Doar Shalom: May 14, 2020 / 20 Iyyar, 5780

Shabbat candle lighting: 8:32 pm

Havdalah: 9:42 pm

Rabbi Hannah's Weekly Reflection

Behar – Bechukotai

In the first of this week’s double Torah portion, Behar – “In The Mountain,” God’s voice emanates from Sinai again, declaring that Sabbath rest be extended to the land, which must be left uncultivated every seventh year. The year of land-rest is called Shmita , and the rabbis ask: “ Mah inyan Shmita etzel Har Sinai?” “ What does resting the land have to do with Sinai ?”

The challenge of Shmita is to cultivate a rhythm of creativity and rest. We are asked to integrate periodic relinquishments and recalibrations of our productivity. We strive and create and harvest within a system that provides regular and predictable opportunities to rebalance whatever becomes skewed in our sense of entitlement, and, consequently, in the health of our physical world.

The blessing of Shmita is that when we allow the earth her freedom to be wild, we are moved by her beauty and mystery. Indeed, we’re moved to care for her and be the stewards of God’s earth we are meant to be. It’s essential to maintain the equilibrium of nature, so the Torah shouts from the mountaintop, in the words of our parsha: “Proclaim liberty to the land !”

The covenant of Sinai is meant to foster harmony by addressing the possibility that we will pervert our world with greed. The Ten Commandments offers a set of values that shift our attention from personal needs to the needs of community and society at large. When we add the law of Shmita to the Ten Utterances of Sinai, we broaden the scope of our covenantal partners to include, not just God and other people, but also the land on which we live.

Shmita means “release.” As we approach a slow emergence from our shelter-in-place, let’s consider that, however forced upon us, we have, over the weeks of our self-isolation, released some of the human strain on our earth, incrementally releasing nature from our harness on her utility. Consequently, we are witnessing Gaia’s barest signs of self-restoration. May we hear her plea for further rest and restoration while we’re still quiet enough to hear, remembering nature’s vulnerability to the capriciousness of our human whims and our human demands.

“ Mah inyan Shmita etzel Har Sinai?” “ What does resting the land have to do with Sinai ?” The answer is that the gravitas of Sinai is invoked as God imparts the laws of the Sabbatical year.

Shabbat Shalom!

Upcoming Virtual Shabbat Morning Services

Saturday, May 23, Shabbat Morning Service

10:00 am

John MacDonald is celebrating h is adult Simchat Mitzvah .

Saturday, May 30, Shabbat Yom Tov Shavuot with Yizkor

10:00 am

Borrowing Prayerbooks (Siddurim)

If you would like to sign out a Siddur from Or Shalom for virtual services, email the office at office@orshalom.ca to arrange a pick up time or a delivery time (please allow around 5 days for volunteer deliveries).

Upcoming Or Shalom Virtual Happenings

Friday May 15 to May 21

Friday, May 15

Virtual Light: Connect and Express Through Writing

with Aren X. Tulchinsky

10:00-10:30 am

Prayers for Healing, Tehillim for the Human Family

1:00 pm

Reciting Tehillim for the sick is a traditional practice.

Join Matthew Gindin to chant or sing Psalms, or to sit quietly, sending healing intentions. Psalms available in Hebrew and English here . Join via Zoom . Meeting ID: 910 5179 3319. Password: 528551

Erev Shabbat Candle Lighting

6.00 pm .

Rabbi Hannah invites you to share a virtual Intergenerational Shabbat candle lighting and blessings. Come for candle lighting and stay for Shalom Aleichem, Kiddush, hand washing, and Motzi.

Join via Zoom . Meeting ID: 826 4524 7744. Password: 712461

Saturday, May 16

New: Shabbat Afternoon Social Gathering - Break Out in Conversation

4:00 pm - 5:15

Bring a cup of tea or a glass of wine, pull up a chair, and enjoy large and small-group conversations with your friends in our Or Shalom Zoom rooms. More details below. Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 858 0107 1478

Password: 349157

Sunday, May 17

More Talmud with Rabbi Susan Shamash

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

We will continue our study of The Women of the Talmud chapter 7 on The Sages and Childbirth, Nursing, and Motherhood. It’s so interesting to learn what an entirely male group thought about human experiences that were entirely outside of their sphere of life. Please “bring” the book with you if you have it.

