As we have begun the month of Adar, it’s time to turn our attention to the wonderful holiday of Purim. Each year we gather to celebrate our continued survival in spite of the hate thrown our way. Each year we gather to recognize we are the only ancient people still around in the western world because of something that burns within us. There are four unique mitzvot to the holiday of Purim:
1) Hearing the megillah read twice 2) Attending a celebratory meal 3) Giving gifts to the less fortunate in our midst 4) Sending gifts to our friends
The last mitzvah, gifts, is called משלח מנות/Mishloach Manot and is something we all can do very easily. Click hereand you’ll be redirected to our Mishloach Manot page. You’ll then be able to select who you want to send gifts to this year in our congregation. You can select any number of people or you can select the entire community for $118. You can also avoid the awkward issue of having someone send one to you without you having done the same. Select reciprocity and we’ll automatically send one to every person who sends to you.
The act of sending gifts to our loved ones is a simple one. The basic requirement is that we need to send packages that include a minimum of two ready to eat foods that necessitate two uniquely different blessings. The rest is yours with which to be creative. Many people choose to have themes for their gifts. I encourage all of you to take the time to send Mishloach Manot through our community and to also put some special gifts together for your friends that you can deliver yourself.
In this week’s Torah reading, Terumah, my favorite quote from the Torah is found, ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם/And they shall make Me a holy place and I will dwell in them. (Exodus 25:8) The intriguing issue of this verse is that God commands us, in the plural, to make Him a holy place, in the singular, and God says that He will dwell amongst the plural. The act of building a place together allows God to dwell in the many and not in the singular. Through a community coming together, God is found. Each and every one of us is called upon to contribute to our communities and to build holiness around us. Each and every one of us is called upon to build this holiness to enable and engage the Divine to be in our lives and in our world. One easy way of doing this is through “upping our game” and doing more this year for Purim than we did in the past.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Hearshen
Candlelighting on February 24 is 6:11 pm.
Next Shabbat Join us next week as we celebrate Erev Shabbat
in person at OVS on Friday night.
Saturday morning at services we'll honor Hilary Druckman for her work and end with a special Kiddush in her honor.
BIRTHDAYS
Shabbat Joyce Alhadeff
Sunday Leah Kaplan Martin Krainin Richard Grosswald
Monday Stephen Friedman
Wednesday Abraham Kofinas Fred Spring
Friday Annie Cohen Isabella Kaia Koch
ANNIVERSARIES Thursday Adam and Debra Meyer
Meldados
Shabbat Alice Barbakoff Thelma M. Ornstein
Sunday Nagi Shabtai
Monday Israel Tarica Joseph Savdie Raymond Dozetos
Tuesday Hugh Marx Zelda Smith Jack Antebi Sadok Menasche Bernice Halfon
Wednesday Maurice Fathi Moreno Benbenisty
Thursday Gail Rubin Gerald Rubin Hershel Cohen Beth Weiner Mery Alves Victor B. Amato Leonard Rothstein
Splatter & Schmooze Thursday, Aug 8th 6:00p to 8:00p Unleash your inner artist, get to know other young adults, and make a masterpiece to take home. After splatter painting, there will be an optional After Party at Battle & Brew next door. For young adults up to age 40. Standard Price $36. Optional After Party not included.
Welcome Back BBQ 2024 Sunday, Aug 18th 4:30p to 6:30p Join us for a congregational welcome back BBQ at the Hearshen's house. RSVP by Monday, August 12. Park at OVS and take the shuttle bus.
Mitzvot Auction 2024 Sunday, Aug 25th 5:00p to 7:00p Join us for our annual Mitzvot Auction and Keftes Dinner on Sunday, August 25 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Now featuring a live band of OVS musicians including Rabbi Hearshen, David Falkenstein, Hal Rabinowitz and Graham Levitas, a professional auctioneer and online purchasing.
Dinner is $20 for adults, $5 for children ages 3-12. Children under 3 are free.
Complimentary Childcare with advanced registration.
Apple Picking and Picnic Lunch Monday, Sep 2nd 10:30a to 12:30p Join us for a fun morning of picking apples for Rosh Hashana, visiting the petting zoo and more. Bring your lunch and join us for a picnic.
Caravan from OVS at 9:00 am or meet at the orchard at 10:30 am at 9131 Highway 52 East, Ellijay, Georgia 30536.
Members and non-members welcome. Participants will pay the orchard directly for entry and apples.
Building Blocks Sunday School Sunday, Sep 8th 10:00a to 12:00p Building Blocks Sunday School at Congregation Or VeShalom is for children nursery age through 5th grade. Learning will focus on Sephardic Jewish heritage, holidays, Hebrew, and Israel education will be infused into the program.
OVS Sisterhood Mezuzah Making Workshop Sunday, Sep 8th 4:00p to 5:30p OVS Sisterhood will join Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder and MACoM for Art and Uplift. Create a unique mezuzah to take home. $18 per person. Mezuzah parchment available for purchase.
Field Day 2024 Sunday, Oct 6th 11:00a to 5:00p Intergenerational Field Day, including Tashlich service, will be held at Camp Ramah Darom. Registration fee includes gourmet lunch, snacks, a boxed dinner to take home and all activities. $18 per person.