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Dear Members of Or Chadash,
The Biblical poet Ecclesiastes wrote: "Only that shall happen which has happened before; only that occur which has occurred; there is nothing new under the sun." (Eccl 1:9)
It is not a hopeful message, unless one understands that the ideas it expresses were at one time new. Now is a time for new ideas. Now is the time for new thinking, because what has happened to the black community and to people of color here in America, can no longer continue if our nation is to fulfill its promise to all its citizens.
Rabbi Jonah Pesner of the Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C., made this statement in a URJ Press Release about what is happening in our nation:
"The national rage expressed about the murder of Mr. Floyd reflects the depth of pain over the injustice that People of Color - and particularly Black men - have been subjected to throughout the generations. In recent months we have seen, yet again, too many devastating examples of persistent systemic racism, leading to the deaths not only of Mr. Floyd but of other precious souls, including Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
We remember others before them...[and] we say now, again:
We will not sit idly by.
Our country simply cannot achieve the values of "justice for all" to which it aspires until we address ongoing racism in all sectors and at all levels of society...."
Alden Solovy, an American poet living in Israel wrote the following:
Strangled by Police: Psalm of Protest 17
A psalm of protest,
In memory of George Floyd,
Sung at the gates of justice,
When black men are strangled in the streets,
When power is abused and jails overflow,
When the voiceless are forgotten and minorities misused.
Open, you gates!
Open to the cries of those murdered, jailed or harassed
For being black,
For being a person of color,
For being homeless, indigent, destitute or unwanted,
The detained, the hounded,
The pursued and the persecuted,
Those who are killed while being restrained.
Open, you gates!
Let righteousness flow forth as living waters,
And truth flow forth as healing balm,
To still the hand of violence and hatred,
To cure the heart of bigotry and racism,
To herald fairness and equality,
And bring justice to this land.
May the lives which are now gone, not have perished in vain. Now is the time for us all to work to cure the racism which afflicts our land.
We will continue to honor George Floyd's memory at our Shabbat Service with prayers, discussion and song. I hope you will join me.
-- Rabbi Joe Forman
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SCHEDULE
THIS WEEK
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Thursday, June 4th
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7:00 PM
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Annual Congregation Meeting
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Meeting ID
814-0827-7785
Password
None
Telephone Dial-in
(929) 205-6099
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This is the first year that we will be meeting virtually. Please take this opportunity to join us to review the past year and look ahead to our future. At the meeting, we will be presenting and voting on:
- Our budget for July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021
- Our new slate of Board Members and Officers
- Changes to our bylaws.
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Friday, June 5th
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7:00 PM
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Shabbat Sevices
with Rabbi Forman and Cantor Kathy Gohr
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Meeting ID
753-020-067
Password
149149
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Join us as we welcome Shabbat with song and prayer. On this Shabbat, join us exactly as you feel most comfortable. A few things to note about our service:
- Feel free to light your own Shabbat candles, share in drinking the wine/juice from your own Kiddush cups and taste the sweetness of challah at your house
- Please email me (josephforman@gmail.com) no later than 5:00 PM on Friday the names you would like me to read during Mi Shebeirach
- If you need support or assistance using Zoom, please reach out to me or Betsy no later than 3:00 PM on Friday
- THIS LINK CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND ON OUR OC WEBSITE HOMEPAGE
I hope each of you is well. We look forward to seeing our Or Chadash community for our Zoom Shabbat.
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Yahrzeits to be observed:
Morty Lehrer
Richard Levy
Bernard Sigel
Sheldon Connor
Bessie Sinoway
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Sunday, June 7th
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10:00 - 11:00 AM
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Kup O' Joe - Adult Education with Rabbi Forman
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Meeting ID
926-473-486
Password
149149
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Topic: Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue. A look at the Jewish values surrounding justice and some texts both ancient and modern.
