OrH Newsletter

Biweekly Newsletter

9 November 2022

For the Joy of Kabbalat

Have you ever thought to yourself: self, Shabbat at Or Haneshamah is so fun, but I just need MORE. Well, dear reader, you are in for a surprise. With the tremendous success of Teddy Bear Shabbat, we are tweaking the formula to give you a few more things to look forward to. Details are below. Also, speaking of surprises, allow us to leak the date of our incredible Hanukkah party - December 18! Now on to the newsletter, where we share some exciting news about a microgrant.

Introducing: FREYLEKH FRIDAYS!

Beginning Friday December 9, and continuing on throughout the year, we are expanding our Kabbalat Shabbat services for the second Shabbat of each month. 
We begin with something for the littles: 

Teddy Bear Shabbat at 5:30 pm
Young ones and their adults celebrate Teddy Bear Shabbat with Rabbi Zuker. 

Potluck Shabbat Dinner at 6:30 pm 
Complete with Kiddush, candle lighting, and motzi [home-made challah welcome!].

Musical Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:15 pm 
We’ll be led by Rabbi Liz and our own wonderful singers and instrumentalists in a musically-driven Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Guest Speaker at 8:00 pm
We will end the evening with a stimulating talk from guest authors, artists and thinkers. (Our very first guest speakers will be co-editors Mark Shainblum and Andrea Lobel who will speak about their anthology Other Convenants: Alternate Histories of the Jewish People and the realm of Jewish speculative fiction).

Mark December 9 on your calendar - we look forward to celebrating with you!

An Invitation From Our Rituals Coordinator

One of the beautiful things about the high holidays was just how many voices we had leyning, praying, offering readings and reflections. Let’s make this happen year-round! 

This is especially a call for leyners (Torah readers) but there are lots of ways to participate (and lots of support if you are new to participating in a service). If you have any interest in participating, either with a reflection, a leyn or anything else, please email rituals@orh.ca. We’ve got the schedule ready for the whole year, and it’s an extra mitzvah to sign up early. If you’d love to get involved but really aren’t sure what this entails, drop us a line. Shira, our Rituals coordinator, will be delighted to chat with you about the possibilities. (Also, as an aside, services are just so much more dynamic when we get to enjoy contributions from the congregation - don’t be shy! You’ve got this!)

Teddy Bear Shabbat - Microgrant Recipient

We have some exciting news to share. Teddy Bear Shabbat is the proud recipient of a microgrant from the Jewish Federation of Ottawa! We are so grateful for this funding, and hope to expand our offerings to the community via this wonderful event. As you know, we are a small congregation and every investment helps. Thank you so much to the JFO.

Please join us this Friday at 5:30 where the sensational Rabbi Deborah Zuker will lead families in Shabbat songs, storytime and family kiddish. Note: as Room 5 is not available this week, this event will take place at 40 Cleary Avenue (childcare building) this week only. 

Register here, and bring your stuffies!

Reminder About Masking

Due to increased hospitalizations, please note that mask use is mandatory in all indoor synagogue events, including services, small group interactions and other congregational activities.

Exceptions only surround food and drink, and children under five years. Eating and drinking should be done at a set time, preferably in an alternative space. We are also continuing to encourage people to wear an N95 mask where possible and to ensure that the mask is properly fitted and completely covers your nose and mouth.

It is our job as a congregation to protect all people who enter our doors and masking has proven to be the safest way to interact in large and small groups alike. Thank you for your continued support and participation in this matter.

Upcoming Services and Events

Tuesday Night Shirah Ruach Music Circle
Every Tuesday from 7:00 - 8:30pm
Join us in Room 5 (30 Cleary Ave) for informal liturgical music making. It's a chance to learn and practice melodies for our Shabbat and festival services, to build our harmonizing muscles, and to enjoy some musical company. No Hebrew or music reading skills required. Questions? rituals@orh.ca
Please note: we will not be meeting on Nov 8. See you on Nov 15!

Teddy Bear Shabbat with Rabbi Zuker
Friday, November 11, 5:30 - 6:30pm
Special location this week only: 40 Cleary Ave (childcare building)
Register here.
Big kids and little kids welcome - bring a stuffy! 

Palestinian Voices: Expanding Our Conversation on Israel/Palestine
Basma Fahoum, “Palestinian Citizens of Israel”    
Do Palestinian citizens of Israel enjoy equal rights with Jewish citizens? Why or why  not?
Tuesday, November 15, 8:00 - 9:30pm
Zoom. Register here  
 
Shabbat Limmud Service - Parshat Chayyei Sarah
Saturday November 19, 10am - noon 
In Fellowship Hall and via Zoom   
We’ll sing, contemplate and study, taking a deep dive into stories of “Sarah Imeinu” – our foremother Sarah, from her first appearance in Torah, to interpretations from the midrash around her miraculous late-stage motherhood. How and why communities support or emphasize bearing children – often in ways that cause harm – will be one of the themes we explore, with compassion and sensitivity. Bring your curiosity about Torah and Midrash, along with your stories and commentaries about mothering, parenting, and communal response-ability.

Reconstructionist News and Events
* Indicates new this week

Aleinu: Writing Social Justice Liturgy with Trisha Arlin on

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 19 & 26, Nov. 2, 9 & 16 at 12 p.m. EDT.

Songs of the Grass: Exploring Jewish Eco-Poetry with Hila Ratzabi

Thursday, Oct. 13, 20 & 27, Nov. 3, 10 & 17 at 12 p.m. EDT.

Meditating with the Siddur with Daniel Raphael Silverstein

Monday, Oct. 24 & 31, Nov. 7, 14, 21 & 28 at 1 p.m. EDT.

Community Events
* Indicates new this week
​​​​​​​
*Ottawa Jewish Bulletin: ‘The forgotten victims’ — Pink Triangle Legacies explores LGBTQ+ history  

Community Opportunities

*Do you know an outstanding Jewish educator? Nominate them for a 2023 Covenant Award, designed to honor, thank, and celebrate outstanding educators. Each award carries a prize of $36,000 for the educator and an additional $5,000 for the educator’s home institution.

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: Ben, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Nicola, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: Andrea, communications@orh.ca
Membership: Myrna, membership@orh.ca
Many Hands Coordinator: Caroline, caroline@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.