Or Atid Recognizes Honorees
Congregation Or Atid presented awards recognizing extraordinary efforts by various congregants in a number of categories during the synagogue’s annual meeting in June.
Fran Todras presented the Strength of Torah award to Charna Cone, recognizing her many contributions to Or Atid, including her efforts in establishing, planning and leading the synagogue’s first-ever completely women led shabbat service also known as the Kol Isha Shabbat Shira (KISS) last February.
Sue Geller presented the Love of Torah award to Ruth Schoenhaut for her tireless efforts in organizing the synagogue’s 40th Anniversary Gala last November. The Deeds of Loving Kindness award presented by Ann Macheras to David Geller for spearheading the committee to review and overhaul COA’s by laws and constitution over the past year. Also a Special Appreciation award was presented by Ethan Haswell to David Goldman for his contributions to the synagogue leadership.
Or Atid Brings Communities Together for Juneteenth
The sanctuary of Congregation Or Atid was packed for services on Friday, June 19, as the synagogue presented its first-ever Juneteenth Special Freedom Shabbat Celebration Service bringing together Jewish tradition with the legacy of Juneteenth in a shared pursuit of liberation.
Nasiyah Isra-Ul, a rabbinic student – as well as founder of the Mishpacha Rising Collective, and an autism and disability advocate – planned and led the event which brought together people from the greater Richmond community. She is also recent graduate of the Federation’s Community Leadership Institute (CLI) for NextGen, a program designed to cultivate the next generation of Jewish communal leaders.
“The main idea is to bring together the community and build a bridge,” Isra-Ul said. “Juneteenth is an African American holiday and I want to share that with the synagogue community. We have a sort of Juneteenth in Judaism with Passover. Not only showing us a path forward as a community, but also what our shared paths actually look like. Showing us that we may have more in common than we thought.”
The service wove together a traditional shabbat service with poetry, inspired African American melodies known as niggunim (wordless melodies) and a drum based musical accompaniment. The evening concluded with a meal featuring a unique kosher soul food menu honoring the rich heritage of the African American community.
In all, the service acknowledged the intertwined histories of Jews and African Americans through music and food, thereby strengthening the bonds between Jews of color, the wider congregation and the interfaith community.
The Jewish Community Federation of Richmond was a sponsor of the program.
Or Atid New Young Adult Program Underway
Congregation Or Atid has developed a new program directed at young adults between the ages of 18 and 40. Known as the Beacon, it exists as a safe, nurturing and spiritually vibrant community space providing learning, networking, volunteering and fun meetup opportunities for both Or Atid members and the wider young adult population of the Richmond Jewish community.
For more information on the Beacon, contact Nasiyah Isra-Ul at nisraul@oratid.org.
School Year in Review
For the children attending Or Atid’s religious school this past school year, learning came alive through hands-on experiences, meaningful Jewish values and joyful community celebrations.
During the year – through a variety of activities – the children:
- Were engaged with Jewish heritage by crafting ritual items such as custom shofars, mezuzahs and challah covers.
- Demonstrated a deep commitment to Tzedakah (charity) and environmental care by collecting over 300 boxes of food to build a giant "Mac & Cheese Menorah" for a local food bank, allocating classroom funds to animal welfare and children's charities, and planting pink muhly grass in the congregation's Holocaust memorial garden.
- Brought Jewish learning to life through cooking and cultural activities, preparing traditional foods such as shakshuka, piroshki, and latkes, participating in holiday seders, and learning Israeli dance.
Students’ understanding of core Jewish values was deepened including Kavod (respect), Ometz Lev (courage) and Achrayut (responsibility) through the Shalom Learning curriculum which helped connect these lessons to their everyday lives.
Registration for the upcoming school is open. If you are new and interested in learning more about Congregation Or Atid’s Religious School, please contact Education Director Rebekkah Kline at rkline@oratid.org.
For registration details, check out https://www.oratid.org/form/26-27SchoolRegistration
Garden Prepped for Next Growing Season
Planting has continued at Or Atid’s organic garden in preparation for the upcoming growing season.
For more information on getting involved with the garden project, contact Sue Geller at (804) 387-7643 or email her at susanrgeller@gmail.com.
