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Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on September 30, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopOn Sukkot, Sh’mini Atzeret, and Thresholds and Liminal Moments in Jewish Time – Adult Education with Rabbi Barbara This Shabbat

Sh’mini Atzeret is, according to the rabbis, the true completion of the High Holy Day season. On Shabbat, October 3, Temple Or Olam members will meet at McGill Baptist Church at 10 a.m. and explore the threshold between Sukkot and Sh’mini Atzeret, a last time to ask for God’s forgiveness.

One of our themes during High Holy Days explored our Torah as a tree of life and wisdom; torah mantleswe will continue this exploration on Shabbat by celebrating our Torah with spontaneous discoveries about where we stand in the Book of Genesis (literally!).  Three congregants (chosen, as in ancient tradition, by lot…) will choose the column that calls to them and Rabbi Barbara will look for the verse that clearly belongs to them in this New Year.

Pot-luck lunch afterwards, too, so please bring something to share!

Or Olam in the Loop…. P.S.

Posted by webmaster on September 25, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop…. P.S.

LoopInterfaith Outreach During Succot

The rabbis say that one mitzvah is to lead directly to the next. In that spirit, after concluding the mitzvah of completing the soul-work of the Days of Awe, Temple Or Olam members are engaging in outreach with our wonderful hosts at McGill Baptist Church.

How? By building our congregational succah and inviting McGill Baptist Church members to join us there for an interfaith celebration and exploration of what the succah stands for. Why do we enter a place of such fragility right after the Days of Awe? SuccahWhat do we ask of ourselves as we stand in the succah and look to the sky above? Why is inviting guests into that tender space so important to our tradition?

This is a happening thing this Sunday morning at 10 a.m. at McGill Baptist Church at 5300 Poplar Tent Road, so if you would like to join us, please feel free!

On Sukkot, Sh’mini Atzeret, and Thresholds and Liminal Moments in Jewish Time – Adult Education with Rabbi Barbara

Sh’mini Atzeret is, according to the rabbis, the true completion of the High Holy Day season. On Shabbat, October 3, Temple Or Olam members will meet at McGill Baptist Church at 10 a.m. and explore the threshold between Sukkot and Sh’mini Atzeret, a last time to ask for God’s forgiveness. There will be learning, discussion, and celebration of our Torah with readings and song.

Pot-luck lunch afterwards, too, so please bring something to share!

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on September 21, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopOn Wearing White And Other Yom Kippur Traditions… A Note from Rabbi Barbara

Dear Congregants and Guests,

As we enter the Day of At-One-Ment, feel free to…

  • wear white during Yom Kippur. We dress in the clarity white brings to our spirits as we do the good work of clearing away the dross our souls have collected this past year.
  • bring and wear your tallitot. Though prayer shawls are mandated for morning services only, Kol Nidre is a single exception to that rule. We wear our prayer shawls for this service to emphasize Yom Kippur’s special holiness.
  • bring something to write with! There may be journaling opportunities during services.

I look forward to a deeply meaningful Day of Awe with you all.

Rabbi Barbara

Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur Service Schedule

All services will be held at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC

Note: TOO is also offering the chance to engage in peaceful reflection on the afternoon of Yom Kippur; Two programs will be available during that time (see below!)

  • September 22: Kol Nidre Service, 7 p.m.
  • September 23: Yom Kippur Morning Service, 10 a.m. – 12 a.m.
  • September 23: Afternoon Community Reflections, 4:30

pomegranate tree During this time we will consider what it means to nourish our community’s tree of life and wisdom.  We’ll reflect on the ways we may have deprived the tree over the past year. We will also explore what our inner Torah/tree of wisdom tells us about how we want to nourish and sustain ourselves and our community in the coming year.  Activities will include a a time of quiet contemplation – we’ll begin by dimming the lights and playing background music to foster active meditation. To this end we encourage you to bring a sleeping bag so that you can meditate and reflect comfortably.  Afterward, we will (literally!) hang the fruit of our reflections on the limbs of our TOO tree in the sanctuary.

Please join us with open hearts and minds.

  • September 23: Neilah Service: 6:30 p.m., Havdalah, and break fast

Temple Or Olam does not require tickets for attendance at our services. Suggested donations for guests to defray our rental costs are below:

Suggested donations for non-members:

  • Families: $216
  • Individuals: $108
  • Students: gratis

Please visit www.or-olam.org for more information.

