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Take our 10-Minute Seder in the Wilderness Survey
Take our 10-Minute Seder in the Wilderness survey. Click here
View our SIW Photo Album here.
Over 300 Or Ami friends and guests gathered in Malibu Creek State Park for Or Ami's 6th Seder in the Wilderness Retreat. Though the hot weather drained these former slaves, and the desert trek from the parking lot to the main area melted even the hardiest of us, the retreat experience was amazing! Cantor Doug and two musical Levites roused us around the campfire with song. President Susan Gould presented wagonmaster Andy Krasnoff, former ritual chairs Michael Kaplan and Darryl Lieberstein, and catering-coordinator Fariba Cooper with our prestigious Ner Ami Innovator Award for transforming a 40 person event (with 8 overnight campers) into a 300+ event (with 87 campers). Program Director Michal Rozenberg-Yalovsky (who organized much of the day's proceedings) ensured our children enjoyed the morning as Rabbi Mike Comins of Torah Trek took adults on a Spirituality Hike. Mishpacha Coordinators Dan Medwin and Sara Mason, with help of Interns Lydia Bloom Medwin and Eric Berk and the faculty, led us to engage the creativity and spirituality of encountering God. Horseshoe Tournament, delicious catered dinner, Talent Show and Havdala, each uplifted and inspired a reliving of the joy of the Exodus from Egypt. Thank you to our ritual committee for supporting this experience.
[Now Please Take Our Survey: Share Your Seder in the Wilderness Experience]
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Councilman Dennis Zine & Israeli Consulate Speaker Honor Israel's 60th
Celebrate Israel's 60th Anniversary as our Jewish State! Please join Or Ami at 7:00 pm on Monday, May 5 in a community celebration with Israeli wine tasting and delicious Israeli food! Enjoy a special presentation by an Israeli Consulate Speaker and a short address by Councilman Dennis Zine. Stay for Israeli Folk Dancing and browse through the beautiful Israeli gift items for sale. Bring your kids, ages 5 and up! There will be child care with Israel-related activities provided for the kids. Donation of $5.00 supports our sister synagogue, Kehillat Mevaseret Zion, in Israel! May 5, 2008 at 7:00 P.M.
Special Or Ami Israel Trip participants reunion at 6:30 P.M. View our flyer here.
RSVP to Susie Stark or (818-880-4880). Questions? Contact Michal Rozenberg-Yalovsky.
[Mesibah: Join us for the Israel Party]
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Did You Call Your Mother or Father Today?
Rabbi Kipnes writes:  I call my father every morning (usually at 8:15 a.m., right after I drop the kids off at school). Why? Because he likes hearing what is happening in our lives. Because he enjoys the conversation. Because I love him. Because I want my kids to follow my lead and call me regularly when I get older. And as a small way to repay the debt I owe him because this wonderul man spent his adult life working, stressing, supporting my siblings and me. It is the least Ican do. (Yes, I call my mother also, plenty).
Our Or Ami Center for Jewish Parenting recently gathered adults together for a discussion about how to parent our parents. Those who attended said it was intense, because the emotions surrounding the aging of our parents can be intense.
Read the rabbi's reflections along with congregant Don Weston's on the Rabbi's blog.
[Click here for the Rabbi's blog.]
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Campfire Shabbat Service This Friday Night
This Friday, May 9: Campfire Family & Teacher Appreciation Service with participation of 3rd & 4th grade. At the Rudyan Campfire circle in Agoura. Bring your own chairs, marshmellow roasting sticks/hangers and sweaters.
Torah: The Torah portion Emor provides details about the lives of the priests and their families. The priestly role was and is both an honor and the burden. This parashah also includes the most comprehensive holiday calendar in the Torah instructing the people to observe Shabbat, Passover, the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot (counting of the Omer), Yom Kippur and Sukkot. In the seventh aliyah the penalty for hurting or killing another person or an animal are described: "…fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The injury inflicted on another shall be inflicted in return." (24:20) What's that all about? Read on.
Friday, May 16: Home Shabbat. Use your Kabbalat Shabbat Bag, prayer book and music CD to enjoy Shabbat at home with family or friends.
Saturday, May 17: Shabbat Morning Service. 9:30 a.m. Service, 11:00 Lunch & Torah Study. Enjoy our final Morning Service with Intern Lydia Bloom Medwin.
[An Eye for an Eye???]
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Sixty Hours to Celebrate 60 Years
To mark and honor the 60th anniversary of Israel, Let My People Sing will bring 60 hours of special events and festivities to the Los Angeles area. The week-long series of concerts, gatherings and shows starts on Sunday May 4th and runs through May 11th.
Events include jam sessions, a kosher film & art festival, a celebration at the Calabasas Commons, a gala concert at the Kodak Theater and an Israel Discovery Day for families. Details on all these and much more are on their website Let My People Sing.
[Check out the Details of a Week of Israel at 60!]
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Appreciating the Behind the Scenes Work
Our Commitment to Community (formerly "membership") packets are in the mail, and should have landed in your mailbox by now. Chock full of exciting updates, educational program news, registration and renewal information, these packets did not magically come together. Thanks first to Mandy Green for redesigning the Youth Education packets. Thanks to Suzanne Gallo, Susan Gould, Karen Harris, Steve Keleman and Lisa Richman for stuffing these packets. A special thanks to Susie Stark, Kathy Hagerty, Lori Cole and Carla Vine - our new office staff team - for expertly arranging all the pieces.
Remember, youth and family education forms are due in by June 2nd. Priority placement (some class times WILL close out) are given to early registrants (see Youth Education Brochure for more information). Late fees are accessed for current participants who register after June 2nd.
Said differently, have rachmanis (compassion) on our office staff by turning your forms and renewal in early.
Questions? Contact Susie Stark.
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Upcoming @ Or Ami
Mon., May 5 Kesher/HebrewTutoring Resumes
Mon., May 5: Israel’s 60th Independence Day Celebration 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. Reunion)
Tues., May 6, 13 & 20 Adult BM Hebrew Class , 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Fri., May 9 Final Mishpacha Session, Picnic at Rudyans, 6:00 p.m.
Sat., May 10 Spirituality Affinity Group Hike
Sat., May 10 URJ/FRJ Event Honoring Rabbi Thal Temple Emanuel, Beverly Hills, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., May 14 Last Temple Teen Night
Thurs., May 15 Homespun Torah, 9:30 a.m. at the home of Adam & Kim Gubner in Calabasas
Thurs., May 15 & 29 Support Group for Parents of Children with Special Needs 7:00 p.m.
Sat., May 17 LoMPTY Magic Mountain Trip
Sun., May 18 Valley Israel Festival
Sun., May 18 HUC Ordination of Intern Eric Berk, 10:00 a.m. at Wilshire Blvd. Temple
Mon., May 19 HUC Graduation of Interns Sara Mason, Dan Medwin, Lydia Bloom Medwin, 11:00 a.m. at HUC (near USC)
Wed., May 21 Last Day of Kesher
Thurs., May 22 Last Day of Hebrew Tutoring
Wed., May 21 Annual Congregational Meeting, 7:30 p.m.
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Congregation Or Ami
"Light of My People"
26115 Mureau Road, Ste. B
Calabasas, CA 91302
(818) 880-4880
http://www.orami.org
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