February 1st, 2018  |  16 Sh'vat 5778
  From the Rabbi's Blog

Watching Adulthood Emerge on Capitol Hill 

Rabbis Weisz and Kipnes and Youth Program Manager Jennifer Quick chaperoned our teens to L'taken, a social justice seminar in Washington DC. Or Ami had the largest non-local delegation. Our rabbis reflect upon how the experience took their breath away...

 
Rabbinic Super Bowl Rivalry

Rabbi Paul Kipnes and Rabbi Joshua Aaronson (Temple Judea) have engaged in a spirited rivalry over Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. Winning Rabbi gets bragging rights, and some delicious delicacies for their synagogue's oneg, and the loser donates tzedakah to URJ Camp Newman's #NewmanStrong fund. The New York Jewish Week featured an article on the rivalry. Watch the rivalry unfold in Facebook videos:

 Speaker Series 2018
 Social Action
So many of you have asked for ways to engage in one of Or Ami's most prized
values: "Tikkun Olam." Well here's your chance! One of our fantastic program needs
another co-chair and committee members:

Our Purim Social Action event will take place following Purim services on
Wed., Feb. 28.  We will gather into assembly lines, producing sandwiches
and survival kits for those living locally but without shelter. We need you to
make this undertaking a success.

Questions? Contact Laurie Tragen-Boykoff, Social Action Coordinator

The SOVA Food Pantry once again needs our help! 35 volunteers ages 10 and up are needed to sort and prepare donated food for delivery to the SOVA Food Bank. Feel free to invite friends and help us care for families experiencing food insecurity.  Community Service letters will be provided by SOVA.
Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 10:00 am - 12:30 pm at SOVA Warehouse (6605 Odessa Ave., Van Nuys) 
Questions? Please contact Estee Diamond-Morris (818-380-1521 or [email protected])
Help deliver sweet Hamantaschen to Or Ami congregants. Got some spare time to deliver a taste of Purim Fun? Volunteers are needed to pick up Hamantaschen at Or Ami on Sunday, February 25th between 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.  You will be provided a route map with directions and away you go! Hamantaschen can be delivered at any time that Sunday.

Questions? Please contact Hamantaschen Delivery Coordinator Marsi Gore: [email protected]  or (818) 618-0277

We are seeking donations of gently used professional apparel and shoes for those with significant llfe struggles who are returning to the workforce. Bring items to the Or Ami lobby from  Monday, February 5th through Friday, March 2nd . Donations will be made to Jewish Vocational Services.
Questions? Contact Laurie Marmor or Sari Gassner

 $1000 Scholarships for Jewish Sci-Tech-Robotics Summer Academy
Or Ami is excited to offer $1000 scholarships for new campers to the URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy West, where scientific inquiry meets fun! Campers entering grades 5-10 spend 12 days exploring robotics, video game design, environmental science, digital media, and a host of other fun activities in a friendly setting with campers who share similar interests.

Throughout their experience, campers explore what Judaism means to them-and how this complements their interests in science and technology, while gaining an understanding of their place in the long history of the Jewish people's contributions to sci-tech and building a strong connection to Israel as an incubator of innovation.   For more info, visit the 6 Points Sci-Tech website .   To apply for the scholarship, email Rabbi Kipnes directly. 

 THANK YOU!
This week we would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to...

Lisy and Marty Schwartz for leading the fun Brew & Jews event 

To Debbie Kurtz for running the successful Adult Bowling Night

To  Jill Citron, Sid Goldberg, Laurie Keleman, Steve Keleman, Shirley Newman and Brooke Praw  for  stuffing this month's mailing.

We could not have done these amazing things without you!
  Upcoming Events
(For more information or to RSVP, click the image)
Save the date!

 In Our Community
  Chai-lights
Our incredible teens headed off to DC, lobbying for the causes important to them...
...and so much fun at our Tot Shabbat!

In This Issue

Shabbat Schedule
Friday Feb 2nd
7:30 - 9:00 pm
Inclusion Shabbat (Rabbi Kipnes/Cantor Cotler/Rabbinic Intern Julie Bressler) Mezuzah: Eric Gediman
Dinner at 6:00 - RSVP
[Torah Portion: Yitro Ex 18:1 - 20:23]

Saturday Feb 10th
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Bar Mitzvah of Eric Gediman (Rabbi Kipnes/Cantor Cotler)
The entire congregation is invited as Eric is called to Torah. For Eric's project, he acted as liaison between Heal the Bay's "Coastal Clean-up Project" and Topanga Elementary School's "We Give Back" community project. He helped advertise the clean-up event, organize tables for registration, and supervised the clean-up. He also led educational outreach programs about environmental responsibility.
[Torah Portion: Mishpatim Ex 21:1 - 24:18]

Friday Feb 16th
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Tot Shabbat @ My Gym (Rabbi Weisz, Cantor Cotler)  Come celebrate Shabbat by tumbling, singing, hanging with the clergy and connecting with new friends. This is a special event for families with children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 8 years. Space is limited for safety purposes. Registration will close when spaces are filled so RSVP today!