Rosh Hashanah’s Potluck Lunch, Walk in the Park and Tashlich

Posted by webmaster on September 11, 2015   |   Comments Off on Rosh Hashanah’s Potluck Lunch, Walk in the Park and Tashlich

Purim costume appleIf you are joining Temple Or Olam for Rosh Hashanah Shacharit services on Monday morning, please bring something to share at our potluck lunch after services.

Feel free to join us for a meditative walk after services in nearby Dorton Park where we will also perform tashlich at the little stream and the bridge above it.

A last Shabbat Shalom for  3775 from Temple Or Olam!

 

 

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on September 9, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopHigh Holy Days: A Note from Rabbi Barbara

On meditation, gardens, and journaling for wisdom’s sake…

During these High Holy Days I would like to visit four gardens with you. Erev Rosh Hashanah, we will visit Gan Eden, the Garden 1garden of creation, the garden of pleasure. During Rosh Hashanah Shacharit services, we will follow Enoch into the Garden of Righteousness. On Kol Nidre we will accompany the rabbis and enter the Garden of Discernment. On Yom Kippur, our tradition will take us to the Garden of Compassion and Understanding. In each garden, I hope, we will find that our Torah is as we say she is: Our one tree, the tree of life and wisdom.

journalsWe will be doing some journaling during several of our services, so please consider bringing a small diary or notebook with you!

Please join us for a musical, rich, and reflective experience of the Days of Awe.

 

Temple Or Olam High Holy Day Service Schedule

  • September 13: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service, 7 p.m. McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC
  • September 14: Rosh Hashanah Morning Services, 10 a.m. – 12 a.m. followed by brunch and Tashlich at Dorton Park: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC
  • September 22: Kol Nidre Service, 7 p.m.: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC
  • September 23: Yom Kippur Morning Service, 10 a.m. – 12 a.m.: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC
  • September 23: Neilah Service: 6:30 p.m., Havdalah, and break fast: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC

High Holy DaysTemple Or Olam does not require tickets for attendance at our services. Suggested donations for guests to defray our rental costs are below:

Suggested donations for non-members:

  • Families: $216
  • Individuals: $108
  • Students: gratis

Please visit www.or-olam.org for more information.

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on August 26, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopTOO’s New Year, New Forms, New Ideas

We spent a good part of this summer taking stock of who we are and who we want to become: Results are in.  Our new membership forms are available.  Links below!

http://www.or-olam.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/New_membership_form_2015-2016-.pdf
http://www.or-olam.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Covenant_2015.pdf

Back to the Sources: Torah Care Before The Days of Awe

Our rabbi is always taking an opportunity to show us features of our Torah — up close and personal.  Now, Rabbi Barbara wants to teach us how to care for a Torah scroll.  We will take time as a community to unroll our beautiful Torah, and learn how to clean a handwritten scroll.  While we brush the surface clean, we’ll have the opportunity to revisit the Torah’s special features — including the beautiful crowns congregational members themselves placed in and around the Song at the Sea when we dedicated our new Torah!

Take advantage of this honor and help us prepare our Torah for High Holy Days (more on that, below….).  torah mantles

Date: August 30
Time: 3-4:30 pm
Location: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord

S’lichot at the Lake – September 5, 2015

Schedule
4:30 pm: Arrive for mingling and greeting
5:00 pm: Selichot service and meditation
6:00 pm: Pot Luck *
Please bring your own cooler/ food storage.
7:00 pm: Boat ride and enjoyment of the lake environment
8:00 pm: Havdalah
8:30 pm: Conclusion of the evening – announcements for HHD

*Please RSVP by 8/30/15 to Marilyn Atlas, marilynaf@aol.com for location and also tell her what food you are going to share.

Brothers and Sisters in Kenya

A flamingo field at Lake Nakuru

A flamingo field at Lake Nakuru

Moshe Alhandro Mwangi is part of a tiny community of Jews in Kenya.  The community, Nakuru Molo, is nine years old, and consists of some twenty adults and children.  The community is in need of Jewish ritual items, books, and especially, children’s books.  We have been asked for our help!

Our rabbi has a package of all such items she is putting together for Moshe’s community; tuition from the High Holy Day class is being used to send that package to Africa.

If anyone has books or ritual items they would like to add to that package, please let Rabbi Barbara know at Rabbi.Thiede@or-olam.org.  She will be sending this package next Monday, August 31, so you may want to bring anything you have to add to our Torah care clinic on Sunday, August 30.

 

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on August 17, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopIn the Rabbi’s Library – Learning About the Days of Awe During Elul

Rosh Hashanah is not to be found in Torah – at least not under that name. According to our sacred texts, the day we know as the birthday of the world is simply a day to sound the shofar, a yom t’ruah. Yom Kippur, a day when we spend hours in prayer, was once a time when the ancient Israelites could be sure that if they appeared at the Temple they would be cleansed — purely by announcement from the High Priest!

