Or Ami Happenings in September

High Holy Days

Or Ami’s Board of Directors, our Reopening Committee, the Avodah Committee, the Facilities Committee, and Rabbi Ahuva have worked together to decide how to keep people safe during the High Holy Days.

Sadly, this requires a break from Or Ami’s tradition of opening High Holy Days Services to all regardless of membership status. Furthermore, we will have to limit the number of members who attend each service.

We will be streaming our services with the help of a dedicated camera operator, and the live stream and recorded services will be available to members and non-members on Facebook and Or Ami YouTube.

• In-Person Services: High Holy Day Services will be held at Or Ami (not the JCC as in previous years), and in-person attendance will be limited and available to Or Ami members in good standing only. A member in good standing is a family unit that has completed a Brit and made a dues payment.
• After carefully measuring the sanctuary and the space behind the moveable doors in the back, we concluded that 70 attendees could gather safely for each service. We are asking that families sign up for ONE-of-the-5 High Holy Days services only. A sign-up Genius will be sent to members for reservations before the Holidays.
• Only fully vaccinated may attend, which means only those who are 12 years and older are applicable. We offer no child care during services.
• Members and non-members with children ages 2-12 are encouraged to RSVP in advance to join us for our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Family Services, which will be held (outdoors, weather-permitting) at Or Ami at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 7 and Thursday, Sept. 16.

COVID Protocols

All participants must wear a mask, and those aged 12 and older must also be fully vaccinated. Children and parents will rotate activity stations, including a Rosh Hashanah art project (painting apple crafts), a science project (making honey slime), and an age-appropriate Tashlich ritual.

For more information about the programs, including the link to RSVP, please visit: https://or-ami.com/high-holy-days/

• We will not have in-person Onegs or a Break-the-Fast.

Virtual Services will be open to members and non-members on Facebook and the Or Ami YouTube channel.  We have hired a professional camera operator to best capture the spirit of the in-person services for those watching from home.

Religious School

Our Religious School programs will officially begin on Sunday, Sept. 26, with rotating activity stations themed around the holiday of Sukkot.

During the 2021-2022 school year, children will be learning about emotions through a Jewish lens as we explore Torah stories, prayers, and Jewish music related to common emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, fear, gratitude, and more.

Rabbi Ahuva Zaches specially created this social and emotional learning curriculum to address the unique combination of feelings that students have been experiencing during the pandemic.

Dedicated Teachers

Rabbi Ahuva guides a team of dedicated Religious School teachers in a nurturing Jewish environment. This year we are excited to be returning to in-person classes for preschoolers through eighth-graders.

We are committed to making the safest environment possible by taking numerous precautions to protect the health of students and staff, including masking in indoor spaces with constant air filtration and utilizing outdoor spaces as often as the weather permits.

If you are interested in enrolling your children in our preschool through the eighth-grade Religious School program, you can contact Rabbi Ahuva through the Or Ami website or register here online: https://or-ami.com/registration/

Shabbat Services

Our in-person Shabbat Services for masked, and fully vaccinated adults, are held Friday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30. Children may attend with their parents, and children over age three must wear a mask. Onegs are currently suspended.

You may view our services on YouTube or OrAmi’s Facebook page. Torah study (fully vaccinated and masked) is held in-person and virtually on most Saturdays at 11am.

Links for our virtual Shabbat services and Torah study are sent via email on Fridays. If you would like to be added to the list, please email communicate@OrAmi.com.

Would you like to know more? Please contact our office at (804) 272-0017 or communicate@Or-Ami.com, or check us out at www.Or-Ami.com. You can follow us on Facebook or catch us on Twitter.

All inquiries are always welcome.