OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

27 November 2018

Celebrating Our Membership on December 1
Are you new to Or Haneshamah and want to know how it all started? Have you been meaning to come to services for a while? Curious about how old friends are doing and who the new members are? And what's the meaning of Reconstructionism anyway?

This Shabbat is for you! Through special aliyot, interesting commentaries sprinkled throughout the morning – from our rabbi and from members – and always joyous singing, we celebrate belonging and the gifts of the heart we bring to our community.

Join in! Bring guests! Stay a while during kiddush! We'll start at 9:45.

Words of the Spirit: Convention Edition
Reconstructing Judaism Convention 2018
Three OrH members – Sarah, Jean, and Diana – along with Rabbi Liz, attended the 2018 Reconstructing Judaism convention in Philadelphia, November 15-18. Instead of the usual Words of the Spirit column from Rabbi Liz, we wanted to share with you Sarah, Jean, and Diana’s reflections on the experience. Read their reflections and see photos of some familiar faces at: www.orh.ca/convention-18. 

For some convention highlights, please visit the movement's web site, https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/ or Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=reconstructing%20judaism.

JED Talk: Volunteering in Africa
We mark the annual Human Rights Day with a Kabbalat Shabbat service followed by a potluck mean and our third Jewish Education and Dialogue (JED) presentation of the year. OrH members Bob and Gillian have both volunteered in Africa and will discuss their experiences with reference to tikkun olam (repair of the world).  

“Most of us who live in a privileged country such as Canada are aware that we have an abundance in our lives that many in other parts of the world couldn’t even dream of,” writes Bob. “The time-honoured Jewish tradition of tikun olam dictates that we must share our good fortune with those who aren’t so lucky. “My family raised me to be aware of this imperative and I’m fortunate enough to have had both the skills and the opportunity to go overseas and contribute what I can to helping others who weren’t as fortunate as I.”

Gillian completed her Master's degree at Queen's University and then volunteered as a medical assistant and high school teacher in Malawi with Latitude, a development NGO.  She then managed Lukwe, an eco-resort, for two months and has recently been travelling in southern Africa.

Join us on Friday, December 7. Service at 6:30. Pot-luck supper at 7:30. JED Talk at 8:00.

OrH Annual Appeal
It is that time of year again when we ask all OrH members, High Holiday visitors, and friends to please support our community with an annual donation. The funds we raise from our annual appeal are absolutely critical to sustaining our programming and activities. We have not raised membership dues or High Holiday fees in many years. We strive to keep our fees low, and to keep Or Haneshamah accessible to everyone regardless of their financial situation. This year we have experienced an unexpected decline in our received revenues. After taking into account fee reductions that we offer people in need, our fees would have to increase significantly without our fundraising efforts.
 
We have set a fundraising target of $30,000 this year. To meet that goal, we need everyone to contribute what they can. For those who are able, we ask that you consider a donation significantly above the $300 average household donation that we need in order to meet our funding target. We also ask you to consider making a longer-term commitment by agreeing to an annual donation for the same amount or more for at least five years. 
 
You will receive a charitable tax receipt for your donation. That receipt will earn you a 40% tax credit, regardless of your personal income level, if you have already donated at least $200 to charities in this income tax year.
 
To donate please visit: www.orh.ca/annual-fundraising-drive.html.

Guf Va’nefesh – Body-Mind-Spirit Integration Class
Explore the connections between body and mind at the next Guf Va’Nefesh class, led by OrH member Tana, on Wednesday, December 5 (and on the first Wednesday of every month) at 7:30 in Room 5.
 
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.

Upcoming Services and Events

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
 
Guf Va'Nafesh: Mind-Body-Spirit Integration Class
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5
 
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, December 7, 2018
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Room 5
 
JED Talk: "Volunteering in Africa"
Friday, December 7, 2018
8:00 PM - 9:00 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. 
 
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​​. 

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 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.

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 (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.