Come spend an afternoon with Rabbi Barbara and learn about the history of our High Holy Days, from S’lichot to Neilah. We’ll also explore Chassidic and mystical explorations of our liturgy and rituals and discuss their importance for present-day practice.

We have a good group attending, but if you would still like to join us and haven’t yet RSVP’d, you have until tomorrow,  August 18 to let us know.  Send an email to  Rabbi.Thiede@or-olam.org

Date: August 22
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: Our Rabbi’s library (for more information on location, please contact info@or-olam.org)
Tuition fee: $25

Getting our Torah Ready For the Days of Awe

Our rabbi is always taking an opportunity to show us features of our Torah — up close and personal.  Now, Rabbi Barbara wants to teach us how to care for a Torah scroll.  We will take time as a community to unroll our beautiful Torah, and learn how to clean a handwritten scroll.  While we brush the surface clean, we’ll have the opportunity to revisit the Torah’s special features — including the beautiful crowns congregational members themselves placed in and around the Song at the Sea when we dedicated our new Torah!

Take advantage of this honor and help us prepare our Torah for High Holy Days (more on that, below….).  torah mantles

Date: August 30
Time: 3-4:30 pm
Location: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord

S’lichot at the Lake – September 5, 2015

Schedule
4:30 pm: Arrive for mingling and greeting
5:00 pm: Selichot service and meditation
6:00 pm: Pot Luck *
Please bring your own cooler/ food storage.
7:00 pm: Boat ride and enjoyment of the lake environment
8:00 pm: Havdalah
8:30 pm: Conclusion of the evening – announcements for HHD

*Please RSVP by 8/30/15 to Marilyn Atlas, marilynaf@aol.com for location and also tell her what food you are going to share.

High Holy Days Around the Corner!

Our full schedule is available on our website.  Just click here for the details:

High Holy Days

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on August 10, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopS’lichot at the Lake – September 5, 2015

Schedule
4:30 pm: Arrive for mingling and greeting
5:00 pm: Selichot service and meditation
6:00 pm: Pot Luck *
Please bring your own cooler/ food storage.
7:00 pm: Boat ride and enjoyment of the lake environment
8:00 pm: Havdalah
8:30 pm: Conclusion of the evening – announcements for HHD

*Please RSVP by 8/30/15 to Marilyn Atlas, marilynaf@aol.com for location and also tell her what food you are going to share.

Charlotte Pride Interfaith Service (Our Report)

Charlotte Pride croppedYesterday’s moving and joyful Charlotte Pride Interfaith Service brought several members of Temple Or Olam to Charlotte. While Rabbi Barbara spokeabout TOO’s theme – honor as a necessary quality of love – Zannah Kimbrel wove the TOO ribbon into a banner that will be carried at the Pride parade next weekend. Jack Groves and Alan Coffman accompanied faith leaders and helped us all sing (and dance) on the curb outside. A shout out to Rabbi Jonathan Freirich of Temple Beth El for helping represent the Jewish community.

Yes, that is Zannah getting ready to weave…!

And speaking of pride…

We discovered that our tikkun olam plans conflicted with… other plans. Some of TOO members have wanted to attend the Charlotte Pride Parade on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015, 1-3 p.m. (For more information head here: http://charlottepride.org/parade/.) So keeping that in mind, Will King is going to be organizing a group to head down to Charlotte and arranging a different time for us to work with CCM. Please contact Will if you are interested in joining a group heading down to Charlotte for the parade next Sunday at vice-president@or-olam.org

libraryIn the Rabbi’s Library – Learning About the Days of Awe During Elul

Rosh Hashanah is not to be found in Torah – at least not under that name. According to our sacred texts, the day we know as the birthday of the world is simply a day to sound the shofar, a yom t’ruah. Yom Kippur, a day when we spend hours in prayer, was once a time when the ancient Israelites could be sure that if they appeared at the Temple they would be cleansed — purely by announcement from the High Priest!

Come spend an afternoon with Rabbi Barbara and learn about the history of our High Holy Days, from S’lichot to Neilah. We’ll also explore Chassidic and mystical explorations of our liturgy and rituals and discuss their importance for present-day practice.

Please RSVP by  August 16 to Rabbi.Thiede@or-olam.org if you plan to attend.

