OrH Newsletter

Biweekly Newsletter

26 April 2022

Post-Pesach Joy

We hope you all had a wonderful Passover. We aren’t quite ready to stop eating matzo ball soup - are you? This newsletter is a little lighter than usual, so enjoy a quick read about membership perks, that siddur you’ve been daydreaming about, and some events that will lift your spirit.

Membership – Into the Details

Are you not entirely sure what’s included in OrH membership? You are not alone! We want to make sure you have a clear understanding of what being a member means. Ultimately, we aim to be a welcoming and inclusive community. In the past, we were able to meet in person, hold events, share meals and generally try to give everyone a sense of belonging, whatever their background and conviction. With the pandemic, we opted to hold our services and events on Zoom, which has been quite successful as a means of keeping us connected. As we dip our toes back into in-person events again, we want to make sure you know exactly what comes with your membership. 

We offer a full range of rabbinical support and services, however as Rabbi Liz is engaged as a part-time Rabbi, there is an additional cost for some of these. 

Full membership (including Students) includes:  
● Discount for 1st year/2nd year
● Lower fees for Machaneh Shabbat (1st year)
● Ability to volunteer
● Reduction of fees if needed
● Attendance at AGM
● Can become Board members
● Extra-curricular/education activities 
● Can have High Holy Day guests at a low cost
● Pastoral care with Rabbi 
● Free Bnei Mitzvah group
● Bnei Mitzvah and baby naming included if on a regular Shabbat service

For life cycle events that occur outside our regular Shabbat events – weddings, funerals, unveilings and baby namings - members pay a prescribed fee directly to the Rabbi.

If you need more information, details are available on the web site under the ‘Membership’ tab. There is also a table showing the differences between Membership, and Associate Membership. Additionally, we have High Holiday Visitors (Tishrey) who are not members of Or Haneshamah but may attend High Holiday services by purchasing tickets. Shabbat services are open to everyone, member or not. If you have questions, please contact us at 613-239-4988 or email membership@orh.ca.

Siddurim

Our siddurim have arrived! As we mentioned in a previous newsletter, some members graciously brought back a pile of siddurim (prayer books) from the Reconstructionist conference. We still have a handful left. If you would like your very own siddur, please email communications@orh.ca for payment and pickup info.

Options for support for Ukraine 

The Reconstructionist movement is part of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, which provides support for its 14 affiliated communities in Ukraine. Donate to their crisis fund here.

Ottawa’s Jewish Federation has launched a Ukraine Relief Fund, with 100% of all funds to support the Ukraine’s Jewish community.  

Recommendations from Reconstructing Judaism’s Department for Thriving Communities:

• Joint Distribution Committee’s  predominant focus is with the Jewish community in Ukraine. The initial response includes identifying and securing safe facilities for fleeing displaced Jews, providing transportation to safe locations, providing emergency medical supplies and food, providing financial assistance for the elderly and families, staffing emergency hotlines for members of the Jewish community.  Donate here.
• World Jewish Relief is working with partners across Ukraine.  
• ORT America launched a campaign to support ORT Ukraine students, teachers and families.  Donate here .
• IsraAID, a coalition of Israeli organizations working in disaster relief and international development, is sending in an assessment team to Moldova, to help all Ukrainians coming over the border. Donate here.

Upcoming Services and Events

Kaplanian Education Innovation: 40 Years Of Jewish Learning & Teaching At SAJ
Sunday, May 1, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Join us on Zoom for a lively discussion panel exploring several eras of pioneering after-school education at SAJ (Society for the Advancement of Judaism). Register here  
 
MULTIACCESS SHABBAT MORNING TORAH SERVICE 
Saturday, May 7, 10:00am
Reading from Parshat Kedoshim is always a highlight of Shabbat, with the verse that inspired “The Golden Rule” at its core. Yet along with some of the inspiring injunctions in the parshah, there are other verses that challenge our sensibilities. As is our custom, we’ll have group aliyot and a conversation – across both of our shul “spaces” – that explore the tensions, relevance and potential inspiration from the passages at the heart of our Holiness Code. Join in person or from home to sing, reflect, learn and pray.

Reconstructionists Expanding Our Conversation - Open Conversation
Wednesday, May 11, 8:00pm - 9:30pm
Please join us for a series of learning opportunities led by Reconstructionist rabbis on Israel/Palestine.
Zoom

Reconstructionist News and Events

Adult Learning Opportunity for the Omer, offered by Shaarei Shamayim - An invitation from our sibling community in Madison, Wisconsin
For Love is Fierce as Death: Reading Song of Songs by Rabbi Rena Blumenthal
Mondays, May 2, 16, and 23 (note: we are skipping May 9)
7:00-8:30 p.m. Central via Zoom
Song of Songs can be read in many ways: as beautiful, erotic love poetry; as an allegory for the God-Israel relationship; or as a guide for the spiritual return to the Edenic garden. In this class we will do a close reading of Song of Songs, enjoying its poetic beauty while searching out its spiritual subtext. Although we will engage with the original Hebrew text, no knowledge of Hebrew is required. This will be primarily a discussion-based class.
$45 members/$70 non-members. Scholarships available. Contact office@shamayim.org for more information.
Register Here

Community News and Events
* denotes new this week

20th Chevrah Kadisha and Jewish Cemetery Conference
Online June 12-14, 2022
With a combination of workshops and plenary sessions focused on the Jewish approach to the end-of life continuum, conference topics range from visiting the sick (bikkur cholim), to ritual preparation of the dead (taharah) and comforting the soul between death and burial (shmirah), through funeral and burial to all aspects of grief and mourning. This conference is intended to allow every participant to immerse in the knowledge, resources, texts, and discussions vital to working in their own community.
Register here.

KKL-JNF World Education Conference
Network with educators from around the world in a unique experience
and opportunity to attend the KKL-JNF World Education Conference in Israel! Info here.

First Aid and CPR training
Are you an Or Haneshamah member who would like First Aid and CPR training? JFO is organizing training and may be able to offer a group class. Please write to communications@orh.ca if you would like to be included.

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

Chair: Carolyn, president@orh.ca 
Treasurer: Elijah, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Nicola, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: Andrea, communications@orh.ca
Membership: Myrna, membership@orh.ca
Learning: Diana, learning@orh.ca
Ritual: Shira, rituals@orh.ca
Interim Many Hands Coordinator: Caroline, caroline@orh.ca
Interim Member-at-Large: Ben, ben@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.