OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

2 October 2018

Calling All Artists!
Hesed (formerly the OrH Caring Committee) is planning to have cards made to send to members (sympathy, get well, congratulations), and is looking for original art by OrH members for those cards. Photos, drawings, paintings, and photos of sculptures or other kinds of art are welcome. The criteria are:
 

• Original art
• Made by community members
• Jewish theme

 
Art by young people especially welcome!  Depending on the response, we may not be able to use every submission. Please contact Rona Bloomfield for details (see the Members directory on the website for contact info).

September Report From the Board
Tishrei is a rich month of celebrations in the Jewish calendar, and this year it came very early in our secular calendar. It kept your Board on its toes! Our High Holiday Services seemed extra special this year: wonderful music, great rabbinic leadership, and particularly rich service contributions from our members. This only serves to highlight the deep well of talent that our membership possesses. Aren’t we lucky that this is generously shared with us all.
 
Behind the scenes, many hands made for a seamless High Holiday experience for all who came. We are appreciative of everyone’s efforts, both seen and unseen.
 
Your Board, managed to squeeze in our monthly meeting between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The running of our congregation is an interesting labour.  When we are making decisions, especially when stymied, we are learning to always go back to our community values. Then the decision making is much clearer.
 
I would like to conclude by highlighting two people, without whom I could not do this very public job as your interim president: Heni Nadel who knows all and does all, and is a rainmaker in the most quiet way, and Halina Siedlikowski, who works with me side by side, and who supports and advises in a most excellent way. I salute them both on behalf of the Board.
 
Monica Rosenthal
Interim Board President

Guf Va’Nefesh – Body-Mind-Spirit Integration Classes
Explore the connections between body and mind at the next Guf Va’Nefesh class, led by OrH member Tana Saler, on Wednesday, October 3 (and on the first Wednesday of every month) in Room 5 at Unitarians.
 
Guf Va’Nefesh means literally Body and Mind (Soul). Simply expressed, your mind (thoughts and emotions) affects your body (i.e. posture, breathing, muscle tension) and your body state affects your state of mind. Experiencing and truly understanding the mind-body continuum has practical life applications, Tana demonstrates, for health, relationships, well-being, creativity and more. The goal of the workshop is for participants to acquire self-awareness and self-regulation skills for more peaceful, fulfilling and effective living.
 
Open to everyone at no cost. For more information, visit www.orh.ca/gufvanafesh.

Exploring Judaism
A reminder that Rabbi Liz's 15-week Exploring Judaism course begins October 4.
 
This 15-week course is designed for those hoping to deepen their understanding of their Jewish heritage, for those exploring Judaism as a spiritual and religious tradition, as well as for those considering conversion to Judaism. The full curriculum is covered in 30 classes, and participants are welcome to join at the beginning of any fall session.
 
Participants will learn about Jewish values and practices through primary text study and seminar-style classes. Highly interactive, the course explores the major value concepts of Judaism, and offers a chance to wrestle with fundamental questions while learning and interacting with others, and with the tradition’s texts and practices.
 
The cost is $360 ($180 for full members of ORH). Register at www.orh.ca or for more information email learning@orh.ca.

Jewish Mindfulness Meditation
Our first Jewish mindfulness meditation session of the season takes place Thursday, October 11 – and every second Thursday of the month until June 2019, 6:45-8 pm in Room 5. This learning activity is open to all who want to explore, learn, grow and share a mindfulness experience with a Jewish perspective. No RSVP or registration fee required. We encourage free-will offerings to maintain access to the space and seed the establishment of a fund to subsidize attendance at future Jewish-Buddhist retreats. Come to one, some or all of the sessions. For more information visit: www.orh.ca/jmm.html.

October JED Talk: "The Crimea Project"
Our first Jewish Education and Dialogue (JED) talk of the season takes place Friday, October 12, at 8:00 pm, following Kabbalat Shabbat services at 6:30 and potluck supper at 7:30, in Room 5. Come for the service or join us for dessert while we hear from OrH member Allan Kagedan who will discuss the "Crimea Project." As we celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday, we should remember all the events that led up to its birth. One of these was the effort to create a Jewish republic in the Soviet Union, alongside republics for Ukrainians, Armenians and Georgians. The Crimea Project drew significant support from American Jews on Wall Street and in union halls and from Jewish communities around the world. Thousands of resilient Russian Jews moved to South Ukraine and Crimea. The dream of a Jewish republic in the USSR survived the Holocaust but ended as a paranoid fantasy for Stalin, on the eve of Israel’s creation.
 
