OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

13 April 2021

Within the Eye of the Storm
 
In Honour of Yom Ha'atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day), join us for a showing and discussion of the moving 2013 film, “Within the Eye of the Storm,” Wednesday, April 14, 7:00-8:30 pm. The film tells the story of Bassam and Rami, former soldiers on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, who embark on a joint mission to humanize the conflict’s opposing sides to prevent the vicious cycle of retaliation after their daughters are killed in the conflict.
 
Diana Ralph will introduce the film and facilitate a discussion after the 1 hour showing. 
 
You may view the film in advance of the session at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkqRibYJCHI. Note that while we will screen the film via Zoom, the quality will likely be better if viewed independently. If you have pre-viewed the film, you can join the discussion at 8:00 pm.
 
We also strongly encourage you to read the amazing, award winning book, Apeirogon by Colum McCann, which covers the same story with rich, poetic depth. Longlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of the National Jewish Book Award.
 
Please register here.

Upcoming Shabbat Service and Baby Naming!

Shabbat Tazria/Metzora – Baby Naming! – April 17 / 20th day of the omer, 10:30 am

Join in our virtual, participatory, creative, musical OrH-style Shabbat morning service, led by Rabbi Liz. The service will include a special Aliyah and the naming of a new OrH baby!

Sydney Nestel on the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
 
Join us on Wednesday, April 28, at 7 pm for a presentation on the controversy over the IHRA definition of Antisemitism.

In 2016 the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization focusing on Holocaust-related issues, adopted a definition of antisemitism that has been endorsed by many governments, including those of Israel and Canada, and many organizations, including CIJA and B’nai Brith Canada. It has also been strongly opposed by the Progressive Israel Network, of which Reconstructing Judaism is a member, as well as many other Jewish organizations and civil liberties organizations here and worldwide, particularly over whether the IHRA definition can be used to prohibit and criminalize criticism of Israel. In this presentation, Sydney Nestel of our sister congregation in Toronto, Dorchei Noam, will discuss the controversy over the IHRA definition.

Sydney Nestel currently sits on Darchei Noam's adult education committee. He often co-teaches a course on Zionism and the Israel-Palestine conflict at the Parkdale Free School. He has studied and written extensively both on the nature of antisemitism and on the IHRA and alternative definitions. Sydney lived in Israel for 15 years. He is a husband, father, grandfather, and a retired IT consultant.

May 1st Lay-led Torah Service - Volunteer opportunity
 
The Shabbat Torah service on May 1st will be lay-led. Is there a song or prayer that you’d like to lead, a dvar Torah or reading you’d like to offer? There are many ways to participate and lots of support if you’d like to learn something new. Volunteer now! Email Shira at rituals@orh.ca.

Brief History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
 
For those who missed any of the three sessions with Rabbi Maurice Harris on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict you may view a recording of each lecture at: www.orh.ca/event/israel-palestine3. Participants have praised Rabbi Harris’s thoughtful, balanced, and compassionate discussion of a particularly complex and emotionally wrought history.

Upcoming Services and Events

Within the Eye of the Storm
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Zoom  

Shabbat Morning Service and Baby Naming
Saturday, April 17, 2021
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Zoom  
 
BaMa'gal B'nei Mitzvah Group
Sunday, April 18, 2021
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM, info@orh.ca

Chanting and Chocolate
Sunday, April 18, 2021
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Zoom  

Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, April 24, 2021
9:00 AM (Machaneh Aleph), 9:30 AM (Machaneh Bet) – 10:30 AM, Zoom 

Sydney Nestel on Antisemitism
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Zoom  

Reconstructionist News and Events

Convention 2022
From March 23 – 27, 2022 we will come together for B’Yachad: Reconstructing Judaism Together in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Over these four days, both in person and virtually, we will learn from and with experts, scholars and lay leaders. We will engage in conversations, ask questions, and listen. We will pray together, sing together, dance together and celebrate all that we do every day in our communities to reconstruct Judaism. 
 
B’Yachad will be an opportunity for you to reconnect with friends from conventions past and to form new friendships, as well as to deepen your sense of belonging to this community of communities.  If you choose to give your time, energy and resources to this gathering, we hope you will be transformed — perhaps by an encounter, a powerful teaching, or a song that touches your heart. You will leave with many takeaways -- resources, some answers, and even more questions. We will know that we have been successful if you return home excited about all you experience and inspired to share what you learned here that can strengthen your own community.
 
Visit the Convention 2022 website here.

Prayerbooks
Reconstructing Judaism has changed 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

In addition, you can now access the Reconstructionist Haggadah, A Night of Questions:
A Night of Questions  

If you would like to have a physical copy of this Haggadah as well, please click here to purchase.

If you would like to make a gift in appreciation of the digital download, please click here.

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

Upcoming free webinars of the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism at Indiana University:
András Kovács, “Antisemitism in post-Communist Hungary,” Sunday, April 18, 2021, noon EST. Registration
Anthony Julius, “Anti-Semitism as a Hostile Environment – Theory and Contemporary Instances,” Sunday, April 25, 2021, noon EST. Registration

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

March Board Chair: Carolyn, carolyn@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.