OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

27 August 2019

High Holy Days Registration
 
We will be opening our High Holy Days registration for members of the community as well as immediate family of OrH members on September 1. We are also happy to announce that Tishrey visitors who are either new to Ottawa or have not been affiliated with an Ottawa shul for at least three years are eligible for the Jewish Jumpstart program. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa will heavily subsidize the cost of a new OrH membership for the first two years. For example, two adults attending both High Holiday services as TIshrey Visitors can save $180 simply by joining OrH through the Jumpstart program. The Jumpstart program is limited, so if you are someone you know might be interested, you should contact membership@orh.ca as soon as possible.

BaMa’gal B’nei Mitzvah Group
 
The first meeting of the year of BaMa’gal, OrH’s B’nei Mitzvah Group, takes place Sunday, September 8, 1:30-4:30 at Unitarians. BaMa'Gal ("in the circle") is our monthly B'nei Mitzvah Group (BMG) for Jewish learning, social activities and support for youth and their families who are planning bar or bat mitzvah. The BMG offers young members of Or Haneshamah and their families a chance to make connections with their peers. Parents and children support one another as each family approaches their bar or bat mitzvah celebration.
 
The BMG is open to all OrH members or prospective members with children (ages 11-13) who are planning either a traditional bar or bat mitzvah at OrH or elsewhere, or an alternative, meaningful Jewish "right of passage" ceremony. BMG families meet monthly at 30 Cleary or in members' homes (depending on the size of the group) to socialize and engage in fun, enlightening Jewish learning activities with Rabbi Liz. For more info contact Orly at orlylewkowiczkelly@gmail.com

Machaneh Shabbat Registration Now Open
 
Registration for this year’s Machaneh Shabbat program is now open. An engaging and enriching program is currently being planned and we look forward to seeing you and your children in September. If you have any friends with school age children looking for a unique Jewish education experience, tell them about Machaneh Shabbat! For more information visit https://www.orh.ca/machaneh-shabbat or contact educator@orh.ca.

Exploring Judaism Course
 
Registration is now open for the 2019-20 Exploring Judaism course taught by Rabbi Liz.
 
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.
 
Classes begin September 19, 2019 and meet on most 1st and 3rd Thursdays through May 21, 2020 at the Unitarians. The cost is $180 for full members of OrH, $360 for non-members. Register at https://www.orh.ca/exploring-judaism.html or contact Rabbi Liz for more information at rabbi@orh.ca.

Upcoming Services and Events

Shabbat Morning Torah Service
Saturday, September 7, 2019
9:45 - 12:15, Fellowship Hall

Reconstructionist News

The latest issue of Reconstructionism Today can be found at: tinyurl.com/y2tcdukv . The archive of back issues is available at: https://www.reconstructingjudaism.org/article/newsletter-archive

Learn to Read Hebrew in Two Weeks. Tamar Kamionkowski, professor of Bible at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, is offering a FREE online Hebrew course: you will learn how to pronounce every Hebrew letter and vowel. By the end of the course you will be reading from the prayer book and the Bible in Hebrew! Devote 10 minutes three days a week and you'll be able to sound out any Hebrew word in two weeks. Visit https://kamionkowski-bet-midrash.teachable.com/p/the-hebrew-alphabet-and-how-to-read

In The Ottawa Community
* = New item this week
 
Community Events and Announcements

The musical Falsettos is being performed by the the Orpheus Musical Theatre Society, September 4-7 at the Gladstone Theatre.  A unique musical that explores modern Jewish identity, Variety describes it as “a masterly feat of comic storytelling and […] visionary musical theater.” Falsettos was recently revived to great acclaim on Broadway in 2016. Entirely sung-through, it features a Jewish family that experiences tumult when Marvin comes out as gay just as he and his wife Trina are starting to obsessively plan their son Jason’s bar mitzvah. Meanwhile, the AIDS crisis is in its infancy. A show about family and acceptance, where love tells a million stories. For more information and tickets, visit https://www.orpheus-theatre.ca/falsettos

*Come join our first Ottawa Jewish Kitchen Party - Meet new friends and learn how to make traditional Kurdish kubbeh! A reception-style dinner will be served by Chef Shabi Baruch. All religious, spiritual, gender and sexual expressions are welcome.
September 5, from 7-10pm at AIDS Committee of Ottawa, 19 Main St. Event is free, but registration is required. More info: ourjewishkitchenottawa@gmail.com 

Foundations of Jewish Living, a program of the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, starts this September at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.
The course, Thursday evenings beginning September 12, is specifically designed for parents and provides an opportunity for them to enrich their own Jewish education and learn about Jewish life in the context of parenting.
Drawing on a range of texts - from the Bible to PJ Library books - the program consists of in-person sessions, each focused on themes connected to Jewish holidays or key figures in Jewish life. Course is $150 (subsidies available). Register at meltonschool.org

*Israel's 2019 Elections: An Insider's Perspective. Presentation and Q&A by Amir Tibon, the Washington correspondent for Israel daily Ha'aretz, on the upcoming second round of Israeli elections in less than six months. Tibon is especially tuned in to the Trump-Netanyahu relationship and how it's playing out in the current campaign. Event sponsored by Canadian Friends of Peace Now. Friday, September 13, 7:30-9:00 pm, Hintonburg Community Centre, 1064 Wellington St. West (near Fairmont Ave). Parking at back of building. Space limited. Please RSVP to goliger@rogers.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.

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

August Board Chair: Michael, learning@orh.ca

Treasurer: Ari, treasurer@orh.ca
Secretary: Diana, secretary@orh.ca
Communications: David, communications@orh.ca
Learning: Michael, learning@orh.ca
Membership: Barbara, membership@orh.ca
Member-at-Large: Sharon, member-at-large.sharon@orh.ca
 Member-at-Large: Timna, member.at.large-timna@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.