Our speaker, Allan Kagedan, earned a Ph.D. in history and political science from Columbia University, and is the author of Soviet Zion: The Quest for a Russian Jewish Homeland. He has taught at McGill University and is an affiliate of Carleton University’s Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies and a senior advisor to the Canadian Defence Association Institute.

Upcoming Services and Events
 
Guf Va'Nafesh: Mind-Body-Spirit Integration Class
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5
 
Shabbat Morning with Torah Service
Saturday, October 6, 2018
9:45 AM - 12:15 PM, Fellowship Hall
 
Jewish Mindfulness Meditation
Thursday, October 11, 2018
6:45 PM - 8:00 PM, Room 5
 
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, October 12, 2018
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Room 5
 
JED Talk: "The Crimea Project"
Friday, October 12, 2018
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5

Reconstructionist News

New program for young adults to travel to Israel: Urban Kibbutz Social Change
Reconstructing Judaism has asked us to share with you information on a new program for young adults (ages 20-30) that provides financial subsidies for all participants: Urban Kibbutz Social Change. The program is run by Ameinu in cooperation with Dror Israel, the largest urban kibbutz movement in Israel. Participants live communally in Haifa, volunteer in a range of social action settings alongside their Israeli counterparts, study Hebrew and tour around Israel. For more information visit: https://tinyurl.com/y8rmtd62 or contact Kenneth Bob at kennethbob@gmail.com (and let him know you heard about the program from your shul by way of Affiliate Support at Reconstructing Judaism).
 
Reconstructionist Learning Networks
Reconstructing Judaism offer unique learning opportunities around three core topic areas: Innovation and Growth, Education and Administration, Spirituality and Justice. Learning Networks are free to members and staff of the affiliates of Reconstructing Judaism and members of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (RRA). Learn more or register at: https://tinyurl.com/y9q9yuhf.
 
Announcing Network Immersions in collaboration with Ritualwell
Network Immersions are new, in-depth, fee-based courses that require some coursework and a willingness to bring your creative energy and commitment. This year we are offering courses in Food Justice, Seasons of Our Earth, Death and Mourning, Writing Contemporary Liturgy, Ritual for Trauma and Healing, Jewish Queer Ritual, Forgiveness and Spirituality for Therapists. Members and staff of Reconstructionist affiliated communities and Network subscribers receive a 10% discount. Learn more or register at: https://tinyurl.com/y9q9yuhf.
 
Reconstructionism Today
The latest issue of Reconstructionism Today can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/ydce3wxy. The archive of back issues are available at: https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/newsletter-archive. 

In The Ottawa Community
* = New item this week
 
Community Events and Announcements
 
* Book Launch – Eva Salomon’s War by Gabriella Goliger. Sunday October 14, 2018, 7:00 pm at Temple Israel, 1301 Prince of Wales Dr. In 1937, a young Eva Salomon leaves Germany for Palestine, yearning for a life free of fanaticism. Two oppressive forces have marred her childhood: her father's rigid orthodoxy and the cruelties of the Nazi regime. Rebelling against her past, she finds love with Duncan Rees, a British constable in the Palestine Police Force. As friction between Britain and the Jews intensifies, Eva is pressured to choose sides. Set during the complex upheaval of Palestine in the 1930s and ’40s, Eva Salomon’s War tells of the struggle to find a faith that does not blind, a love that does not lie, and solid human truths in the midst of ideological ferment.
 
Jewish Family Services JFS Talks: Pregnancy Journeys from Conception to Birth, Thursday, October 4, 7 - 8:30 pm every 3 weeks on Thursday until October 18, 2018. “Thinking about a doula? What you need to know”. Workshop speaker: Jodi Green, MSW, MA in Jewish History, DONA Trained Birth Doula. At JFS, 300-2225 Carling Ave. Contact Quinn Rivier-Gatt at 613-722-2225 x403 qriviergatt@jfsottawa.com.
 
