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Or Atid Happenings

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David Geller, Ephraim Seidman and Leo Grinsteiner installing the water fountain at Or Atid.

By Amy Unger

Congregation Or Atid Invites the Greater Richmond Community to High Holidays.

Congregation Or Atid extends a warm welcome to the Jewish community, inviting you to join our congregational family for the High Holidays as we celebrate renewal and hope on Rosh Hashanah and reflect on our inner lives on Yom Kippur.  Our services are traditional, egalitarian, participatory, and welcoming to all.

The time schedule for High Holiday services is listed separately in this issue on Page 16.  Family services for parents and children ages 6-10 years old will be held on the first day of Rosh Hashana and on the first day of Yom Kippur from 10-10:45 a.m. Note: Pre-registration is required for some services.

If you are new to the community, or have never attended our High Holiday services, we invite you to join us.  If you are a returning non-member guest, we are happy to have you join us again, and we suggest a contribution to our Congregation, to support our Sustaining Share fund model.  Sustaining Share allows each family to determine their own voluntary financial pledge rather than be bound by typical synagogue dues.  It’s more than a financial commitment; it is an emotional commitment that each individual or family wants to be a part of our community. We would love to have you participate in our warm and welcoming service and community.

If you would like to join us for High Holiday services, please visit the High Holiday tab on our website at www.oratid.org where you will find more information about services along with a registration link. Alternatively, you may contact our office at (804) 740-4747.

L’Shana Tova!

Sukkot Services/Dinner and Pizza in the Hut

We welcome you to join Congregation Or Atid on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. for Sukkot Festival Services followed by Pizza in the Sukkah.

This is an opportunity to visit the Sukkah at our synagogue while enjoying delicious pizza.  We will shake the lulav and etrog as we celebrate the Festival of Booths.

Please also join us for Sukkot Festival services that will take place on Monday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m.

Registration for Pizza in the Sukkah and in-person services is requested and can be found at the High Holiday tab on our website at www.oratid.org.

Simchat Torah Celebrations

A Simchat Torah service and dinner will be held at Congregation Or Atid on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Children and families are welcome to attend this uplifting service as we dance around the sanctuary holding the Torah Scrolls in celebration of the Torah.

On Monday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. join us for Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah festival service, which includes Yizkor, where we remember family and friends who are no longer with us.

Registration for in-person services and programs is requested and can be found at the High Holiday tab on our website at www.oratid.org.

Religious School Innovations

We are excited to announce that we are rolling out a new vision and plans for the religious school for the coming academic year. We want 5783 to be a year where every student flourishes (our theme for this year). We want our children to be proud of their Jewish identity and heritage.

Here are some of the highlights for the 2022-2023 school year:

  • New innovative and transformative curriculum
  • Impactful engagement scope
  • Innovative and experiential modalities
  • Hebrew School in-person and virtual options
  • Family celebrations
  • Parent sessions
  • Welcoming all families regardless of affiliation

At Or Atid, we always welcome new students in our school, regardless of affiliation. If you are interested in learning more about our school, please visit our website at Education – Congregation Or Atid where you will find a school registration link. You may also contact our office at (804) 740-4747 for information.

Adult Education Classes

We are very excited to announce that COA is offering a variety of exciting and engaging adult education classes to nourish your mind and soul. We welcome nonmembers to join us on our journey of exploration into various aspects of Judaism and Jewish life. Classes are in-person and virtual; visit https://www.oratid.org/adulteducation or click for digital HERE to see the complete list of classes, times, dates, and registration information. Here are some highlights of these courses:

Weekly Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Grinsteiner

Enjoy your lunch in person or from the comfort of your home (via Zoom) and delve into a weekly Parashah study with Rabbi and friends.

Holiday 101: Traditions That Inspire Our Lives with Rabbi Grinsteiner

Discussion of each of the holidays (Who, What, Where, and How). We will learn the different holiday traditions and their relevance to our lives today. We will also share ideas that inspire us as we celebrate the holidays with our families at home. Classes are staggered throughout the year in advance of each holiday.

Digging Deeper: Archaeology and the Bible with Frankie Snyder

This course is being led by Frankie Snyder, a native of Richmond, and our resident expert archeologist. Frankie, who has recently returned to the city after a 50-year absence, spent the past 14 years living in Jerusalem, where she gained extensive experience wet sifting in various sites around Jerusalem and other digs around Israel.

The series will be looking at the intersection of the Bible and archaeology: how archaeological finds have shed light on Biblical texts or how Biblical texts have shed light on archaeological finds. Each class will focus on a different archaeological find or group of finds, sometimes on an archaeological site, and dig into the Bible to see how these discoveries help us give new meaning to familiar Biblical texts. Register for any number of classes. Offered by Zoom only.

Gan Chesed Update

Throughout this hot summer there have been numerous outdoor projects completed at Congregation Or Atid.

Below are pictures of several wonderful harvests coming out of the Gan Chesed Kindness Garden that are delivered each week to the Weinstein JCC Elmer Toth Food Pantry. Now there is a new addition to Gan Chesed – a beautiful water fountain designed to add a sense of serenity to garden visitors.

Pictured above at top of this article is the fountain that  was delivered and installed by hardworking members of the synagogue. And if that wasn’t hard enough to accomplish this in the sweltering heat, members also spread multiple loads of mulch into the playground and sensory areas of the gardens, as well as the main entrance to the synagogue. Many thanks to those dedicated members who unselfishly gave of their time and energy to complete these projects.

Congregation Or Atid’s Gan Chesed Kindness Garden is supported, in part, by a generous contribution from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.