OrH Newsletter

Biweekly Newsletter

10 May 2022

New Leaves

What a joy it is to bring you this newsletter while brand new leaves are unfurling outside. May you all find a moment for the sunshine and the breeze. This is a slim update, featuring the date of our AGM, a handful of wonderful events and the knowledge that we still have a few siddurim to spare should you want your very own copy. Read, and then go bury your face in the tulips.

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

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

Shabbat Limmud
Saturday, May 21,10:30am - noon
Zoom  
 
Lay-Led Shabbat Morning Service
Saturday, May 28, 10:30am - noon
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


* Judith Kaplan Eisenstein’s Musical Legacy: An Illustrated Conversation
May 14th @ 1PM EDT
Multi – Access
Register here
Judith Kaplan Eisenstein (1909-1996), the first Bat Mitzvah, was an accomplished composer and scholar of Jewish music. We will cover Judith’s professional journey as a Jewish educator and musicologist, how Reconstrucionist thought influenced her musical undertakings, and hear musical examples, including selections from her groundbreaking publication “Heritage of Music: The Music of the Jewish People.” Conversation led by Rabbi Liz Bolton with Miriam Eisenstein, Rabbi Bob Gluck, and Cantor Lisa Arbisser.

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.