Doar Shalom: Doar Shalom: December 3, 2020 / 17 Kislev, 5781
Candle lighting 3:57 pm
Havdalah: 5:09 pm
Parshat Vayishlach / פרשת וַיִּשְׁלַח
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Rabbi Hannah's Weekly Reflection |
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Blessed by the Injuring Angel |
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This week’s parasha offers us several more glimpses of Jacob’s development. He has grown from the run-away brother who robbed his twin to the dreamer of descending and ascending angels. Angels are associated with the world of Yetzirah, the world of emotional attunement, and, as such, are an expression of divinity coming from within. The dream is a dream of his own interiority.
Jacob has come to understand that he, himself, is capable of both descent and ascent, of falling and rising. Now, in Parshat Vayishlach, he doesn’t just envision his angels, he wrestles one that both injures and blesses him. Indeed, Jacob insists on being blessed by the very force that has maimed him. And I cannot help but wonder how we might be blessed by the very hardship that has, presently, descended upon our lives. Surely, we’ve come to enumerate blessings of raised awareness and enhanced sensitivity to others derived from the horror of Covid. Surely, we have noticed the blessing of life review, and elevation of what really matters to us, at our cores. This, too, is a blessing arising from the pause imposed by the pandemic. On the most visceral plane, the illness and death all around us teaches what we’ve taken for granted, that just to be is a blessing.
Jacob is wounded in the wrestling and we, too, are wounded. He limps for the rest of his life and maybe we will too. Still, I see Jacob’s resilience. I see Jacob’s enacted desire to transform tragedy into strength, a strength that is grounded in love.
Later, Jacob’s beloved Rachel will die in childbirth. Just before dying, she names her baby Benoni – the son of my impoverishment, of my loss. But Jacob acts to transform the name, healing the heartbreaking conflation of Rachel’s death and the birth of this child. He turns Rachel’s name for the baby in his poetic mind, uplifting oni’s alternate meaning – strength. And he calls his son, not “son of my loss” but “son of my strength” – Benyamin. Benyamin: son of my right hand, of my strong side, of prevailing. With this, Jacob intentionally pushes through loss, folding loss into the over-arching blessing of hope that this (and every) child represents.
May we lean into this touchstone of resilience. We wrestle and we get hurt; some injuries leave us limping for the rest of our lives. May we be blessed to rise after falling. May we be blessed to discern and embrace the wisdom and the strength that might be derived even from adversity.
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Upcoming Programs and Services
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See our new Event Calendar for details and Zoom links for upcoming programs, services, and events.
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Saturday, December 5, 10 - 11 am, Contemplative Shabbat Morning Prayer (Parshat Vayishlach)
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Saturday, December 12, 10 am, Shabbat Chanukah (Parshat Vayeshev)
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Saturday, December 19, 10 am, Simchat Mitzvah of Callum Whyte (Parshat Miketz)
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Saturday, December 26, 9 am Torah Study and Abbreviated Davening (Parshat Vayigash)
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Happenings:
Friday December 4 to Thursday December 10
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Friday, December 4
9:00 am
Men's Torah Study Group
Parashat Vayishlach
- Jacob reconciles with Esau; non-consensual sex; Rachel gives birth and dies.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 892 7010 9069; Passcode: 572724
1:00 pm
Friday Tehillim
- led by John Fuerst.
This Friday, starting with Psalm 16, we will begin to learn and daven the ten psalms of Rebbe Nachman’s Tikkin HaKlali. These psalms are known in English as the General Remedy or General Rectification. As Rebbe Nachman said: Bear witness to my words: When my days are over and I leave this world, I will still intercede for anyone who comes to my grave, says these ten Psalms, and gives a penny to charity. No matter how great his sins, I will do everything in my power, spanning the length and breadth of the creation to cleanse and protect him.” Although we will not visit Rebbe Nachman’s grave, these psalms should still carry their power. Psalms are available in Hebrew and English here.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 873 2214 6883; Password: 200901
6:00 - 6:30 pm
Erev Shabbat Candle Lighting
- led by Rabbi Hannah.
Candle lighting, Kiddush, Motzi. Erev Shabbat blessings are available here.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 826 4524 7744; Passcode: 712461
Saturday, December 5
10:00 - 11:00 am
Contemplative Shabbat Morning Prayer
Contemplative Shabbos Prayer with Rabbi Hannah, an alternative virtual Tefilah.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 810 4690 4137; Passcode: 050826
10:15 - 11:15 am
Shabbat Sheli
- with Sammy Fogel
For registered students (ages 3-5).