Friday Feb 16th
7:30 - 8:30 pm
"Think Globally, Act Locally" and Scout Shabbat (Rabbi Weisz/Cantor Cotler)  As we explore the Jewish imperative repair the world, Mike Brand, Executive Director of Jewish World Watch, and others will speak.
[Torah Portion: Terumah  Ex 25:1 - 27:19]

Friday Feb 23rd
6:30 - 7:30 pm
Classic Rock Shabbat, Repair the World & Retreat Reunion with 4th-6th participating and L'taken teen participation Service (Rabbi Kipnes/Rabbi Weisz/Cantor Cotler/Rabbinic Intern Lori Levine) Mezuzah Sam Gurin, Brandon Schneider. This service will be livestreamed at oramilive.com
[Torah Portion: Tetzaveh  Ex 27:20 - 30:10]

Saturday Feb 24th
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Bar Mitzvah of Sam Gurin (Rabbi Kipnes/Cantor Cotler)
The entire congregation is invited as Sam is called to Torah. For his Mitzvah Project, Sam has been volunteering for Heal the Bay, cleaning up beaches up and down the coast.
[Torah Portion: Tetzaveh  Ex 27:20 - 30:10]

Event Schedule
Friday Feb 2nd
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Celebrate Inclusion Shabbat Dinner
Celebrate an evening of Community Inclusion beginning with a home cooked Shabbat dinner. For more info/RSVP.

Sunday Feb 4th
11:45 am - 1:15 pm
Family Mitzvah Club Food Forward Harvest
Join the Family Mitzvah Club as we team with Food Forward in our effort to end hunger! We will be harvesting naval oranges at a home in Agoura Hills. For more info/RSVP.

Friday Feb 9th - Sunday Feb 11th
Triple T Retreat
7th - 12th Graders hop on the bus and head to Alonim for a fun weekend outdoors; a weekend of camp! Register Here.

Sunday Feb 11th
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
SOVA Volunteer Day
Help sort and prepare donated food for delivery to those in need. For more info/Sign up.

Tuesday Feb 13th
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Speaker Series: 50 Years Since Israel's Six Day War
Join Dr. Rachel Korazim as she  redirects us l'chaim (back to life) through the spirit and the authentic values of 1967 and their lingering impacts on our lives today. For more info/RSVP.

Saturday Feb 17th
5:00 - 8:00 pm
Cafe LoMPTY
Walk down the red carpet and join LoMPTY for our fourth annual night of coffee, friends, programming, and talent! For more info/RSVP.

Sunday Feb 25th
9:15 am - 2:00 pm
Mental Health and Wellness Summit featuring Dr. Dan Siegel
Is your teen/pre-teen stressed? Anxious? Are you?  With other teens, parents, grandparents, teachers and therapists, come together to discover critical stress management skills and mental wellness techniques. For more info/RSVP.


Wednesday Feb 28th
5:00 - 7:30 pm
Wild West Cowboy Purim
Come in costume and enjoy a fun night of food, games, and stories as we celebrate Purim together at Congregation Or Ami! For more info/RSVP.

2017-2018
Executive Board
Officers
Fred Gruber - President
Kevin Palm - VP
Sharon Weiss - VP
Karin Pofsky - VP
Richard Rutkin - VP
Linda Blumenthal - Secretary
Alan Kazden - CFO

Ex Officio
Rabbi Paul Kipnes
Cantor Doug Cotler
Rabbi Julia Weisz
Gary Kaplan - Immediate Past President
Craig Steinhauer - Advisor to the President
Maya Weiss - President of LOMPTY

Board of Directors
Michelle Finkelstein
Dianne Gubin
Sid Goldberg
Rachel Dashevsky
Kerri Graver
Ilana Springer
Randy Levine
Susan Lotwin
David Melnick
Steven Harrison
Steve Rifkin
Lesli Kraut
Rachel Paul

Executive Board Link
26115 Mureau Rd., Suite B   Calabasas, CA 91302   818.880.4880