OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

29 January 2019

Chanting and Chocolate
The next Chanting and Chocolate takes place Sunday February 3 at 7:30 in Room 5.
 
Chanting & Chocolate is an evening of sacred Jewish chant, followed by delicious chocolate treats! Hebrew chanting is often described as a form of meditation and prayer on the path of the heart. Led by OrH Rabbi Liz Bolton with accompaniment by the Chanting & Chocolate Band, come and experience an evening of uplifting chanting that brings clarity to the mind and expansiveness to the spirit.  No prior knowledge of singing, chanting or the Hebrew language is required. Chant sheets are provided. All are welcome! Donations accepted at the door (suggested $10) with all proceeds supporting the education of orphans from the Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda. More information at https://www.orh.ca/chanting.
 
Come for the chanting, stay for the home-baked triple-chocolate brownies!

February Guf Va'Nafesh Rescheduled
The February session of Guf Va'Nafesh – Body-Mind-Spirit Integration class has been rescheduled to Wednesday, February 20. Guf Va'Nafesh classes, normally held on the first Wednesday of the month, explores the connections between body and mind. Participants will engage in gentle movement, verbal and non-verbal interaction, conscious breathing styles and visualization. The classes will explore personal and inter-personal development in a Jewish context, translating concepts to direct, embodied experience, towards a deepening of personal fulfillment and community connection. Led by Tana. For more information visit: www.orh.ca/gufvanafesh

Dor Hadash Update
The Reconstructing Judaism website has a beautiful article on how the Dor Hadash congregation in Pittsburgh is dealing with the aftermath of the October 2018 attack. Read the article here. 

Upcoming Services and Events
 
Shabbat Morning Torah Service
Saturday, February 2, 2019
9:45 AM - 12:15 PM, Fellowship Hall
 
BaMa'gal B'nei Mitzvah Group
Sunday, February 3, 2019
9:00 AM - 11:30 AM at SJCC for Mitzvah Day
 
Roots and Reflections
Sunday, February 3, 2019
9:45 AM - 11:30 AM, Member's home, RSVP to mindfulness@orh.ca
 
Chanting and Chocolate
Sunday, February 3, 2019
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5

Kabbalat Shabbat and JED Talk
Friday, February 8, 2019
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Room 5

Reconstructionist News

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
 
Movie: “Shoelaces”,  Feb 2, 7 - 9 pm at Kehillat Beth Israel, 1400 Coldrey Ave. "Shoelaces" tells the story of a complicated relationship between an aging father and his special-needs son, whom he abandoned while he was still a young boy. Through the film's portrayal of a relationship full of love, rejection and co-dependency, it manages to shed some light and question the importance of human life, human connection and if life is even possible without either. Hebrew (with English subtitles). $10 members/ $12 non-members. For more info or to RSVP contact Deborah Zuker at rabbizuker@kehillatbethisrael.com
 
Mitzvah Day 2019. Join returning Chairs Jonathan and Naomi Mitchell for another wonderful day of mitzvot on February 3, 2019 from 9-11:45 am. Favourite activities of years past will return along with many new activities for all ages. Free breakfast. Register today at http://www.mitzvahdayottawa.com. ! If you would like to support Mitzvah Day with a donation, please visit www.mitzvahdayottawa.com/event-donations.html.
 
Classic Israeli Film Series: "Operation Sunflower" (2014), February 7, 6:40 - 9 pm at the SJCC. The Embassy of Israel in Canada in partnership with Vered Israel Cultural and Educational Program and CICF are proud to present a winter series of classic Israeli films. 7pm - a short talk by Israeli Cultural Attache to Canada, Itay Tavor, followed by the film. Refreshments will be served. Contact: Ella at edagan@jewishottawa.com
 
Movie: “The Yellow Ticket” - Feb 10, 2 - 4 pm, Temple Israel. A 1918 classic silent movie starring Pola Negri. Original sound track written and performed by Klezmatics co-founder Alicia Svigals (violin) with Merilyn Lerner (piano). Advance ticket purchase recommended. Adults $20; Students $10. Reserve at concerts@templeisraelottawa.ca
 
Jazz Vespers for Valentine's Day at FirstU - Tuesday Feb. 12 2019, 7:30-8:30 PM, 30 Cleary Ave. A contemporary service featuring such standards as Night and Day, Someone to Watch Over Me, It's Only a Paper Moon, and Moonglow. You will also enjoy hearing some readings for Valentine's Day and live painting by Laurie Foster-MacLeod. Freewill donation accepted at the door.

Movie: The Ancestral Sin, Feb 16, 7 - 9 pm, at Kehillat Beth Israel, 1400 Coldrey Ave. Declared a "documentary dynamite" in Israel, this award-winning film reveals the story of Israel's "development towns" as never told before: Testimonials and previously sealed transcripts reveal a method, an ideology and a cruel practice of law enforcement and decision makers behind the "population dispersal" policies in the first two decades of independence. Documentary in Hebrew (with English subtitles). $10/members; $12/non-members. For more info or to RSVP contact Deborah Zuker at rabbizuker@kehillatbethisrael.com
 
Sarah Waisvisz’s solo show returns to Ottawa, Feb 18, 9pm at Arts Court.
Sarah’s show, Monstrous, will be performed for one night only as part of the undercurrents festival’s first ever Industry Showcase event, highlighting work developed through the festival’s play development program. Monstrous premiered at the undercurrents festival in February 2016 and has been performed in Montreal, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Athens GA, and the script has been published by Alt.theatre (13.3).

Heir to the traumatic histories of Africa, the Caribbean, and European Jewry, a woman interrogates who she is and who she could be while navigating family lore, genetics, conflicting histories, and the complexity of being biracial in our “multicultural” Canadian society. An interdisciplinary show for anyone who is also seeking belonging somewhere, somehow…

Tickets for Monstrous 

Community Opportunities
 
Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation Scholarships and Grants
We are proud to offer scholarships and grants with the shared purpose of benefiting our community. The 2019 application process opens today for each of the following awards. GJ Cooper Scholarship Award, Ilana and Steven Rubin Scholarship Award, Norman Lesh Philanthropy Award, Women’s Collective Philanthropy (WCCP) Grant. For more info, contact foundation@jewishottawa.com, 613-798-4696 x252, or visit: https://ojcf.ca/programs_awards

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.

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

Treasurer: Ari, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Jean, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: David, communications@orh.ca
Learning: Michael, learning@orh.ca
Membership: Barbara, membership@orh.ca
Ritual and Volunteer Co-Coordinator: Sarah, member-at-large-sarah@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Tom, member-at-large.tom@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Sharon, member-at-large.sharon@orh.ca
Member-at-Large (until May 2019): Halina, member-at-large.halina@orh.ca
Past President (until May 2019): Monica, 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.