See here for more details on these classes. Newcomers always welcome!

Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 832 7173 9284; Password: 634229 (Please plan to “arrive” a few minutes early).

Virtual Evening Minyan led by Rabbi Hannah

7:00 pm

For a transliterated and translated weekday evening liturgy, please click here (pg 69 to 125).

Join via Zoom . Meeting ID: 869 8675 6931. Password: 291406

Tuesday, May 19

Seeing the Omer: Art Exploration for Children and Youth Ages 6-13 with Wendy Oberlander

2:00 pm

ages 6-13

This week of the Omer brings us to YESOD: foundation! You might ask, what is a foundation? See the webpage for details and list of supplies for the next class . To register your children, email Tanya, the Program and Events Coordinator by 12:00 pm on Tuesday for the new Zoom link : programs@orshalom.ca .

Z usia the Bet Midrash: The Jewish Book of the Dead

with Matthew Gindin

7:00 - 9:00 pm

For registered students.

Wednesday, May 20

Children's Storytime with Rabbi Hannah

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Geared for children aged 4 - 7 but all children are welcome!

Parents, please email Master Teacher Matthew Gindin at learning@orshalom.ca to register your children.

Wild Garde n: Jewish Wisdom on the Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Parenting

7:00 - 8:30 pm

For registered participants.

Thursday, May 21

Women's Heart Centered Torah Study

12:30 – 2:30pm

Gleaning from Parashat Bamidbar / פרשת במדבר

Bamidbar/ Numbers 1:1 - 4:20

Email Dael Adams: d.adams@telus.net

New: Shabbat Afternoon Social Gathering - Break Out in Conversation

The breakout conversations we hosted during our last Shabbat service were so popular that we’re bringing them back this Shabbat in a purely social gathering! Bring a cup of tea or a glass of wine, pull up a chair, and enjoy large and small-group conversations with your friends in our Or Shalom Zoom rooms.

Our topic this week: As BC begins to open up into the next phase of life under Covid-19, what are some aspects of the enforced pause we’ve been living through that we would like to carry over into the future? Discuss!

We’ll open our virtual doors at 4:00pm, have a chance to schmooze together for a few minutes, and then will move into breakout rooms for a couple of rounds of small-group conversations. Following the breakouts we’ll reconvene as a whole group to share reflections with each other and chat for a few minutes before we end at 5:15.

Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 858 0107 1478

Password: 349157

Looking Forward

Erev Shavuot Collaborative Gathering: "Building your Life as a Work of Art"

Thursday, May 28, 7:30 – 9:00 pm

A multi-synagogue online Shavuot program via Zoom includes a reflection on the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. The program will conclude with a joint Ma’ariv service. Pre-register to receive the Zoom link: www.templesholom.ca/shavuot

Open Registrations

Zusia Presents: Inside the Black Box - The Mystery of Tefillin

Instructor: Rabbi Hillel Goelman

Prerequisites: None

Dates: Tuesdays, May 26 to June 16

Time: 7-9 pm

Cost: Members, $60; Non-members, $98

This course will be hosted online via Zoom

Multi-synagogue Erev Shavuot Program

REFLECTIONS ON RABBI ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL

"Building your Life as a Work of Art"

Rabbi Hannah joins colleagues in a community-wide teaching. Pre-register to receive the Zoom link: www.templesholom.ca/shavuot

Back by Popular Demand!

Three Doors to Jewish Meditation: Deepening Our Practice

With Rabbi Hannah Dresner and Matthew Gindin

Come join Or Shalom for this innovative online retreat taught by Rabbi Hannah Dresner and meditation teacher Matthew Gindin. During our time together we will explore three ways into Jewish meditation: focused contemplation ( hitbonenut ), transformation of the heart ( mussar ), and sacred melody ( niggun ). We will alternate guided communal practice with teachings, time for questions and discussion, and breaks for movement and refreshment.

This retreat will be offered virtually, via Zoom. Registration is required by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 27 . Registrants will be emailed the Zoom meeting log-in details by noon on Thursday, May 28 (Erev Shavuot).

Or Shalom Updates

Annual Campaign Amidst COVID-19

We celebrated Lag BaOmer this past week, passing the middle point of counting the omer. This also means we have passed the middle point of our campaign and even though we are more than 50% towards our goal, there’s a long way to go. 140 families have yet to be reached and our campaign is all about including everyone. Your input and contributions are vital to the success of our campaign.

