Celebrating Our Mixed Jewish Multitude
Celebrating Our Jewish Mixed Multitude
Or Haneshamah
Erev Shavuot Sunday May 16 2021/ 5781
12:00-8:45PM via Zoom
Coordinators: Diana Ralph (Learning Coordinator) and Sarah Waisvisz
12:00- 12:15 Opening Remarks by Sarah Waisvisz
12:15- 1:30 “Diversity and the erev rav: Torah, Ancestry and Identity.” Text Study with Rabbi Liz.
The liberated folks that left Mitzrayim Egypt and made their way to Har Sinai to receive the gift of Torah are given the singular term erev rav, variously translated as: a mixed multitude, a motley throng, various nations, and riffraff. That’s us! We’ll start our day of celebrating our Jewish mixed multitude with an engaging and interactive text study that invites many questions: how was the erev rav understood then, how has the understanding evolved, and how do we claim it for ourselves, our community and the Jewish people this Shavuot of 5781/2021.
1:30-2:00 BREAK
2:00-3:00 “Beyond Blintzes : Celebrating our Diversity through Cooking.” Culinary Show and Tell.
Led by Diana Ralph and featuring the talents of OrH members and friends … and you? Our chefs will cook up a storm and a story or two as we take a culinary journey around the world. [Download the recipes here]
3:00-4:00 BREAK
4:00-5:00 "I don’t see Colour, and other lies we tell Ourselves." Panel Discussion and Presentation by the OrH Repairing the World group.
Were you affected by the death of George Floyd? Or maybe you were shocked and saddened by an event that happened right here on our Ottawa doorstep, the death of Abdirahman Abdi? How could these things be happening in the 21st Century in our democracies? The Repairing the World group has spent the pandemic year grappling with the subject of anti black racism: what is the history; what are the psychological underpinnings of bias; what is the situation in Canada; what is structural racism and how does it perpetuate inequality; how are we all individually implicated in systemic racism? It has been a year of self education that we would like to share with our fellow OrH members. We see our anti racism education as a necessary step on the path to anti-racism action. Join us for this forthright panel discussion.
5:00-7:15 BREAK
7:15-8:15 "Celebrating Our Jewish Diversity." Panel discussion with cutting-edge social-justice educators and activists.
Join Sarah Waisvisz for discussion with special guests Sara Yacobi-Harris (No Silence on Race) and Tema Smith (18Doors) about intersectionality, race, Jewishness, pride, and resilience. Sara Yacobi-Harris is the founder of No Silence on Race, a group of Jewish-Canadians committed to helping Jewish spaces become anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive. She is an artist, filmmaker, media professional and community organizer. Tema Smith is Director of Professional Development at 18Doors (formerly Interfaith Families) and a columnist at The Forward. She is a writer, diversity advocate, and community builder. Please join us for what will be an honest and meaningful conversation.
8:15-8:45 Ritual for Shavuot led by Rabbi Liz
8:45-8:50 Concluding Remarks by Sarah Waisvisz and Diana Ralph
