August 13, 2020 / 23 Av, 5780
Parashat Re’eh / Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Elul
Erev Shabbat candle lighting: 8:13 pm
Havdalah: 9:05 pm
ב״ה
Rabbi Hannah’s Weekly Reflection
Re’eh – SEE!
I Set Before You Both Blessing and Curse
I learned this lesson from my friend the Maggid Jhos Singer.

Sometimes our hearts are just so heavy that it’s hard to make Shabbos. But we’d do well to remember that the gift of a weekly retreat was originally given to a bunch of traumatized folks.

The radical wisdom of Shabbat is grounded in the truth that even a brief respite can help us shift our thinking and slow down our reactivity. A day of contemplation or of playfulness can strengthen skills or restore the capacity we need to navigate our lives with grace.

Here’s how our parsha begins: “See! I am setting before you blessing and curse.” 

We aren’t born into a completely safe world; neither are we born into a totally treacherous state. Rather, we will be faced with abundance and paucity, ease and struggle, blessings and curses, and on any given day we must rally our sensitivity, our awareness and discernment to figure out what decisions to make, what path to take.

Our parsha continues: “When you come to the Land, you will understand the importance of directing blessing towards the mountain-of-being-cut-off (har gezirim) and curse towards the mountain-of-bloated-ness (har eival).”
With wisdom, the Torah teaches: direct energies of abundance and good fortune toward the alienated, toward what is isolated of broken, and direct energies of diminishment toward what is bloated, swollen with too much privileged.

Shabbat gives us time to study our own lives and circumstances. Where do we, ourselves, need blessings and where should we direct our power to offer blessing? To what broken places do we need to bring healing? What excesses can we resist? Where can we turn to receive love and what balances can we restore. What should we bless? What should we curse?

Shabbat Shalom!
Quiet Visits to the Sanctuary
Leading up to the High Holidays, you are invited to come and sit quietly in the sanctuary between 11 am - 3 pm next week, on any of these days: Monday 17, Tuesday 18th, Thursday 20th, Friday 21st. Social distancing protocols will be in place. Please contact the office if you would to make an appointment: (604) 872-1614; office@orshalom.ca.
We look forward to seeing you!
Upcoming Special Events
Saturday, September 12, 8:00 pm

We invite prayers, poetry and stories in all forms of up to 5 minutes in length. Beginners are welcome and we will read drafts if needed. Slam spots are limited.
Please apply for a five minute spot by August 17 orshalom.ca/selichot-story-slam 
You'll receive a confirmation for whether you have a spot reserved on August 21.

Join via Zoom
Meeting ID: 878 5578 9173
Passcode: 579611
Weekdays from August 21 to September 17, 12:00 - 12:30 pm

Join every day at noon for a dip into the classic Kabbalah text “Tomer Devorah” (The Palm Tree of Deborah) by the great Kabbalist Moshe Cordovero. 

This guide to embodying divine energies (the sefirot) and is traditionally studied during the month of Elul. It is renowned for its focus on radical compassion and union with the Shechina, among other fascinating teachings.

Rabbi Hannah Dresner, Matthew Gindin, and Rabbi Yoni Gordis will alternate presenting the text. More communal teachers TBA. 

No experience necessary! Please register via Eventbrite; drop-ins are welcome, however, more will be gained from fuller entry into the daily practice. 
Friday, August 21

Our family friendly Erev Shabbat at the beach is fully subscribed. We are looking forward to seeing everyone that has registered on Friday evening.
Feel free to contact Tanya with any questions programs@orshalom.ca.

Fondly, Rabbi Hannah, Matthew, Tanya and Tracey.
Monday, August 24, 4:00 pm

  • Join us for the screening of film 03, "Cleaning Time", is scheduled for August 24, focusing on the Ethiopian Jewish experience in Israel.

Sunday, August 30, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Join our guest teacher Michael Chusid for online shofar blowing training with for up to 18 folks who have shofarot. Michael gets most students tooting in just a few minutes, while stressing fundamentals and the mitzvah of hearing shofar. Read Michael's blog spot for more information and testimonials from Rabbi David A Cooper, z"l, and Rabbi Shefa Gold.
Register HERE to reserve your spot. Registered students will receive the Zoom link with their confirmation email. Students will need to have a Shofar on hand.
Upcoming Shabbat Services
Saturday, August 22, Shabbat Morning Service
10:00 am

See HERE for Zoom details.
Borrowing Prayerbooks (Siddurim and Machzorim)
Please have your own Siddur in hand for our Shabbat morning services and your own Machzor in hand for our High Holiday services

If you would like to sign out a Siddur and/or a Machzor 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).
Or Shalom Happenings
Friday August 14 to Thursday August 20
Men's Torah Study Group
- led by Frank Segal
Friday, August 14, 9:00 am
This week's parasha is
Parashat Re'eh / פרשת ראה
Deuteronomy/ Devarim 11:26 - 16:17