Date: August 22
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: Our Rabbi’s library (for more information on location, please contact info@or-olam.org)
Tuition fee: $25

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on August 5, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopCharlotte Pride Interfaith Service August 9

This Sunday, Rabbi Barbara and congregants will be heading down to Charlotte for the Charlotte Pride Interfaith Service

interfaithservice_posterThe theme for this year is “Love Leads the Way.”  Spiritual leaders will speak about a quality of love from their tradition.  Rabbi Barbara will be speaking about “honor.”

Please feel free to join us!

Date: August 9, 2015
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Caldwell Presbyterian Church, 1609 E 5th St, Charlotte

libraryIn the Rabbi’s Library – Learning About the Days of Awe During Elul

Rosh Hashanah is not to be found in Torah – at least not under that name. According to our sacred texts, the day we know as the birthday of the world is simply a day to sound the shofar, a yom t’ruah. Yom Kippur, a day when we spend hours in prayer, was once a time when the ancient Israelites could be sure that if they appeared at the Temple they would be cleansed — purely by announcement from the High Priest!

Come spend an afternoon with Rabbi Barbara and learn about the history of our High Holy Days, from S’lichot to Neilah. We’ll also explore Chassidic and mystical explorations of our liturgy and rituals and discuss their importance for present-day practice.

Please RSVP to Rabbi.Thiede@or-olam.org if you plan to attend.

Date: August 22
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: Our Rabbi’s library (for more information on location, please contact info@or-olam.org)
Tuition fee: $25

Twelve Months of Tikkun Olam! (Starting August 18…)

If you have checked out our calendar lately, you will have noticed that third Sundays of every month are TOO’s tikkun olam day.  We are awaiting our exact assignment with Cabarrus County’s CCM/Mother’s and Children House.  If you’d like to join us this month, please keep 2-5 pm open on Sunday August 18th.

Once we have confirmation of the assignment we’ll send out the details.

Please let Will King, Vice President, know if your are interested in joining this month’s tikkun olam project at vicepresident@or-olam.org

 

Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

Posted by webmaster on July 28, 2015   |   Comments Off on Or Olam in the Loop – Our Weekly Bulletin on All Things TOO

LoopHead to our Website Calendar for the Very Latest on TOO’s Activities!

Temple Or Olam’s calendar has been going up over the past week. You may already have noticed some important new additions.  If not, now is the time to take a look-see….

  1. We have a set day each and every month for tikkun olam projects, and they include Crop Walk, Mothers & Children Housing Ministry, Island Habitat and Community Garden projects, Clean Sweep and more. Check out the third Sundays each month for community service information.
  2. Board meetings are posted and they are a happening thing on fourth Sundays.  Members who wish to attend or put something on the agenda need only write to the president or vice president one week prior to the meeting.  Please contact President Steve Smith at President@or-olam.org or Will King at vicepresident@or-olam.org if you need to bring something to the board’s attention.
  3. Adult education programs and social events will be added over the next weeks. They may include anything from Israeli dancing to Jewish mysticism to movie nights. Stay tuned!
  4. Rabbi Barbara has been doing so much interfaith work over the years that we decided to make a note of it; most of these programs can be attended by our members, as well. More data on topics for winter and spring interfaith programs will be forthcoming soon.
  5. Torah Study remains mostly on our convenient phone-in conference line each Shabbat morning; some meetings will be taking place in person and that will be announced as we fine-tune our calendar. If you are interested in being added to our Torah Scholars list, please contact Melanie Carty, Director of Religious Services, at the following email address: religious-services@or-olam.org
  6. Services are now entered for High Holy Days and the rest of the year. We’ve also added occasional havdalah services and some creative Saturday morning services to our schedule. If you and your family are interested in more Saturday morning services (rather than Friday evening services), please, let us know now; we’ve still got wiggle room on scheduling! Contact info@or-olam.org

libraryIn the Rabbi’s Library – Learning About the Days of Awe During Elul

Rosh Hashanah is not to be found in Torah – at least not under that name. According to our sacred texts, the day we know as the birthday of the world is simply a day to sound the shofar, a yom t’ruah. Yom Kippur, a day when we spend hours in prayer, was once a time when the ancient Israelites could be sure that if they appeared at the Temple they would be cleansed — purely by announcement from the High Priest!

Come spend an afternoon with Rabbi Barbara and learn about the history of our High Holy Days, from S’lichot to Neilah. We’ll also explore Chassidic and mystical explorations of our liturgy and rituals and discuss their importance for present-day practice.

Please RSVP to Rabbi.Thiede@or-olam.org if you plan to attend.

Date: August 22
Time: 1-3 p.m.
Location: Our Rabbi’s library (for more information on location, please contact info@or-olam.org)
Tuition fee: $25