OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

20 November 2018

Upcoming Services and Events
 
Shabbat-Around-the-Table
Friday, November 23, 2018
Kanata
 
Bar Mitzvah/Shabbat Morning Torah Service
Saturday, November 24, 2018
9:45 AM - 12:30 PM, Worship Hall/Fellowship Hall, Unitarians
 
Chanting and Chocolate
Sunday, November 25, 2018
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5
 
Shabbat Morning Torah Service
Saturday, December 1, 2018
9:45 AM - 12:15 PM, Fellowship Hall
 
Roots and Reflections
Sunday, December 2, 2018
9:45 AM - 11:30 AM, Member's home, RSVP required to mindfulness@orh.ca.
 
BaMa'gal B'nei Mitzvah Group
Sunday, December 2, 2018
1:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Room 5

Reconstructionist News
 
Reconstructing Judaism's Statement on the Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre
To see the statement visit: https://tinyurl.com/ya2qctwc.
 
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

* Temple Israel's Task Force on Truth and Reconciliation presents Building Understanding: Sky Woman and Chanukah. A performance by Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller, “We Are In Her, She Is In Us.” December 4, at 7pm at Temple Israel. 1301 Prince of Wales Dr. Please RSVP to 613-224-1802 or reception@templeisraelottawa.com.
 
Family Chanukah Concert Sing Along with the Ottawa Klezmer Trio, Sunday, Nov. 25, 10:30 am – noon, Soloway JCC. Clap, and sing along at our Family Chanukah Concert with the "Ottawa Klezmer Trio" - Floralove Katz, Vocals; Natasha Guiller, Piano; David Renaud, Clarinet), and special guest artists (including a Syrian Refugee Children’s Choir for Peace).
 
Forbidden & Forgotten: The lost world of banned Jewish composers. Performance by Leah Rosman (violin) and Dina Namer (piano), Sunday, November 25, 2018, 2pm at Temple Israel, 1301 Prince of Wales Dr. Admisson $20, children under 12 free. Information 613-233-3099 or 613-224-1802.
 
Bereavement and coping strategies, Tuesday November 27th at 7:00pm at Jewish Family Services, 2255 Carling Avenue, Suite 300. Join Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka, bestselling author of Turning Grief into Gratitude, and Sarah Caspi, MSW, RSW, a Counsellor and Assistant Executive Director at Jewish Family Services, as they discuss bereavement, share advice, strategies and coping mechanisms for dealing with loss and a Q&A portion. Free of Charge. For registration or questions, please contact Quinn Rivier-Gatt, 613-722-2225 ext. 403, qriviergatt@jfsottawa.com.
 
Author Amos Guiora, The Crime of Complicity: The Bystander in the Holocaust, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7 - 9 pm, Presented by the Shoah Committee of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa on the occasion of Holocaust Education Month. Amos Guiora is a dynamic Israeli-American law professor and child of Holocaust survivors. A compelling speaker, Professor Guiora discusses the bystander-victim relationship from a deeply personal and legal perspective, focusing first on the Holocaust and then exploring cases of sexual assault in contemporary society. Free event. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Contact Lindsay Gottheil at 613-798-4696 x355 or lgottheil@jewishottawa.com. Location: Soloway JCC, 21 Nadolny Sachs Pvt.
 
Sephardi Association of Ottawa, Commemoration of Jewish refugees from Arab and Muslim lands, Thursday, Nov. 29, 7 - 9:30 pm. Commemoration of Jewish refugees from Arab and Muslim lands: The second exodus of Egyptian Jews. Presenting the documentary film “Starting Over Again” directed by Ruggero Gabbai, produced by Elliot Malki. English with french subtitles. Free event. RSVP info@sephardiottawa.ca or viviane_ohana@hotmail.com.

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.

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.

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 (Hesed/Caring Committeee): Jean, member-at-large.jean@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Sharon, member-at-large.sharon@orh.ca
Interim Member-at-Large (until Dec 2018): Halina, member-at-large.halina@orh.ca
Interim Member-at-Large (until Dec 2018): Sarah, member-at-large-sarah@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.