Sunday, December 6
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
More Talmud
- led by Rabbi Susan Shamash
Join serious, eager learners as we grapple with the text, contribute to the Jewish communal conversation, and bring our voices to the renewal of Judaism!
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 885 2269 5183; Passcode: 190269
7:00 - 7:30 pm
Virtual Evening Minyan
- led by Harley Rothstein with help from Zoom Shamash Helen Mintz.
For a transliterated and translated weekday evening liturgy, please click here (pg 69 to 125).
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 891 6575 7845; Passcode: 843581 [NEW ZOOM LINK]
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Darkness: A Koreh Open Mic
In the midst of this winter darkness, we invite stories that emerge from this period of gestation, slow becoming, and generative solitudes. For some of us this is a dark night of the soul, for others a time for an intensified interiority and its magic. We also welcome the darkly humorous, the absurd and the nonsensical aspects of journeying through this time.
Online application for a slam spot is required by Monday, December 14; notifications will go out on Friday, December 18.
No registration is required to attend this event, all are welcome.
Meeting ID: 851 6908 0043
Passcode: 190099
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Save the dates in your calendar for these exciting events!
Chanukah, our eight-day festival of light at the darkest time of the year, reminds us that it is our human task to kindle and foster hope and to tend the lights that warm and nurture our world. In the spirit of this holiday and in the spirit of our name, Or Shalom - Light of Peace, we reach out, each year, to honour the work of individuals who inspire, setting examples of resilience, sensitivity, and action as we seek avenues of tikkun - repair. Judaism mandates that a house of worship be built with windows so that we share the joys and sorrows of the greater community, so that we maintain connection and build bridges of cooperation and dialogue. We aspire to keep our window open wide, giving and receiving a flow of the light we all share as one humanity.
Hanukkah 2020 begins in the evening of Thursday, December 10h and ends in the evening on Friday, December 18th.
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You are invited to Chanukah Candle Lighting and Kabbalat Shabbat with Rabbi Hannah Dresner, Martin Gotfrit, and Wendy Rubin. This program is in lieu of our regular 6PM Erev Shabbat Candle Lighting.
Please have your Siddur Et Ratzon in hand.
Join via Zoom. Meeting ID: 893 7422 4083
Passcode: 448230
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Shining a Light on Noah Gotfrit |
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Join Noah Gotfrit and Trio for a magical evening of Jazz with candle lighting for Chanukah.
Accompanied by Brad Shigheta on trombone and Don Ogilvie on guitar, The Noah Gotfrit Trio will perform original music and arrangements in a swingin’ style, exploring the possibilities within a guitar, bass, and trombone trio while embracing swing, blues, tradition, and trying to make some joyful noise.
Saturday,December 12, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions this concert will only be available by live-stream on youtube. You will receive a youtube link with your ticket purchase.
Tickets are $18 or pay-what-you-can-afford.
Purchase your tickets here.
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Rays of Hope, Part 1 & Part 2 |
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Shining a Light on Bonnie Klein and Seth Klein
Rays of Hope honours mother and son, Bonnie Klein and Seth Klein, for setting examples of resilience, sensitivity, and action, for their contributions towards tikkun - repair, and for inspiring others.
This program is in lieu of our regular 7 PM Sunday Virtual Evening Minyan.
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Part 1: Chanukah Light is suited for families with young children and starts with Bonnie Klein reading from her new book "Beep Beep Bubbie", Shining a Light on sensitivity to aging, and includes candle lighting at 7:30 pm.
Meeting ID: 843 5551 1902
Passcode: 124175
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Part 2: Shining a Light on Climate Justice starts at 7:30 pm with candle lighting and follows with an adult oriented talk by Seth Klein on his new book "A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency", arranged by the Tikkun Olam Working Group.
Meeting ID: 843 5551 1902
Passcode: 124175
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Zoomidrash, led by Avi Dolgin
Best experienced on a desktop device with the latest Zoom.
No expertise in tech or Torah required! You don’t even need to speak!
But tonight – the Chanukah candles will shine new lights on Torah.
And we will celebrate together.
Zoom details:
Meeting ID: 863 0250 3704
Passcode: 416080
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Share your ideas and your dreams for our holy community
in 2021
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Dear friends,
We recognize that community engagement takes time and energy and makes us vulnerable.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts in the recent past, and for expressing your varied needs for Tefillah, learning, inclusion, community connection and connection to the Bayit. Your ideas and feedback provided during the Community Idea Jam and Dialogue this past August, and through our Summer and Fall ThoughtExchange initiatives has been invaluable. Your input has inspired us to adapt our services and offerings and continues to inform our planning. We offer a monthly Shabbat Morning Torah Study with Rabbis Susan Shamash and Hannah Dresner to address the desire for monthly gender-integrated Torah Study, and, now, a Contemplative Shabbat Davening to answer the desire for some meditation woven into our tefilah. We have made our Siddurim available to support your davening from home. To maintain connection with our Holy space we’ve set up to allow one bubble to Zoom their portion of the Shabbat service from the Sanctuary. We also regularly integrate breakout groups into our offerings to help foster a sense of connection. Further, the new Tikkun Olam Book Group is a direct outgrowth of our Idea Jam.
