OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

2 February 2021

Jewish Disability and Inclusion Month (JDAIM)
at OrH and in Ottawa
 
OrH Inclusion Shabbat – Saturday, February 6 at 10:30am.
Along with synagogues across North America, we dedicate this shabbat service in honour of JDAIM. We’ll open our eyes, ears and hearts to the messages about special needs in the Torah. Explore how we can all embrace and advocate for a whole and holy inclusivity in Jewish communal spaces.
 
Take Part in The Ottawa Jewish Community Conversation. Make every voice count! Register at https://jdaim.cultivateforecasts.com to answer up to eight questions about inclusion, your experiences with the Ottawa Jewish community, and your hopes for an inclusive future. Participation may be public or anonymous. The more participation, the broader the possibilities for expanding community inclusion. Sign up!
 
Students - Enter the JOIN Leadership Challenge! JOIN stands for the Jewish Ottawa Inclusion Network. Students up to Grade 12 are invited to submit their ideas for how to create inclusive programs, spaces, or virtual spaces in our community for people of all abilities. The winner receives a prize of $180. Email submissions to Dr. Madelaine Werier, parent advocate and co-founder of JOIN at maddy128@hotmail.com
 
For a full list of events taking place visit: https://jewishottawa.com/events/jdaim-jewish-disabilities-awareness-acceptance-and-inclusion

Words of the Spirit
 
It’s Always Time For Thanks
 
It’s been a minute.
 
This rather quirky contemporary expression means its opposite.
 
When you [used to] run into someone on the sidewalk, if it had been a while since you’d seen each other, it’s what one of you might say to the other.
 
Really. It’s been a minute.
 
Time, many of us are experiencing, is doing funky things these days. When it comes to Jewish calendar time, that is always the case. There was Tu Bishvat, in cold, Ottawa January. Here comes Purim, and not many of us are feeling the dress-up feels, when [some of us are mostly wearing] sweatpants are the costume-du-jour. And – what? – Passover will be in March?!?
 
We lose track of time – another peculiar expression. Not many of us are likely to “forget to remember” that pandemic life [#pandemiclife] is entering its 11th month. We’re approaching an unbidden anniversary. While we in our community have adapted and embraced our capacity to connect virtually, some aspects of this global virus – the terribly high death toll, the disproportionate impact on already marginalized groups and peoples – offer nothing to celebrate.
 
Al achat kama vekhama – how much more so, the rabbis would say, when examining a particular passage or story, how much more so this because of that. Since it is true that so much in our midst is challenging, let’s really celebrate the good and the fun, be heartily grateful for our blessings, and generously thank those who give of themselves for others. Here are a few ORH-niks doing just that:
 
OUR TECH TEAM! With David M at the helm, members like Ken V, Carolyn W and Gary S have their hands on the wheel of our Zoom services, modestly perched behind our logo, screensharing like bosses.
 
OUR SHABBAT/MANY HANDS TEAM! Instead of shlepping siddurim to the table at the back of the room or bring all the Torah-reading paraphernalia to the bimah, folks like Karen B, Aviva H-S, Keith N, and Mike S have signed on to “admit” and “chat” away with the folks in our Zoom rooms.
 
OUR BOARD! We see their names in each newsletter, but that hardly conveys the scope of care and effort (AND learning AND amusement) your fellow-sister-companion members bring to the table.
 
SO MANY MORE OF YOU! Initiating and crafting our Instagram messages, forging a path of learning and action on anti-black racism, making ways to connect for holidays, checking in with messages of connection and friendship, singing at services, generating our fund-raising campaign, and more and more and more. Modim anachnu – WE THANK YOU!
 
Jewish practice is shaped in Jewish time and Jewish space. Where and when we gather shapes our traditions. What we are doing now – innovation by necessity – is nothing less than an extension of this continuously evolving thing that is the way the Jewish people do Judaism.
 
