OrH Newsletter

Biweekly Member Newsletter

23 November 2022

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Kislev

Forgive us a little pun or two... We are getting in the spirit of things! Our very first Freylekh Friday is coming up on December 9 (a quadruple whammy of Teddy Bear Shabbat, potluck, a musical Kabbalat and guest speakers). Hanukkah planning is in full swing. We’re starting a book club. It’s going to be a beautiful season. Also, please don’t miss the update on the Cleary Ave detour. Due to O-Train construction, we will now enter the campus via a detour at Kristy’s Restaurant. More info below.

Chanukah / Hanukkah Party

However you spell it, Chanukah is a holiday all about conservation! As the story goes, oil enough to keep a menorah lit in the Temple lasted eight days. What can we do in our own lives to conserve energy and resources to protect our planet? Along with our ORH traditions of dancing, singing, lighting Channukiot and competing for best latke, at this year's fun-filled eco-Chanukah party, families will learn Jewish Conservation Songs and hear Yiddishkeit stories on conservation: Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman and Just Enough is Plenty by Barbara Goldin. Families will play games about reducing, reusing and recycling, participate in Oceanwise’s Great Plastic Challenge and make beautiful Chanukah gifts from eco-friendly materials inspired by Teva Learning Center activities. See the events section for details - we are excited to celebrate with you.

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.

Andrea D. Lobel is an ordained rabbi with a Ph.D. in Religion. She teaches Religion and Humanities at Carleton University, sits on the Board of ALEPH Canada, and serves as a Jewish Studies teacher and rabbinic mentor at Darshan Yeshiva. She recently founded Earthshul, an online havurah focused on environmental and social justice issues. In addition to her academic teaching and research, she is an award-winning writer and editor. Her research and publications are focused on the history of Judaism and science, as well as astronomy and religion.

Mark Shainblum is a well-known writer, editor, and publisher of comics, science fiction and fantasy. He founded and ran Matrix Comics, an independent comic book publishing house. With Gabriel Morrissette, Mark co-created the cult classic Canadian superhero series Northguard and the bestselling political parody Angloman. Mark is also a past president of SF Canada, Canada’s national association of science fiction professionals, and co-edited the Aurora Award-winning anthology, Arrowdreams: An Anthology of Alternate Canadas.

Cleary Avenue Detour

Effective Monday November 21st, 2022, visitors and congregants will use the new detour for Cleary Avenue to enter 30 Cleary. The new entrance is through the parking lot of Kristy’s Restaurant. Please drive slowly and pay attention to new detour signage. The construction will include signage, a pedestrian walkway from the detour intersection to Unitarian House, and a traffic light at Richmond Road. The detour will be in place until September 2024 as part of the O-Train construction.

Over the two year detour period, you'll be able to find updates about the detour and related construction impacts here.

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

Expanding the Reconstructionist Conversation on Israel/Palestine
Tuesday, November 29, 8:00 - 9:00pm
Zoom  
Jehad Abusalim (American Friends Service Committee), "Light in Gaza: Reflections on Gaza's Past, Present and Future"
 
Human Rights Shabbat
Saturday, December 3, 10:00am - noon
In-Person and Zoom  
Followed by a potluck kiddush
 
Freylekh Friday
Friday, December 9
In person only, 30 Cleary
Teddy Bear Shabbat at 5:30 pm
Potluck Shabbat Dinner at 6:30 pm 
Musical Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:15 pm 
Guest Speakers Andrea Lobel and Mark Shainblum at 8:00 pm
 
Shabbat Morning Service
Saturday, December 17,10:00am - noon
NOW Room @ 30 Cleary
 
Eco-Chanukah Party
Sunday, December 18, 5:30 - 8pm
More info to come

Reconstructionist News and Events
* Indicates new this week

Meditating with the Siddur with Daniel Raphael Silverstein on Monday, Oct. 24 & 31, Nov. 7, 14, 21 & 28 at 1 p.m. EDT.

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

* Registration open for Joel Benin’s course “A History of Palestine”
Professor Joel Beinin will be teaching a 10-week course on Tuesday evenings, January 10-March 14. Register online.

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
Interim Member-at-large: Sarah
Interim Member-at-large: Gabrielle


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.