As we plan into 2021, we will continue to offer community forums for gathering your ideas and your dreams for our holy community. This Thoughtexchange will be open until sunset of Erev Shabbat (and first day of Chanukah) on December 11, 2020.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Or Shalom Board.
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The next book club will be on Sunday January 10, 2021 at 7:30 pm on "A GOOD WAR: MOBILIZING CANADA FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY" by Seth Klein.
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“Once emergencies are truly recognized, what seemed politically impossible and economically off-limits can be quickly embraced.” Seth Klein
A Good War is Canada’s blueprint for effectively tackling the climate crisis, transitioning to a zero-carbon society, and making these transformations in just and equitable ways.
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Klein holds that the technology is largely ready to go, but what’s missing is the political will. He uses the example of how Canada rose to the challenges of World War II to demonstrate our country’s ability to act forthrightly and creatively in crisis. Importantly, Klein also discusses what the Second World War can teach us about reducing social inequality in the face of a crisis and the crucial role Indigenous people have played in both our wartime efforts and our current battles on climate change.
Click here for ways to get the book, ebook, or audiobook.
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As in past years, Or Shalom is conducting a winter giving project which involves donating $10 gift cards to needy people in our neighbourhoods. These cards are redeemable for food at McDonald's restaurants.
As in the past, OrShniks are invited to participate in this worthwhile tzedaka opportunity. We will purchase the cards and distribute them on your behalf.
Donations received before 01 Jan 2021 will qualify for 2020 CRA tax receipts and be greatly appreciated by the recipients, especially in these challenging times of Covid-19. You can make an online donation to the East Side Fund at Or Shalom's online donation page, either by cheque or by credit card.
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Chanukah Letter to Families from
Rabbi Hannah Dresner
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Read Rabbi Hannah's November 30 Chanukah Letter to Families here. |
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Chanukah Box Pick-up
Come by the Bayit to pick up your pre-ordered family Chanukah Boxes on Tuesday, December 8 between 4-7 pm. Please contact the office if you need to arrange an alternate pick up time office@orshalom.ca. |
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In further support of celebrating Chanukah
with kids
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PJ Library have put together a beautiful family guide for celebrating Chanukah with kids under the age of 5, ages 5 and up, and with Tweens. The guide includes stories, song, music and video, as well as ideas and additional resources for families. Enjoy! View the 2020 Quick Guide to Celebrating Chanukah With Kids. |
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This is an online parent-led group which meets monthly on Thursday evenings at 7:00pm. Parents meet to look at Jewish texts on parenting and discuss what’s really happening at home.
Email Matthew Gindin at learning@orshalom.ca for more information, including future dates and times.
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A donation was made by Rahel Cela Behar and Ari Belenkiy to the East Side Fund (Food Cards).
Donations made in the past week will be recognized in next week's Doar, scheduled for December 10.
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Thank you to John Fuerst for leading Friday Tehillim on November 27.
- Thank you to Reb Laura Duhan-Kaplan and Charles Kaplan for leading Erev Shabbat Candle Lighting on November 27.
- Thank you to Nomi Fenson, Harriet Frost, Heidi Mannis, and Tiferet Welch for leading the Shabbat Morning Service on November 28, and thank you to Tyche Smith for providing tech support.
- Thank you to Dael Adams Segal for leading Women's Heart Centered Torah Study on December 3.
- Thank you to Alex Leslie co-curating the January Koreh program.
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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.
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Our sincere apologies if your name has inadvertently been missed. We still love you and appreciate all that you do! Please don't hesitate to contact the office office@orshalom.ca about an omission. We promise to acknowledged you in the next Doar.
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LIVE VIRTUAL AWARDS CEREMONY!
Sunday December 6, 5:00pm PT
Kol haKavod (congratulations) to Alex Leslie and Rhea Tregebov (wife of member Sam Zneimer) for being nominated for awards! Click here for details on the virtual awards ceremony.
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ALEX LESLIE:
We All Need to Eat
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We All Need to Eat is a collection of linked stories from award-winning author Alex Leslie that revolves around Soma, a young Queer woman in Vancouver. Through thoughtful and probing narratives, each story chronicles a sea change in Soma’s life.
