The OVS Weekly October 15, 2020 - Erev Shabbat Services at 5:00 pm & Upcoming Events
10/15/2020 05:02:16 PM
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THEOVSWEEKLY October 15, 2020 / 27 Tishrei 5781
In the Beginning - All Over Again
Dear {{first_name}},
We are officially past the Jewish holiday season and into the “regular year.” Celebrating with OVS for our first time was a great adventure for our family and we thank you for making our holidays so enjoyable.
As we settle into the regular year, we do so with the book of Bereshit, Genesis. I always love the weeks following Simchat Torah when we have the opportunity to learn our story from the very beginning – all over again. On Simchat Torah, I spoke about a rabbi from the Mishnah named Ben Bag Bag. I am sure many of us would love to name our next child Ben Bag Bag, but I do not think that they would be exceptionally pleased with us. In Pirkei Avot he famously said, הפך בה והפך בה דכולי בה, turn it and turn it because everything is in it. What Ben Bag Bag was talking about was the great importance of studying the Torah over and over again, because every time that we study it we find new things.
The Torah remains a life giving book to our people so long as we breathe life into it and constantly turn to it. Now is the time when we can each make a commitment to returning again and again to the Torah, our book. The Torah is not only the five books of Moses and it is not only the 24 books of the TaNaKh. It is our people’s entire literary tradition. That includes the Mishnah, the Talmud, the Midrash and all of our philosophy. It is a majestic work of our generations and one that each of us has ownership over.
This week’s Torah portion is a great place to start when looking deeper and deeper. We all know that the Torah teaches of God creating the world in seven days. We know that heaven and earth were the first things created and that humans were the last. We know about eating from the tree and about Cain killing Abel. There is just so much in there. So what new gems can we find this year? We need to remember that not only do we need to constantly revisit the Torah, but the Torah only lives if we allow it to influence us each day. It only lives so long as we are able to apply its words to our world today. We learn this week that each of us is made in God’s image but what the image is isn’t so clear to us. There is no way that we are physically in the image of God because God has no image. But we are made spiritually in the image of God. That means that all of our beliefs and our inner workings are in the image of God. God created all of us. Every person is from God which means every one of us has equal value. That means that in this time of great divisiveness and polarization, it is important to recall our creation and that we are all Divine and all matter to God. We need to see that the person who we disagree with has the same inherent value that we have. We need to see that their views have the same value as ours.
As our country prepares to fulfill the sacred activity of voting and electing our leaders, we must do so in a way that brings the words of this week’s Torah Portion to life and doesn’t harm them. We must recognize that we are one nation and that we are stronger together than when we are divided. There will be much work to do in the years ahead to heal our county from this self-inflicted wound. We will rebuild our country regardless of who wins each race. We will rebuild because when we turn it over and over again, we will find that we do not exist alone and that we need all of our neighbors, who are made in the image of God, no matter their politics.
New Times - Erev Shabbat
Erev Shabbat Services will be held at 5:00 pm through October.
Erev Shabbat Services will begin at 4:45 pm November 6 - February 5.
Shabbat - October16-17 Parshat Bereshit 6:43 pm Candlelighting time
NEW TIME 5:00 pm Zoom into Shabbat
Join Zoom Meeting Password is Bureka1914 Meeting ID: 678 255 278 Shabbat Morning Birthday & Anniversary Shabbat Saturday, October 17 - 9:00 am If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, please join us at OVS to receive a special blessing during services.
Shabbat Morning Service will be held in person. Advanced registration required. Register here.
Mazel Tov on your New Baby!
Jason and Melissa Cooper are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter Isla Jolene Cooper, born Sunday, October 11th. Proud brother is Noam Cooper and Great Grandmothers are Audrey Epstein of Austin, Tx and Sheila Gilman of Atlanta. Grandparents are Shelley & Neil Cooper and Denise and Stan Shub, all of Atlanta.
Her Hebrew name is Shayna in loving memory of her Great Grandmother Sonia Shub and her middle name Jolene, in loving memory of her Soriano Great Grandparents Joe & Julia, and cousin Joseph Soriano.
Mazel Tov on your Engagement!
Congratulations to M. Kevin Rabinowitz on his engagement to Erinn McKain Kevin is the son of Lisa and Hal Rabinowitz
Thank you to everyone who participated in our High Holiday Appeal!
No donation is too little or too great to help our Keilah meet our goal. Please take a moment and make your donation now. Go online to orveshalom.org/donate and select “HHD Appeal Fund” from the dropdown menu or call the office at 404-633-1737 to make your pledge by phone.
We have received a generous challenge grant from a member family, which will make your donation dollars go even further. They will be donating 22% of whatever we raise; the more you donate, the more they will be donating to our community. Please know that your donation is needed and very much appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Prayer Book Return
High Holiday prayer books can be returned to OVS Monday - Thursday each week from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Please pull up to the staff door in the back of the building and call 404-633-1737 to let us know you've arrived. We'll come to your car for the books.
