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ASIYAH
- The Physical and Practical This is the world of the
physical and practical. We humans experience everything through the filter of
the physical world and the bodies we live in, and our communities do the
same. |
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What is Or Shalom?
Or Shalom is a synagogue affiliated with Aleph,
the umbrella organization of Jewish Renewal communities. While every Jewish
Renewal Community is unique, we have the common values of a willingness to
explore and experiment with our traditions in an effort to draw closer to God
and the Jewish soul. Or Shalom is egalitarian: Both men and women have equal
access to the leadership of services and community positions. We believe in
searching for the unwritten stories of the women in Jewish history and
bringing them forward as a means of bringing balance to our world. We seek to
bring repair to the world through our commitment to Tzedaka and social
justice. We deepen our own Jewish lives, and the community around us, through
study of the traditional sources and the creation of new rituals and
liturgy. In September 2008, after consultation with the membership, the
Board released a Vision Statement for Or Shalom's
growth and development. History. Or Shalom began as a havurah
(small group of friends) in 1982 which, led by Rabbi Daniel Siegel and
Hanna-Tiferet Siegel, met in members living rooms to daven on Shabbat
mornings. Daniel was the first person to receive smicha (rabbinic ordination)
by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of the Jewish Renewal
Movement. Daniel now works with Aleph Alliance
for Jewish Renewal, the co-ordinating body for this movement. Or Shalom has grown from
a Shabbat morning minyan (prayer group) into a community of well over 200
single people and families. In the late 1980s Rabbi Itzhak Marmorstein became
Or Shalom's spiritual leader and was part of our community for five years. In
1993, after squeezing into rented houses for years, we bought our present building
at 10th and Fraser. From 1995 - 2003, Rabbi David Mivasair served as Or
Shalom's spiritual leader. He can be reached at mivasair@aol.com. Today our spiritual
leader is Rabbi Laura Duhan
Kaplan. Reb Laura
and her family moved to Vancouver in January, 2005 and we look forward to
many years of growing together. Much of the history
of our community is told by the objects which surround us. Ritual items,
artwork, practical things - each has a story to tell. Please read
the stories of these precious witnesses and
come to know us better. Back to Top Or Shalom is committed to
egalitarianism. Women and men participate with equal access in all aspects of
community life and worship: being called to the Torah, counted in the minyan,
leading services and reading from the Torah. Or Shalom is also committed to
searching out the unwritten stories and contributions of Jewish women
throughout our history. We are committed to both the roots and
fruits of the Tree of Life - our Torah. Or Shalom is committed to
participation. Our paid staff are the rabbi, a part-time administrator, the
religious school teachers and a little custodial help. Everything else is
done by us! We lead davenen, read Torah, plan and carry out holiday events,
shlepp, cook and clean. Everything from the glamorous to the mundane is done
by us! Any skill you might want to volunteer, Or Shalom could probably use.
Contact Or Shalom's administrator to volunteer at (604) 872-1614. Or Shalom is always open
to debate an issue or new way of being in the world as a result of fresh
insight. A major on-going exploration in our community is the
topic of patrilineal descent. Community discussion also led to Or Shalom's very
visible presence in the Vancouver Gay Pride parades. We have struggled with
and endorsed a practice concerning same-sex marriages. These discussions represent our
community's way of engaging with current issues from a Jewish position.
We are pleased to be
growing today with rabbi R' Laura Duhan Kaplan. Reb Laura has a website of her
writings and lectures from the past several years - here it is. Reb Laura is available for
appointments at Or Shalom on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons.
Please phone her at 604-872-1614 or email her at reblaura@telus.net. Back to Top Renting the building. The Bayit is available to members and non-members. A pdf with policies and application
is available here. Who are the members? Or Shalom members come from a very wide variety of
backgrounds, Jewish and non-Jewish as well. We are learners and teachers, the
curious and the dedicated, the unsure and the more sure. Or Shalom is a
community of seekers who have discovered the depth and value in Judaism,
whether through a lifetime of Jewish involvement or after years of exploring
and learning from other religious traditions. Besides our rabbi, Or Shalom
has members of the congregation who are available to teach, give workshops,
and conduct life cycle events. We welcome all those who wish to contribute
from their background in traditional Judaism, other philosophies, creative
arts, community building, social action, etc -we sincerely look forward to
your enriching us through your energies. Patrilineal Descent? Or Shalom follows the traditional
understandings of Who Is A Jew - anyone born of a Jewish mother or who goes
through a conversion process. We have also struggled with the issue of people
born to Jewish fathers but non-Jewish mothers. The discussion involves
fundamental questions of identity, community and values. You can follow some
of the documents of that community introspection by reading here New to Judaism?
Are you approaching (or returning to) Judaism for the first time? The Exploring Judaism course might help
in your quest. Back
to Top Avi Dolgin Ron Einblau Robin Friedlander Martin Gotfrit David Kauffman co-chairperson Val Lev Dolgin Linda Peritz Laura
Rosenthal co-chairperson Adele Ritch
past-chairperson Mark Winston treasurer Leora Zalik Or Shalom has a number of
standing committees which are vital to the life of community. In addition to
board members who serve on the committees, volunteers are welcome and needed
to help these groups accomplish their objectives. Standing committees (and
their contact persons) as of winter 2010 include:
There are also many ad
hoc groups including organizing committees for the annual retreat (here are
some photos and info/schedules from some past ones),
holidays and special events, and planning for Shabbat davenning. To contact
any of these committee heads with questions (or offers of help) please
contact the office (604 - 872-1614) or orshalom@telus.net and your message will be quickly
passed on. Constitution and stuff Or Shalom is a registered society under the Societies
Act. Our legal name is Or Shalom
Jewish Spiritual Society, and of course we have a legal constitution and
bylaws. The 2010 consolidation of our Constitution and Bylaws can be read online or downloaded as a pdf file. Frankly, reading Torah is more
interesting. Back to Top
High Holiday
participation only:
Finances should not be a
barrier to participation.
Individual circumstances will be taken into consideration; we are committed
to respecting privacy and integrity. Back to Top Adam va-Adamah, the local
Jewish environmental group, has prepared a list of
kosher organic products available in Vancouver. That list will also lead you to
links to several Orthodox kashrut websites. A complete Guide to Kiddush and Kitchen provides answers to your questions about potluck
meals, running the dishwasher, hosting a kiddush, sources of kosher foods,
snacks for kids, etc. Please avoid serving nuts and other
foods likely to cause allergic reactions. If you have allergies to wheat and
other grains, you are not alone. Efforts are made to include non-wheat products.
We hope that everyone will make the additional (small) effort of bringing a
written description of their food offering, so that those seeking strictly
kosher products or those with health concerns can make informed choices. Biblical
Garden. Or Shalom’s gan, or garden, tries to grow plants that are
useful for Jewish rituals and evoke the biblical Land of Israel. Check out
the garden’s webpage and feel
free to contact Ben Harris at benjamincerf@gmail.com
for more info or to get involved.
For further
information on any of these matters |
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