lead us in the candle lighting blessing for each of the eight nights, with Zoom links and times. Please let us know if you would like to host and we will add you do a list! Please contact info@orh.ca. Stay tuned for more information!

Upcoming Services and Events

Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, December 5, 2020
9:00 AM (Machaneh Aleph), 9:30 AM (Machaneh Bet) – 10:30 AM, Zoom

Shabbat Morning Torah Service
Saturday, December 5, 2020
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Zoom 

Kabbalat Shabbat/Hanukkah
Friday, December 11, 2020
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Zoom  
 
Schmooze 'n Learn: The “Invention” of Hanukkah
Sunday, December 13, 2020
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Zoom  
 
Ottawa Community Candle Lighting w/Rabbi Liz
Sunday, December 13, 2020
5:45 PM - 6:00 PM Zoom  

Reconstructionist News

Strategic planning survey
Reconstructing Judaism has embarked on a strategic planning process to envision the near-term future of the organization. To inform that process, they are seeking to understand constituents’ needs in these tumultuous times. Please consider sharing your perspective by completing a brief survey. It should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete and will help support Reconstructing Judaism in its work building spiritual communities.

The archive of back issues of Reconstructionism Today is available at: https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/newsletter-archive

In The Ottawa Community
* = New item this week
 
Community Events and Announcements

New Initiatives for Democracy in Israel: Protest and Progressive Renewal. A conversation between the New Israel Fund Canada Ottawa-based community and Yuval Yavneh, NIF’s Director of Grants and Programs in Israel. Sunday, December 6th at 2:00-3:30 pm Eastern via Zoom. Over the past decade, democratic processes in Israel have been seriously undermined. Netanyahu’s attacks have increased against progressive media, the judiciary, human rights organizations and minorities. Despite pandemic restrictions, thousands are mobilizing in weekly protests against the government, calling for democratic reforms and Netanyahu’s resignation. There are small, but significant, victories and signs of progressive change. Join other supporters/allies of NIFC in Ottawa for a virtual meeting with the director of NIF’s grants and programs in Israel and learn about cutting-edge initiatives to nurture new leadership, build creative coalitions, and promote sustainable change in these critical times. RSVP online here: https://www.nifcan.org/ottawa-salon-registration/

* STORIES FROM A JEWISH PLANET. AJA 50+ is pleased to announce that Professor Seymour Mayne will be presenting a talk on Monday, December 7, at 2:00 p.m., entitled Stories from a Jewish Planet. Seymour will read from and explore three comedic stories from his book of selected short fiction, The Old Blue Couch and Other Stories (Ronald P. Frye & Co.).  For literary mavens, these are amusing stories with serious themes embedded in the characterization and plots. Audience members are encouraged to purchase copies of the book online from Frye & Co. which will be a vote of support for the continued publication of Jewish Canadian writing by this Ontario publisher.  https://www.ronaldpfrye.com/shop/the-old-blue-couch/  The collection is also available in French, Hebrew, Romanian, and Spanish editions, which may be purchased online from Amazon or the foreign publishers.  Members of AJA+ are invited to register on the AJA website. Guests can contact Seymour directly at mayne@uottawa.ca for further information on how they can attend this online event.
 
Emerging Generation EG Chanukah Dough Ball. December 15, 8 pm. Members of our young professionals division are invited to learn to make sufganiyot (doughnuts) and connect for a casual evening of fun. The event is free of charge, and pre-registration is required. We will share a list of ingredients so you can pour yourself a glass of wine, and follow along to make your own batch of sufganiyot! Please register here by Monday, Dec. 14, at 1 pm. Contact Sarah Beutel at 613-798-4696, sbeutel@jewishottawa.com

Opportunities

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

December Board Chair: Barbara, membership@orh.ca
Treasurer: Ari, treasurer@orh.ca
Interim Secretary: Kathy, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: David, communications@orh.ca
Membership: Barbara, membership@orh.ca
Learning: Diana, learning@orh.ca
Ritual/Many Hands: Shira, rituals@orh.ca ​​​​​​​
 Interim Member-at-Large: Elijah, elijah@orh.ca  
​​​​​​​Interim Member-at-Large: Carolyn, carolyn@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.