Services

Coffee, Cake and Comedy Purim Hour with Temple Or Olam

Join us for the grand opening of the never-before-seen Purim Shpiel Erev Shabbat Fever. See King Ahaseurus do the moonwalk. Discover why Esther’s career is at serious risk!

There’s more! Hilarity, song, and maybe even a magic trick or two are also on the docket, accompanied by delicious desserts, coffee and tea.

Wear a costume! Wear a silly hat! Come as you usually aren’t, and join us on March 6 at 3 p.m. at McGill Baptist Church for Temple Or Olam’s Purim festivities….

If you would like to propose a skit, song, or dance, let us know. We’ll take the first ten offerings from our members. A caveat: Each performance must be limited to 2-3 minutes, be appropriate for children, and well-rehearsed beforehand. Just let us know!

Members: Bring a basket of baked goods to share. In keeping with the tradition of Mishloach Manos, one should give a gift of two different types of food, one of which is prepared (cooked or baked). This law is described in the Book of Esther (9:22) as part of the proper celebration of Purim.

Non-members are asked to bring a donation.

• Imagine putting our youngest under a big tallit. We create the tent we sing about in Ma Tovu.

• Imagine the youngest pulling out musical instruments and accompanying a Shabbat prayer just like the Levites once did, with timbrel and drum.

• Imagine thirty minutes filled with song and movement and designed so that our youngest ones can dance, play, and delight in their own Shabbat service.

That’s what we have planned for December 12.Older children are welcome to come, but please keep in mind that this service is being designed for ages 1-5.

Bagels and cream cheese, anyone? We ask that everyone bring something to nosh after our service.

PLEASE RSVP to rabbi@or-olam.org by December 9 and let us know if you are coming!

Event: Tot Shabbat
Date: December 12
Time: 10 – 11ish
Location: McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord.

“I’ll build a stairway to paradise…”

This Friday we’ll be exploring Jacob’s first nighttime encounter with angelic and divine beings who travel upstairs and downstairs at will. Who and what is the maqom Jacob finds in the morning?

If you are among those who have foregone the rigors of travel this Thanksgiving, please feel free to join us for Temple Or Olam’s annual Thanksgiving service, where the oneg is very likely to be salted and peppered with delicious leftovers. Feel free to bring some of your own!

Join us for our second Friday Shabbat, where our very own Temple Or Olamniks (the kids, of course) will be demonstrating just how many prayers and new melodies they’ve learned this year. We’ll hear the story about three inexplicable moments of merriment from the Baal Shem Tov and enjoy each other’s company at our oneg Shabbat. Hope to see you there!

A Hanukkah singalong in four languages (Hebrew, Ladino, Yiddish and even a little English), Israeli dancing, a skit from our very own Religious School Olamniks, ceremonious candle lighting and a beautiful havdalah ceremony are on the docket for this year’s Hanukkah celebration at Temple Or Olam. Mark the date and please join us for an afternoon of celebration, song, and joy!

Let’s spread the light: We encourage everyone to bring their own menorahs and Hanukkah candles.

Charge:

Members and college students are free.

Guests: non-members are asked to contribute $18 for individuals and $36 for families to help defray food and rental costs. Payment can be made at the door.

RSVP (Temple Or Olam members and guests!) to 704.720.7577 by December 12.

From Reb Barbara:

I’d like to remind everyone that we are reading Noach this Friday (Noah) and that everyone who wants to wear a rainbow should!

From Jody:

The religious school studied Noah last year and it was one of the students’ favorite Torah stories…maybe because of the visit from Noah, who answered many of their questions. So this would be a great service to bring the kids to, even though it’s not a family service. Also, in the last couple weeks of religious school, the students have been constructing their own pictorial Torah, and we will be sharing it at this service. So please do come and bring the kids.

Since the Shofar can not be blown on Shabbat, this year we are holding a short Shofar Service before the Erev Rosh Hashanah service.

Friday, September 18th
6:45PM: Shofar Service
7PM: Erev Rosh Hashanah Service

Remember Who You Really Are
High Holy Days with Temple Or Olam
5770/2009

In Africa, a group of people called the Babemba (People of the Lake) have a practice they use whenever someone behaves unjustly or irresponsibly and hurts other members of their community. The community ceases its business. Each woman, man, and child helps make a circle around that person. Then, every individual takes the time to tell that person about his or her good traits — in detail. All that person’s positive attributes, good deeds, strengths and kindness are recited.

The ceremony can take hours – even days. When everyone is finished, the villagers celebrate with great joy. The person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.

What’s happening here? In the villagers’ minds, the person in question has forgotten who he or she really is, and must be reminded. Because when you know and appreciate yourself, the Babemba assume, you will have no need to harm anyone.

This year, we’ll experiment with the High Holy Day liturgy to engage in a similar, uplifting practice. Our teshuva (self-exploration, penitence, and return) will be explored through meditating, praying, and writing in teshuva journals, but with this assumption: High Holy Days are a call for us to return to the truth of who we are.

September 18, 7 p.m.: Erev Rosh Hashanah service
September 19, 9:30 a.m.: Rosh Hashanah service, followed by brunch and
Taschlich
September 27, 7 p.m.: Kol Nidre
September 28, 9:30 a.m.: Yom Kippur service
September 28, 6:30 p.m.: Neila, Havdalah, then break fast
All services held at McGill Baptist Church, 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, NC

Babysitting available
Suggested donations for non-members:
Families: $180
Individuals: $90
Students: As you are able
Any High Holy Day donations can be applied to membership dues if you join within three months

This is just a reminder that the Friday service on August 14th will be the Beatles service. This would be a great one to invite a friend to. Also in anticipation of guests, maybe some extra Oneg goodies! thanks!

Reminder: Our service on August 14th will be our Beatles service, in which the sentiments of the evening Shabbat services are expressed through songs by the Fab Four. This would be a great service to invite a friend, or a family of friends, to. Please consider doing that. Also, since we’re expecting a slightly larger turnout than at our typical service, please also consider bringing some food to share at the Oneg. Thanks!

Usual place and time: McGill Baptist Church at 7PM