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View our full calendar
here
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Here are a few things our congregation can do now, a
s well
as information about upcoming resources, announcements, and
other opportunities
from the URJ and our partner organizations.
Click the link:
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PEACEFUL MARCH THURSDAY JUNE 4th at 5PM in CLINTON, NJ
A protest is planned in Clinton at 5 p.m. Thursday beginning at the
North County Branch Library at 65 Halstead St.
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PERFORMING ACTS OF TIKKUN OLAM
We all have been performing acts of
Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) during
these past ten weeks by adhering to the guidelines of the State of New Jersey
and sheltering in place. During Religious School we heard from so many of
you and learned how you have gone above and beyond by creating cards, writing
notes to essential workers at the hospital, to first responders and folks in
nursing homes, shopping and delivering food to the elderly.
To continue our acts of loving kindness during these Mitzvah Days, we are including a list of ideas that you and your family can continue to perform in the coming weeks. We would appreciate it if you would send a photo of you completing these activities so we can create a Mitzvah Day 2020 photo album. Here are a few ideas:
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Bake cookies/food for the Sand Hill Boys Home/Binnacle House.
Call 908-782-0848 before making a delivery to 56 Sandhill Road.
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Provide meals or gift cards to workers at Hunterdon Medical Center,
2100 Westcott Drive, Flemington, NJ
08822
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Volunteer to shop and deliver food for the Senior Shopper Program at Jewish Family Service.
Call 908-725-7799 x 104
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Work the polls on Tuesday, July 7th.
Call the Board of Elections 908-788-1190.
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17 year olds can
register to vote, (even though voting age is 18.)
Start a campaign to register your friends!
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Write notes! Decorate cards! Make craft projects. Origami flowers are so
much fun.
Here are some suggestions for recipients:
- Or Chadash's Mishebeirach (Get Well) List
- Local Nursing Homes
- Independence Manor, 188 NJ-31, Flemington, NJ 08822
- Hunterdon Care Center, 1 Leisure Court, Flemington, NJ 08822
- Country Arch, 114 Pittstown Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867
- Rolling Hills Health Care Center, 16 Cratetown Rd, Lebanon, NJ 08833
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Prepare treats for our First Responders (EMT, Fire Department, Police
Department) and deliver to the folks in your township.
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Celebrate high school and college graduates! A list of graduates is p
rovided in this newsletter.
Here is one craft suggestion, but there are so many more:
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There are just so many people to thank, including teachers, essential
workers, first responders, and our family. The list is endless.
Want to say thank you in many languages? Here is a Thank you card template
that is just perfect for this! Todah!
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10
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Connect! Reach out to someone in your family. A surprise phone call,
Zoom call or how about taking pen to paper and writing a letter!
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Do you have an extra device (old ipad/ipod/laptop) in your house that is not being used? There are many people in our community (seniors, children, families) who could benefit by having either one or an additional piece of technology in their homes. Please contact us and we will get the devices in the proper hands.
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Do you like to sing or play an instrument? Maybe your family has a favorite Or Chadash song? Shabbat Services have been benefiting from the deep talents of our friends and members. We would love to welcome you to participate in a Shabbat service this summer. If you are interested, please contact us.
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Our Summer Hebrew Helper program is thriving thanks to our college and high school students. If you would like your child to participate as either a tutor or tutee, please reach out to us.
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Donate Blood through the American Red Cross on June 30, 2020 at the Clinton Presbyterian Church or at a location near you.
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Our
Or Chadash property could use a little TLC. Weeding, trimming and
raking is most welcome.
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Food insecurity is a national problem. The pandemic has heightened the need. Please consider making a food donation--soup, pasta and cereal are needed. Or sign up to volunteer and take a shift at the Flemington Food Pantry
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Clean up our trails. Is there a trail you love to walk? Next time, take along a trash bag and some gloves and do trail clean-up as you exercise.
