OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

4 May 2021

Shavuot: Celebrating our Jewish Diversity
 
On Sunday May 16 we Celebrate Shavuot while Celebrating our Jewish Mixed Multitude
 
For our Shavuot celebration this year, OrH will present a day of learning around the theme of Jewish diversity. Mark the day in your calendar! Join us for:
 
·      a Shavuot Text Study led by Rabbi Liz
·      a multicultural cooking event called "Beyond Blintzes" featuring talented member chefs ... and you?
·      presentation by OrH's Repair the World Committee about reckoning with racism and committing to racial justice
·      panel discussion led by Sarah Waisvisz with special guests Tema Smith (18Doors) and Sara Yacobi-Harris (No Silence on Race)
·      a closing Shavuot ritual led by Rabbi Liz 
 
You do not need to attend all the events, but you may want to, because it will be as rich, complex, and delicious as our mixed multitude!
 
Sunday May 16th beginning at 12 Noon with various events until 8:30PM
Zoom link to follow.

Upcoming Services and Events
 
Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, May 8, 2021
9:00 AM (Machaneh Aleph), 9:30 AM (Machaneh Bet) – 10:30 AM, Zoom 

Schmooze ‘n Learn: Conversion
Sunday, May 9, 2021
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Zoom  

Machaneh Shabbat
Saturday, May 15, 2021
9:00 AM (Machaneh Aleph), 9:30 AM (Machaneh Bet) – 10:30 AM, Zoom 

Bar Mitzvah/Shabbat Morning Service
Saturday, May 15, 2021
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Zoom  
 
Shavuot: Celebrating Jewish Diversity
Sunday, May 16, 2021
12:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Zoom  

Reconstructionist News and Events

Accountability is One Step Toward Justice: Response to a Verdict in the Murder of George Floyd | Reconstructing Judaism
https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/news/accountability-one-step-toward-justice-response-verdict-murder-george-floyd

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

* A Conversation with COLUM McCANN, author of Apeirogon (Winner of the National Jewish Book Award, longlisted for the Booker Prize), Wednesday, May 12 at 6:30pm PDT. In conversation with GARY BARWIN, author of Yiddish for Pirates (finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize) and Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted - the Ballad of Motl the Cowboy. Tickets: $18 (taxes and fees included) –  Register here. Purchase the book  here.

Opportunities
 
* Summer job with MHI
Do you or anyone you know think they'd be a good fit for a summer student position as a post-secondary research assistant with Multifaith Housing Initiative? If so, the application deadline is May 10, 2021. Please click here to apply online and learn more about the summer assistant position! 

* Scholarship opportunity for Students Studying in Israel 2021/22.
The Canadian Zionist Federaton/Kronitz Memorial Scholarship valued at $1000 is given to a worthy student who will be studying in Israel and is in need of financial aid. If you are aware of a student who is about to graduate or has recently graduated from high school, a university student or graduate student pursuing teacher training, or general studies in Israel, please encourage them to apply for the CZF/ Kronitz Memorial Scholarship. Applications are now available at www.canadianzf.ca. Deadline for applications is June 30, 2021
 

Upcoming Chevrah Kadisha events and courses that may be of interest:

19th Kavod v’Nichum North American Chevrah Kadisha and Jewish Cemetery Conference. Sunday - Wednesday, June 13-16, 2021, with daily plenary and workshop sessions, informal schmoozing, and opportunities for poster sessions and “evening-like” programming.  Advance rates through April 30, 2021

Harvesting Your Life – Writing Your Own Obituary with Jean Berman. Wednesday May 12 & 26, 2021, 8 - 9:30 PM EDT, Course Fee is $72 USD. What has been important as you reflect on your life. Enjoy memories, reflect on meaningful experiences, think about where you are in your life, and how you would like to be remembered. Humor, things that people don’t know about you, the flavor of telling your own story can all impact those you know. This workshop will include exploring different styles of obituaries, writing to prompts and optionally reading aloud what you have written.

For more information, www.jewish-funerals.org (note the hyphen)

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

April 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.