We sing about time limnot yameynu – count our days. These days count, big-time. The first times we see each other in person we may still say “it’s been a minute,” knowing it’s been much, much longer. Yet we’ll know that all of those minutes, weeks and months have been made so much more endurable, because each of you, each of us, counts.
 
- Rabbi Liz

Care for the Caregiver Course
 
A 3-Session Workshop via Zoom presented by Ottawa Rabbis Bolton, Kenter and Mikelberg and Ottawa Pastoral care trainer Lisa Boulay. Thursdays March 4th, 11th and 18th from 1.30 to 2.45 p.m. Cost is $20.00 for all three sessions.
 
This program is for those in the Ottawa Jewish Community who are caring for their loved ones, either at home or in a community setting.  It will provide a Jewish perspective on caregiving, as well as helpful general coping strategies. Topics will include: Self care, Understanding compassion fatigue, and Setting boundaries. 

Please register through the Temple Israel Office at reception@templeisraelottawa.com or by calling 613-224-1802, Extension 5. If you would like more information about the program, please contact Jane Gordon at gordon.jane38@gmail.com or Susan Fried at susanfried@rogers.com

Upcoming Services and Events

Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, February 6, 2021
9:00 AM (Machaneh Aleph), 9:30 AM (Machaneh Bet) – 10:30 AM, Zoom  

Inclusion Shabbat
Saturday, February 6, 2021
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Zoom  

Chanting and Chocolate
Sunday, February 7, 2021
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Zoom  

Schmooze 'n Learn: Jewish Food
Sunday, February 14, 2021
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Zoom  

Reconstructionist News

OrH Members may be interested in some upcoming Recon events:
 
How To Be An Inclusion Hero (Recon Community Live)
Sunday, February 7, 2021, 2:30 pm EST
Presenter: Kehillat Sukkat Shalom - Columbus, OH
Presenter email: joaniecalem@gmail.com
Come join JEOrg, the Jewish Educators Organization (Columbus, OH) in honoring JDAIM, Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (February!) This year’s intergenerational event will be online of course. Come learn how to be an inclusion hero and defeat exclusion. Interactive activities for all ages. To register for this event, please email Joanie Calem, Education Coodinator, at joaniecalem@gmail.com. Click here to receive event details.
 
Neurodiversity and Inclusion: Lessons from Covid 19 and from the Torah (Recon Community Live)
Sunday, February 21, 2021, 7:00 pm EST
Presenter: Kehillat Sukkat Shalom - Columbus, OH
Presenter email: joaniecalem@gmail.com
In honor of JDAIM, Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, (February!) please join us for an online conversation with Prof. Samuel Levine, Professor of Law, Director of the Jewish Law Institute, and founder of the Disability Rights and Inclusion Project at Touro Law Center, on the topic of: “Neurodiversity and Inclusion: Lessons from Covid 19 and from the Torah.” To register for this event, please email Joanie Calem, Education Coodinator, at joaniecalem@gmail.com. Click here to receive event details .

Reconstructing Judaism is changing the location where digital prayerbooks are stored. The new links are now hosted on the Reconstructing Judaism website and should be much more stable and accessible. These links are not visible on the main website. Although the old links will remain active for the time being, we strongly encourage you to switch to these new links as soon as possible. 
 
Daily Prayerbook
Shabbat Vehagim
Prayers for a House of Mourning
Machzor

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

* Israel and the American Evangelical Movement. J Stream Briefing on Wednesday, February 3, 2:30pm EST. Today, it is impossible to understand the US domestic politics on Israel and Palestine without exploring the central role of Evangelical organizations and their donor networks. These dynamics will be the focus of our next J Stream event, next Wednesday, February 3 at 2:30pm EST. The event will be moderated by journalist Arianna Skibell and feature Reverend Dr. Mae Cannon, President of Churches for Middle East Peace and Greg Khalil, President and Co-Founder of Telos, a Christian pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, pro-peace advocacy organization. Register here.