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Help Or Chadash out by purchasing SCRIP. Sign up to buy gift cards on the shopwithscrip.com and Or Chadash earns funds. Contact berg3@comcast.net. And when you shop on Amazon, please remember to use Smile.amazon.com and designate Or Chadash as the beneficiary.
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We would love to hear about the acts
that you have already performed so that we can share with everyone.
We are so appreciative of all of your efforts in continuing to perform Tikkun
Olam in the coming weeks.
And remember to take a "snapshot."
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Building Bridges - Weekly Anti-Racism Group
An interfaith group,
Building Bridges, has been meeting weekly since last September to discuss racism in our society and confront our own complicity in that injustice. The group is moving from a book discussion group to also including a weekly action(s). They will be reading the book,
Revive Us Again: Vision and Action in Moral Organizing, (William J. Barber II, Rick Lowery, Liz Theoharis) starting this Wednesday at 10 via Zoom and will also be discussing our weekly actions.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact
Karen Buys (
karenrbuys@gmail.com) with the subject
Building Bridges. If you do not have time for the book discussion but would like to join in the actions, let Karen Buys know to be included in the group email.
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SCRIP CORNER
NEW Language and NEW Stats!
First, I hope everyone is doing well and hanging in there as we transition to summer (which might look a lot like spring?)...
NEW language from the scrip center. Effective immediately, you'll see new terms used on the scrip website. You'll see
"Gift Card" for the physical (plastic) gift cards, and you'll see
"eGift Card" for what used to be called "ScripNow." The hope is that the switch away from "ScripNow" will make things easier to understand -- because, simply, what you're getting is an eGift Card. Any questions, let me know!
NEW stats. Speaking of eGift Cards, we had a great increase in eGift Card purchases. We had
24 orders for eGift Cards this month, and that is just wonderful! Thank you for thinking of Or Chadash when shopping with the following retailers: Lowe's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Home Depot, Amazon, REI, LL Bean, Domino's, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Zappos, Walmart, Staples, Panera, Fandango, Texas Roadhouse, Aeropostale, Jersey Mike's, Fanatics, DSW, Old Navy, Adidas, Athleta, Chico's. Yes, eGift Cards for all these retailers were purchased, and it's made a great difference for Or Chadash.
We're up to $411 earnings for eGift Cards for May!
The next deadline for regular Gift Cards (plastic) is Monday, June 15.
SCRIP FOR DONATIONS
If you are making any donations of gift cards to support various organizations, please consider doubling your gift by using scrip. Add an extra $25 of ShopRite or Stop&Shop scrip, if you are helping out any of our local food pantries, or consider eGift Cards. Using scrip for your donations benefits the organization that is the recipient and also benefits Or Chadash. A double mitzvah for May's Mitzvah Days!
AMAZON & ONLINE SHOPPING
A reminder that if you do any shopping on Amazon, please use smile.Amazon.com to designate OC as beneficiary, and also please buy Amazon scrip to make your purchases. Double pay to Or Chadash, and no cost to you at all. If you are doing any online shopping, please consider buying scrip to make those purchases.
BONUS! As always, remember: Or Chadash gives you
25% of your earnings back, as a credit towards your dues. The more your purchases earn for OC, the more you earn for yourself as dues credit. Win-win!
Here is how our orders are adding up for the 2019-2020 fiscal year:
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Month
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Orders
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Amount
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| July |
18
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$440
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| August |
16
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$386
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| September |
23
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$592
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| October |
34
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$625
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| November |
28
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$778
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| December |
31
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$871
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| January |
23
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$449
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| February |
27
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$502
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| March |
23
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$493
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| April |
38
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$585
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| May |
26
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$785
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287
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$6,506
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TOTAL earnings for Or Chadash: $6,506
TOTAL dollars Or Chadash is giving back to members as dues credit: $1,626.
Thank you for your support! Hope you are feeling healthy and staying safe!