Our High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah have now come and gone. We all enjoyed the holidays in ways we could not have imagined if we tried – who knew the impact Covid-19 would have and continue to have on our world! The important thing is that we did enjoy the holidays with our families and the community of OVS, whether in person or virtually.
For so many years, just after the holidays, the Sisterhood has ramped up baking on Tuesdays and begins preparing for our annual Hanukkah Bazaar. As we are all aware, Covid-19 has put a damper on this.
Our Sisterhood was proud to offer the drive by bureka sale back in May, just before Mother’s Day, allowing as many as possible to enjoy burekas while staying safe at home. Now that the holidays have passed, we are trying to figure out how to continue baking burekas in a Covid-19 safe way. Please allow us the time to work through things to bring back the burekas so many look forward to enjoying. In order to do this, we are going to take a break from the weekly Sisterhood zoom check-in for now. We will continue to find ways to be together as staying connected as best we can during this difficult time is so important!
Our Keilah is blessed to have a Sisterhood with so many strong, talented and passionate women who care about preserving the past as we move forward into the future. Together we will find ways to continue to support our Keilah and community.
Quarterly Jewish Community Blood Drive November 1, 2020 - 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Ahavath Achim Synagogue 600 Peachtree Battle Avenue NW Atlanta, GA 30327 Masks, social distancing and appointments required.
Go tohttps://www.redcrossblood.organd enter sponsor code "JWV"to sign up today. Israel Bonds Virtual Brunch November 8 - 10:45 am Brunch available for pickup at OVS from 8:30 - 10:00 am prior to program. Program is online. Link will be sent after registration. Click here to register. For questions, contact Marcus Brodzki at marcus.brodzki@israelbonds.com or 404-857-1066
Shabbat Albert M. Maslia for Mother Linda Maslia Janet Soriano Seligson for Grandmother Juana Habib Morris (Moe) Soriano for Grandmother Juana Habib Shelley Cooper for Grandmother Juana Habib
Sunday Renee Norma Franco for Mother Rachel Saul Franco Richard D. Franco for Mother Rachel Saul Franco Robert M. Franco for Mother Rachel Saul Franco Walter Diamond for Mother Clara Diamond
Monday Ayelet Hearshen for Great Grandmother Helen Apsel Carrie Hearshen for Grandmother Helen Apsel Elliott Penso for Mother Lena Penso Isidoro Palatchi for Sister Luisa Cohen Janet Soriano Seligson for mother Julia Habib Soriano Jeffrey Cohen for Grandmother Luisa Cohen Josh Hearshen for Grandmother Helen Apsel Morris (Moe) Soriano for mother Julia Habib Soriano Shelley Cooper for mother Julia Habib Soriano Wladimiro Pieniek for Father Joseph Pieniek
Tuesday Albert Amato for Sister Lauren Amato David Apseloff for Mother Enid Apseloff David Falkenstein for Father Russell Falkenstein Emily Steinman for Brother Joe B. Arogeti Jeanette Arogeti for Brother-in-law Joe B. Arogeti Michael Amato for Sister Lauren Amato Sylvia Capouano for Brother Joe B. Arogeti
Wednesday Beverly R. Merlin for Brother Leon Merlin
Thursday Janice Barrocas for Mother Judy Machiz Mark Bernath for Daughter Evette Bernath
Friday Ralph Amiel for Aunt Anita Hemmo
Community Events
Click hereto find out about Jewish community events in our area.
If Anyone Needs Help During Covid-19
If anyone is experiencing difficulty or needs help with getting groceries, medicines, transportation, counseling services, etc., please
Plant OVS for Tu B'shvat Sunday, Jan 24th 2:00p to 4:00p Celebrate Tu B'Shvat - the birthday of the trees and beautify our Kehila.
Activities for all ages. We'll be gardening, planting, painting flower pots and more.
Advanced registration required.
Masks are required and social distancing will be observed.
Sisterhood Book Club February 4, 2021 Thursday, Feb 4th 8:00p Join us for our next Sisterhood Book Club. The book will be The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner. Discussion on Zoom will be lead by Rubisa Carrie Hearshen. Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83261925390?pwd=eFBKVjQ2ZWVhTVVVcU9XK3NkTmNydz09.
Passcode: bureka1914
Meeting ID: 886 0316 7121
Kosher Super Bowl Sunday Takeout Sunday, Feb 7th (All day) Order Kosher Take Out for Super Bowl Sunday. Prepared by Chef Alex in the Congregation Or VeShalom kitchen.
Orders will be available for pickup at OVS on February 7 from noon - 2:00 pm.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Backpack Buddies, a program to supply economically disadvantaged elementary school children with food for the weekend.
Order deadline is Monday, February 1.