* JDAIM,  Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month events
Join the North American Kickoff event for Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month on February 3, at 7 pm, featuring world-renowned violist Itzhak Perlman and others:  click here.
Mobilizing Canadians for Inclusion, February 16 from 3 - 4 pm, Register here.
We will welcome the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion for an interactive discussion on Disability Inclusion in Canada and how we can all make our community more inclusive to all. This event is presented in partnership with CIJA.
For the Jewish Federations of North America's full event listing: click here. To see more information on local Ottawa & Canadian Programming & Resources: click here. 

The Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies at Carleton University presents a virtual lecture: “Jews and the Development of Popular Music in the20th century in the USA and Canada,” presented by Allan Moscovitch, Thursday, February 4, 2021 @ 7:30 pm (EDT). To attend, email: michaelabaxleaney@outlook.com to get the Zoom link and passcode. Please: For security reasons, do not share the link or passcode with anyone else – ask them to contact Michaela directly.

* Embodying the Amidah - February 7 - March 5. Explore prayer practice with the Institute for Jewish spirituality. Led by Rabbi Myriam Klotz (RRC '98), this 30-day prayer intensive is designed to help cultivate a rich practice in connection with the Amidah, the standing prayer. Click here for more details [https://www.jewishspirituality.org/go-deeper/prayer-project/amidah/]. Register by February 4th.

* Kavod v’Nichum’s Gamliel Institute Course 3: Chevrah Kadisha: Educating, Organizing and Training. Whether you’re already in a Chevrah Kadisha that provides Taharah and Shmirah, or you’re thinking about starting one in your own community, this course is for you. Chevrah Kadisha Educating, Organizing and Training will help you learn how to build and strengthen your Chevrah, and how to build support from your community, clergy, and lay leaders.
Course 3 of six courses that comprise the core curriculum needed to receive Chevrah Kadisha Certification. Tuesdays, February 23 – May 11, 2021 – 8pm EST $500USD – Discounts and Scholarships available. More information: https://www.jewish-funerals.org/core-curriculum-course-3/

* Honouring Black Jewish Experiences. We invite you to the premiere broadcast for I am Jewish: Honouring Black Jewish Experiences on Wednesday, February 24 at 8 pm. In honour of our Black Jewish community members, we want to celebrate Black History Month together. The program will feature experiences & performances from here in Canada, and in connection to Israel.
Witness the experiences of June Girvan (Black History Ottawa), Tema Smith (18Doors), Nissim Black (international producer & rapper) & more. To view the full Speaker & Performer line-up & to register: click here.

Invitation from KBI to demonstrate on behalf of the Uyghurs. This year, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, members of Kehillat Beth Israel (KBI) demonstrated every weekday afternoon opposite the Chinese embassy on St. Patrick Street on behalf of the oppressed and
persecuted Uyghur population of China. At the conclusion of the week they decided to continue the demonstrations and protests on a weekly basis – they continue to meet and demonstrate one day a week, on Thursday afternoon.  They have also reached out to other faith communities to join them in this stand and their numbers have grown over time.
The mistreatment of the Uyghurs, including forced labor and “re-education” camps, is reminiscent of the Jewish experience with concentration camps of the Second World War, in the opinion of campaign organizer Andre Brantz, which inspired him to start the protests in September. Since then, a committee of the Parliament of Canada has described the Uyghur persecution as a form of genocide.
This week, the Guardian newspaper published an article by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis: "As chief rabbi, I can no longer remain silent about the plight of the Uyhgurs."  The subtitle is: "An unfathomable mass atrocity is being perpetrated in China.  The responsibility for doing something lies with all of us."
(https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/15/chief-rabbi-silent-plight-uighurs-atrocity-china)
We invite all members of the Ottawa Jewish community to join us on Thursday afternoons at 3 PM opposite the Chinese Embassy on St. Patrick Street.  It is our hope and our prayer that this action, taken in conjunction with other political and economic actions, will raise awareness and will lead to the end of these atrocities.

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

February Board Chair: David, communications@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.