OrH Newsletter

Weekly Newsletter

3 December 2019

Give to OrH on #GivingTuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday – the international day of giving – a perfect occasion to make an annual contribution to Or Haneshamah. Our 2019 Fundraising campaign is underway and going strong. We have currently raised $12,000. We are less than half-way to our $28,000 goal. We urge everyone to contribute what they can. We cannot achieve our ambitious goal without all of us pitching in. Voluntary contributions of members and supporters are essential to help us cover the full costs of our programming and to meet the needs of our community. So mark Giving Tuesday by making a donation to OrH – any amount helps, no matter how small. For more about the importance of our campaign and to make your contribution visit www.orh.ca/annual-fundraising-drive.html

New Member Shabbat / Human Rights Shabbat
 
We heartily welcome our NEW MEMBERS to our Shabbat morning service on December 7, 2019. As we have done for several years, we are participating in HUMAN RIGHTS SHABBAT, scheduled annually by T’RUAH: THE RABBINIC CALL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS to recognize, as closely as possible, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of International Human Rights on December 10, 1948. It highlights the intersection of Jewish values and universal human rights.
 
This year Human Rights Shabbat weekend coincides with PARSHAHT VAYETZEY, in which the biblical patriarch Jacob dreams of angels reaching to the heavens. Like Jacob, who goes on to dream a wrestling match with a mysterious figure, we strive to reach beyond and within ourselves, to wrestle with the hard questions of who we are in the world and how we want to treat people in our sacred space.
 
This year’s Human Rights Shabbat mandate from T’RUAH invites congregations to embark on a year-long engagement with issues around Racial Justice, Inclusivity, Diversity and Welcoming. Let’s see if we can become a congregation of WRESTLERS with how to be audaciously and inclusively welcoming; EXPLORERS of our unconscious biases about who belongs; SEEKERS of new pathways and partners as we delve into the issues we discover at work in our midst, and in the world.
 
HOLD THE DATE: Saturday December 14. Our first LIMMUD SHABBAT of 5780
will explore this topic through text study, personal reflection and lively discussion.

BAND Members Past, Present & FUTURE!

Make a Joyful Noise for Hanukkah!

Rehearsal Saturday December 14 at 1:00 pm in the NOW Room.

Calling all instrumentalists – this year’s Hanukkah party on Sunday December 22 is going to be a blast, and we want everyone to toot their own horn, pound their own keys, strum their own …. you get the picture! Let’s raise the roof with our traditional and lively set of sing-a-long tunes and maybe learn a few new ones.

Bring your instruments along to Shabbat Limmud, or come for Kiddush lunch and stay to rehearse.

If you want to play but can’t make it on December 14, let Rabbi Liz know at rabbi@orh.ca

Upcoming Services and Events

Guf Va'Nefesh: Mind-Body-Spirit Integration Class
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
7:30 - 9:00pm, Kanata. RSVP to tana.saler@icloud.com

New Member Shabbat/Human Rights Shabbat
Saturday, December 7, 2019
9:45 - 12:15pm, Fellowship Hall

Roots and Reflections
Sunday, December 9, 2019
9:45 - 11:30am, Member's home, RSVP required

Limmud Shabbat
Saturday, December 14, 2019
9:45 - 12:15pm

Hanukkah Band Rehearsal
Saturday, December 14, 2019
1pm, NOW Room

Hanukkah Celebration
Sunday, December 22, 2019
5 - 9pm, Fellowship Hall

Reconstructionist News

The latest issue of Reconstructionism Today can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/vavswtl. 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
    
Ottawa Jewish Community School Scholastic Book Fair, December 4 – 6, 8 am - 4:30 pm. Come see all the great English, French and Hebrew books for sale, as well as interesting trinkets. Contact Jenn Greenberg at 613-722-0020 x345 or j.greenberg@theojcs.ca

*Chanukah Gift Fair, December 8, 10 am - 4 pm, Soloway JCC. Unique holiday
gifts, decorations, candles and everything you need to celebrate Chanukah.
Contact: Ella Dagan at 613-798-9818 x243 or edagan@jccottawa.com

Concert with Tower of Song Band - Remembering Leonard Cohen. December 8 (corrected date), 2 - 3:30 pm at the SJCC. Join Jerry Golland and the Tower of Song Band as they play your Leonard Cohen favourites - from Everybody Knows to So Long Marianne. Listen or singalong! Sponsors: Soloway JCC and Limmud Ottawa. Cost: $10 at the door. Contact Roslyn Wollock at 613-798-9818 x254 or rwollock@jccottawa.com.

*Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation Life & Legacy Kickoff. December 10, 6 - 7:30 pm, Soloway JCC, 21 Nadolny Sachs Pvt. The Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation is excited to share that we were selected as one of five new organizations nationally to join the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) Life & Legacy initiative. Beginning in 2020, we are partnering with HGF to help start this community-wide legacy giving initiative that has already helped 55 communities across North America to secure their Jewish futures. Please join us to learn more about this amazing program from HGF community consultant Dena Kaufman. Light dinner to be served. Kindly RSVP by Dec. 5 to Solange at sashe@jewishottawa.com or call 613-798-4696 x252

Emerging Generation (EG) Annual Chanukah Ball, December 14, 7 - 12 pm. An evening with dinner drinks, dancing and games. Tickets: Early Bird $36, Advance $45, At Door $54. Ottawa Art Gallery, 50 Mackenzie King Bridge. Contact Jordan at jwaldman@jewishottawa.com. Tickets and more information: https://events.idonate.com/letsgetlit

Join J-Fellows! J-Fellows is a leadership development program for young adults created to inspire the emerging generation of community leaders, co-chaired by Arielle Kreisman and Simone Davis. We have assembled an extraordinary line up for J-fellows 2020. Our interactive sessions will provide leadership and professional skill development, as well as opportunities to network and engage in and with the broader Jewish community. Enhance your professional and lay leadership skills, join J-Fellows today!
Sessions are free of charge, with pre-registration required. Session 1 - “Personality Poker”, Wednesday, Jan. 15. Find out more at https://jewishottawa.com/our-community/j-fellows

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.

Wearing of Scented Products
Out of concern for our fellow members and guests who have chemical sensitivities, and out of respect for the commitment of the First Unitarian Congregation to ensure that the space we share be fragrance-free, the Board respectfully requests that OrH members and visitors refrain as much as possible from wearing scented products, such as perfume, cologne, and hair or body sprays, at OrH services, events and activities. We appreciate your attention to this issue and for supporting our commitment to be an inclusive and welcoming 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
​​​​​​​
December Board Chair: Sharon,  member-at-large.sharon@orh.ca

Treasurer: Ari, treasurer@orh.ca
Communications: David, communications@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.