Join via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 892 7010 9069
Password: 572724
Prayers for Healing, Tehillim for the Human Family
- led by John Fuerst

Friday, August 14, 1:00 pm
Reciting Tehillim for the sick is a traditional practice. 
Join John to chant or sing Psalms, or to sit quietly, sending healing intentions. Psalms are available in Hebrew and English HERE. 
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 2214 6883; Password: 200901
North Shore Virtual Shabbat 

Friday, August 14, 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Please join Or Shalom, Har El, and Connect Me In for a collaborative gathering. Email Chaia for the Zoom link NorthShoreShabbat@shaw.ca.
Erev Shabbat Candle Lighting 
- led by Rabbi Hannah

Friday, August 14, 6.00 pm
Candle lighting, Kiddush, and Motzi led by Rabbi Hannah.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 826 4524 7744. Password: 712461
Virtual Evening Minyan
- led by Rabbi Hannah

Sunday, August 16, 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, Passcode: 291406
Or Shalom Updates
The New High Holidays Calendar is Live!
Explore the new calendar HERE to see the High Holiday schedule of events, to register for in-person events, and to receive Zoom links to virtual events.
CONNECTIONS: Or Shalom Community Meeting
Next Steps!
Thank you to all those who were present at the Community Meeting on August 9, for sharing your thoughts, feelings, desires, and ideas for enhancing our connections during the weeks and months ahead. Staff are in the process of collating everyone's contributions, to be shared in a Special Doar in the next few days. Stay Tuned!
  • A donation was made by Lorne Prupas to the Lisa Nemetz Or Shalom School Educational Fund in Memory of Bryna Goldstein, z"l, beloved mother of Earl and Gail Goldstein.
  • A donation was made by Lynn & Harvey Nadigel to the East Side (Food Cards) Fund in Memory of Bertha "Biba" Goldstein z"l.
  • A donation was made by Heather Kulyk McDonald to the Or Shalom Community Fund in Memory of my Mother Margaret Kulyk McDonald's Yahrzeit.
  • A donation was made by Michal Fox to the Len Ryant Or Shalom Children’s Fund in Honour of Bette Thompson for making our family Tallit.
  • An anonymous donation was made to the East Side (Food Cards) Fund.
  • Thank you to Rabbi Susan for leading Shabbat Morning Torah Study on August 1.
  • Thank you to Tiferet Welch and Avril Orloff for their leadership during the Shabbat Morning Service on August 8.
  • Thank you to Tische for being the Shamash during the Shabbat Morning Service on August 8.
  • Thank you to the Community Meeting facilitators, Avril Orloff, Mark Winston, Carol Ann Fried, Rabbi Yoni Gordis, Sally Thorne, and Linda Peritz.
  • Thank you to Dave Kauffman for providing tech support during the Community Meeting on August 9.
  • Thank you to Dave Kauffman and Martin Gotrit for their work on our High Holiday technology.
  • Thank you to Wendy Rubin for the set lists of High Holiday instrumental music.
  • Thank you to Tilly Schalkwyk for work in organizing the High Holiday Tashlich and Shofar sessions.
  • Thank you to Sulam for contributing music to the High Holidays.
  • Thank you to Heidi Mannis for mentoring High Holiday Torah and Haftarah readers.
  • Thank you to the Gemilut Chesed Working Group and to our Covid-19 volunteers for their ongoing support.
Your tax-deductible donation to Or Shalom can be used to honour an accomplishment or life event, say thank you for a mitzvah or job well-done, or remember a loved ones passing.
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: Casey Ray Collins
Or Shalom and Covid-19


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
Morning Davening this Shabbat (June 15)

Some community members are planning to gather on Zoom for "Simply Shabbat Davening", followed by "Simply Kiddush" (with schmoozing), on the Shabbat mornings when there is no official Or Shalom service.
 
You are warmly invited to join us this Shabbat.
 
When: This Shabbat, August 15.
The Zoom room will be open at 10:15 am and the davening will begin at 10:30 am.  


We will be finished by 12:15.
You are then invited to Simply Kiddush at 12:30 pm (same link)
 
Leaders this week will be:
Pseukeh D’Zimra -Miriam Eguchi 
Shacharit- Motti Lis
Torah -Rabbi Dina-Hasida    
Closing- Karen Rabinovitch
 
Parsha: Re'eh
 
Hope to see you on Shabbat.
JFS Emergency Care Hotline
9:00 am – 9:00 pm,
7 days a week.

JFS is here to help! If you or a loved one need support you can contact us in any of the following ways:

604-558-5719
Hebrew Free Loan Association of Vancouver 

Coronavirus Emergency Loan
Helps support individuals with financial challenges caused by the Coronavirus. 

Maximum Loan Amount Available: $2,000

Click HERE for details
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Just fill in this handy web-form to included your article in future editions of the Doar Shalom, Or Shalom's weekly e-newsletter.

604.872.1614