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Lyrical, gritty, and atmospheric, Soma’s stories refuse to shy away from the contradictions inherent to human experience, exploring one young person’s journey through mourning, escapism, and the search for nourishment.
- Nominated for the THE NANCY RICHLER MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR FICTION.
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In this collection, the nostalgia of place is dissected through the mapping of a city where readers are led past surrealist development proposals, post-apocalyptic postcards and childhood landmarks long gone. |
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Vancouver for Beginners is a ghost story, an elegy, and a love song for a city that is both indecipherable and a microcosm of a world on fire.
- Nominated for the LOHN FOUNDATION PRIZE FOR POETRY.
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RHEA TREGEBOV:
Rue des Rosiers
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A young Canadian woman’s search for her own identity brings her to Paris in 1982, and face to face with the terror of an age-old enemy. Sarah is the youngest of the three Levine sisters. At twenty-five, she is rudderless, caught in a paralysis which keeps her from seizing her own life. |
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When Sarah is fired from her Toronto job, a chance stay in Paris opens her up to new direction and purpose. But when she reads “death to the Jews” on the wall above her local Métro station, shadows from childhood rise again. As her path crosses that of Laila, a young woman living in an exile remote from the luxuries of 1980s Paris, Sarah stumbles towards an act of terrorism that may realize her greatest fears.
- Nominated for the THE NANCY RICHLER MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR FICTION
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The Jewish Museum & Archives of BC in partnership with JQT Vancouver is embarking on “On the Record: The BC Jewish Queer & Trans Oral History Project” to record the history of Jewish queer and trans individuals from across the province as part of the Jewish Historical Society of BC's (JHSBC) overall oral history project to ensure the community archives are more inclusive.
Since 1971, the JHSBC has been conducting oral history interviews with community members to ensure that personal histories are collected and preserved for posterity. These interviews are catalogued and indexed, then made available for researchers by request through the JMABC offices. In January 2020, the JMABC has surpassed 900 oral history interviews recorded, and continues to add new interviews every month.
If you identify as LGBTQ and are interested in participating in this project, or for more information, please contact Carmel Tanaka, Project Coordinator, carmel@jqtvancouver.ca
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ALEPH Affiliated and Network Communities Programming |
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The ALEPH Network is an alliance of organizations, individuals, shuls, and more at the vibrant cutting edge of Judaism. We value heart-and-soul-centered experience, and we integrate and evolve spiritual technologies to serve the needs of today and tomorrow.
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Becoming a Welcoming Community for Jews of Color, by SooJi Min Maranda
Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 12:00 PM ET (noon), 9:00 AM PST
COST: Free to attend as a member of an ALEPH Affiliated or Network Community
Share your experiences in welcoming Jews of Color into your communities. Ask SooJi Min-Maranda, ALEPH’s Executive Director, questions about building a multicultural, multiracial community. Hear about some of the challenges SooJi faced entering Jewish community as a JOC, convert, and the only Jew in her family.
SooJi Min-Maranda is a Korean American Jew by Choice and the executive director of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Whether providing direct services, advocating for policy change, or fundraising for nonprofit organizations, SooJi begins with personal narratives that illustrate the need for programs, policies, and resources that raise the voices of those underserved and underrepresented in mainstream society.
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Dear Or Shalom Friends,
Due to the pandemic, Yael and I have not had the chance to visit you this year. We think of you frequently, and we're grateful for the occasional opportunities to be in touch from our living room in the Northern California. Also due to the pandemic, the organization I serve in San Francisco, Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, is offering one of our premier grief support programs online this year. Grief and Growing™, which Ross and Yael have both helped to run in years past, will take place via Zoom. So the bar is now much lower for Or Shalom members to participate.
Grief and Growing™ is a clinically-based, holistic, Jewish healing program uniquely designed to help individuals and families attend to their losses in community. Participants typically gain tangible support, comfort, and new tools in mourning for someone significant who has died.
There are two programs on offer this winter, one for adults, attending as individuals, couples, or families, and one specifically for families (the Redwoods Program) including participants 5-18 years old. Each program begins Saturday night and continues on Sunday:
Adult Program -- February 6-7, 2021 (applications closed on November 30)
Redwoods Program (Families with participants 5-18 years old) -- March 6-7, 2021
Applications are due by December 30, 2020 at 5:00pm. A $30 processing fee per family is due at the time of application.
This Grief and Growing™ link will take you to more information and the applications for the two respective programs. Space is limited, to allow us to provide individual attention and support to every participant.
If you have any questions, feel free to call the Healing Center at +1-415-750-3436.
Warmly,
Rabbi Natan Fenner
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