Please make a time to speak to your canvasser - if you don’t know who that is or haven’t been contacted yet, please reach out to our Campaign Director, Jaydeen Williams Rabinovitch, at campaign@orshalom.ca .

You can initiate your Annual Campaign donation online at www.orshalom.ca/campaign/ .

Toda Raba.

- Roslyn Kunin, Campaign Chair

A donation was made by Ruth Stewart to the Or Shalom Community Fund in Memory of Brina Peritz z"l.
A donation was made by Alexis Kellum-Creer to the Shiva and Gemilut Chesed Fund in Memory of Linda Peritz's mother, Brina z"l.
A donation was made by Lorne Prupas to the Or Shalom Community Fund in Honour of Hana Wosk for her stellar leadership of the Membership Committee.
A donation was made by Adele Ritch and Dianne Liscumb to the Or Shalom Community Fund in Appreciation of the generosity of Mary Adlersberg and Sally Thorne.
A donation was made by John MacDonald to the Rabbi's Benevolent Fund.
Thank you to Wendy Oberlander for volunteering to teach the Seeing the Omer Art Exploration Class for children and youth.
Thank you to Aren X. Tulchinsky for volunteering to teach the Connect and Express Through Writing course.
Thank you to to Michael Corber for his hard work in digitizing the May and June yahrzeit reminder letters.
Thank you to the Gemilut Chesed Working Group and to our Covid-19 volunteers for their support:

Ann Daskal

Avril Orloff

Dave Kauffman

Esther Tennenhouse

Fran Goldberg

Fran Ritch

Harriett Lemer

Jack Sniderman

Jane Heyman

Jill Goldberg

John Fuerst

Mary Adlersberg

Nomi Fenson

Pat Gill

Phil Moses

Sheryl Sorokin

Susan Karovitch

Susan Shamash

Tanya Hebron

Tiffany Muller Myrdahl

Zelik Segal

The membership committee's Getting to Know You interview series is an opportunity for Or Shalomniks to get to know one another and learn about the fascinating stories and knowledge our community has to offer.

This week, get to know: Mark Winston .

Or Shalom and Covid-19

Generosity in the Time of Covid-19

With the need to remain at home for the sake of good health, Or Shalom staff and volunteers are reaching out to connect socially and spiritually, and we are reaching out to provide material goods as well, buying and delivering provisions, as requested, and dong our best to help with other unexpected short-term needs.

Please help us to maintain strong financial resources in the communal funds from which we draw to ensure that members of our community have what is needed during this difficult time.

We rely on your generosity to do this holy work:

The Rabbi's Benevolent Fund is administered confidentially by Rabbi Hannah and will continue to provide short-term financial assistance where it is needed.

The Gemilut Chesed Fund will be used to purchase food for the members of our community who cannot shop for various reasons, and to cover expenses incurred by our volunteers.

The Or Shalom donation form can be found here . Thank you.

Our Gemilut Chesed volunteers are ready and willing to help support you through these difficult days of isolation and restricted movement. We're here for you. Don't hesitate to let us know what you need.

Fran Ritch - franritch@shaw.ca
Harriett Lemer - hlemer@lemer.ca
Ann Daskal - rocknrose@telus.net
Pat Gill - patgill@telus.net

If you wish to help support folks in need, please complete the volunteer form at this link. Your community will be very grateful.

In the Larger Community

Jewish Stories, a Virtual Writing Workshop

Do you have family stories you’ve always wanted to write about but don’t know where to start…or how to finish? Whether you’re writing memoir or turning family stories into fiction, there are creative writing techniques that will help you begin your project…and keep writing. Learn how to develop plot, complex characters, an ear for dialogue, action and setting, the art of rewriting and the cure for writer’s block.

Delivered online via Zoom, each class will include a lesson, class discussion and in-class writing exercises. Participants will have the opportunity to read excerpts from their work and receive guidance on their writing project.

8 sessions

Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Begins May 13

Cost: $250 (accessible $200, generous $300)

To register or for info: arenxtulchinsky@gmail.com

Aren X. Tulchinsky is the award winning author of The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky. He works as a video editor/writer on Canadian television series and has taught creative writing at Langara College and UBC.