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Jewish Family Service Seeks Folks to Grocery Shop
Shoppers are needed to help shop/deliver groceries to the clients of JFS.
If you are interested in volunteering please call Jerry Starr, Executive Director,
at 908-725-7799 x 104.
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Work/Volunteer Opportunity:
The Primary election has been postponed to Tuesday, July 7th, and the Board of Elections is seeking folks to work at the polls on July 7th, 2020.
You will be paid for to work the polls.
This is a wonderful opportunity for high school and college age students.
If you are interested please call the Board of Elections 908-788-1190.
There is a form to complete, but please touch base by phone first.
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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS & LINKS TO LOCAL FOOD SOURCES
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The SSBJCC has live events and virtual activities all listed on its
JCC
WITHOUT WALLS PAGE.
Scroll down to see all of the events
We have discovered that some restaurants and farm stands have grocery store
and household items available for purchase.
Please go to the websites of the places below to learn more.
Curbside
pick up is available, and delivery options, too!
If you have others to share, please email me.
Please stay safe and stay home.
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Or Chadash is encouraging members to help other members at this time of need. If you can help our community and would like to let others know - please feel free to share it with us, so we can share it with all of you.
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OFFER: ZOOM / TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
As someone who works with collaboration technology on a regular basis, I would be more than happy to be a resource to help test or troubleshoot Zoom connectivity. From initial setup to test calls, feel free to reach out to me during the day to proactively get setup and comfortable prior to upcoming Or Chadash virtual gatherings
If you have any other technology needs, don't hesitate to reach out. I'll do what I can.
Feel free to text or email me:
Mike Wolf
(267) 872-4708
Talk soon!
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Mishkan T'filah for Shabbat - A Reform Siddur
A Kindle version of our prayer book is available on Amazon for only $4.99.
Click on the image of the book or this link:
Also, a FREE online version is available from CCAR Press:
Click here for the FREE online version.
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Did you know that your Amazon purchases can benefit Or Chadash with a charitable donation from the AmazonSmile Foundation when you shop at AmazonSmile? Just use the
smile.amazon.com link when you go to shop.
To learn more about AmazonSmile, click
HERE
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HOW TO REACH US
Rabbi Joseph M. Forman (
Rabbi)
OR CHADASH OFFICE
Phone: 908-806-2122
OFFICE HOURS -
Please call to schedule an appointment.
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COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND NEEDS
These are hard times as we all know. As always and during this pandemic, Hunterdon Helpline is trying 24-7 to meet the needs of vulnerable populations who are challenged in a safe and organized manner for both the receiver and the giver.
In addition to being open to assist as always for any challenge at any time, Helpline has situation-particular services that we are providing:
- Community Information web page updated regularly for access to available services and needs, including government, nonprofits, business and other organizations: http://www.helplinehc.org/community-information.html
- Food Access for vulnerable populations: Call (908) 782-4357
- Direct Relief Services Volunteer Registration and Matching to programs / services / organizations: Call (908) 782-4357 or email volunteerprograms@helplinehc.org or download registration form on the Community Information page: http://www.helplinehc.org/community-information.html
- Community Translation Center - volunteers on-call for telephone conferencing
- Regular Outreach and Intakes from community organizations for what they are still providing: email communityinformation@helplinehc.org to update
- Our Senior and Disability Services Telephone Reassurance program is available for new clients wishing to be checked in on daily and receive information
- Helpline continues to register people for Citizen Alert and Register Ready if they are unable to do themselves.
We ask that you share this with your congregation. We welcome volunteers. We are here for those who need assistance because of the pandemic or because, as we know, life goes on. Hunterdon Helpline has, for 50 years, provided assistance and connection to services to our continually updated database of 1500-plus programs and services. All one has to do is call: (908) 782-4357 or 1-800-272-4630.
Thank you for your service to the community.
Stay well,
- Susan
Susan R.G. Lax, MCIS
Executive Director
Hunterdon Helpline
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