Learn to Read Hebrew. Have you always wanted to learn to read Hebrew? Now is your chance! Join Rabbi Deborah Zuker for a 6-week crash course in Hebrew reading. Designed for beginners with no previous knowledge of Hebrew, this course will walk you through each of the letters and vowels, and develop your ability to successfully read and decode Hebrew. Meetings will be Tuesday mornings, October 9th through November 13th, 9:30-10:30am at Kehillat Beth Israel. Cost: $18 for Hebrew workbook. To register or for more information, please e-mail Rabbi Zuker at rabbizuker@kehillatbethisrael.com. Registration deadline is August 31st; the course will only take place with minimum of 8 students, so if you are interested please be in touch soon.
 
Community Opportunities
 
The Gamliel Institute has announced a new course being offered this October. It is the Nechamah course (“Comfort” – both of the sick and of mourners), which is Course #4 in the series. The class begins on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 and meets on Tuesdays for 12 weeks, with the last class on December 25. You can sign up at: http://www.jewish-funerals.org/gamreg.
 
The goal of the course is to provide practical skills for some of the more difficult situations we encounter in our Chevrah Kadisha work. For example, we have a session for practical skills for nichum aveilim (comforting mourners) and bikkur cholim (visiting the sick). Other topics discussed include “aging Jewishly,” challenging situations, and some issues around cremation. We will discuss how we relate to families, and how we use prayer and song in the work of comforting. The practical facets of advance directives and organ donation are covered. One of the most important elements of our Nechamah course is the opportunity for each student to examine his/her feelings and ideas about death, and to share them with other students. Our work with our Chevrah Kadisha groups will have more meaning, and will be more effective, if we have come to terms with our personal mindsets about death.

Get Involved! Opportunities for Community Involvement
Are you looking to get involved with OrH activities? We are always in need of helping hands with event planning and other activities. All are welcome, including High Schoolers who are looking for community volunteer opportunities. Please contact info@orh.ca or visit the OrH home page (look for the Get Involved! banner). 

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 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.

Potluck Protocol
Our community’s long time practice is to welcome egg, dairy and fish on the potluck table. Please label your meal contributions with all ingredients to help people with food allergies or sensitivities; also advise kitchen staff whether dish is to be served hot or cold.

Rides to Services and Events
Will you need a ride to services and OrH events? Are you able to offer a ride to services OrH events? We encourage members to be generous with their offers of rides. Please contact  info@orh.ca  with your name and area of the city you are coming from.

Visiting or Studying in Toronto or Montreal?
If you or your children will be in Toronto or Montreal, they are very welcome at our sibling congregations. We have reciprocal memberships with both Darchei Noam (Toronto) and Dorshei Emet (Montreal). Likewise, we welcome their members to our services, programs, and High Holy Day services. For security reasons we ask to call ahead to make arrangements for the High Holy Days.

A Caring Community
Members are encouraged to contact the rabbi or any board member to let us know about your pastoral care needs, or the needs of another member, whether related to a new or an ongoing circumstance. These may include such situations as a pending hospitalization, a change in health, relationship, or employment status, other life transitions, or the death of a loved one. Through knowing what is happening in each other’s lives, we give each other, including our rabbi, the opportunity to perform acts of gemilut hasadim/loving kindness, the hallmark of a caring community.

We Are Listening
How do you feel things are going in our community? Do you have ideas about programs or events that we should pursue? What aspects of Or Haneshamah do you feel are working well, and what do you think can be improved?  In the interest of making OrH the best community that it can be, the board and rabbi invite you to submit comments and feedback at any time. Please send your thoughts to  feedback@orh.ca  or directly to any member of the board (email addresses below).

Board of Directors
Interim President (until Dec 2018): Monica, president@orh.ca
Treasurer: Jacob, treasurer@orh.ca
Interim Secretary (until Dec 2018): Martine, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: David, communications@orh.ca
Learning: Michael, learning@orh.ca
Membership: Barbara, membership@orh.ca
Member-at-Large (Shabbat-Around-the-Table): Jan, member-at-large.jan@orh.ca
Member-at-Large (Hesed/Caring Committeee): Jean, member-at-large.jean@orh.ca
Member-at-Large (Membership): Sharon, member-at-large.sharon@orh.ca
Interim Member-at-Large (until Dec 2018): Halina, member-at-large.halina@orh.ca
Past President: Paula, past-president@orh.ca

 
Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton:  rabbi@orh.ca
Members are welcome to contact Rabbi Liz, 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.