By Amy Unger
Congregation Or Atid Lit Up Chanukkah Once Again!
Congregation Or Atid held its third annual community-wide Chanukkah celebration on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 28.
Over 80 community members, ranging in age from infant to senior adult, came together to celebrate the 4th night of Chanukkah. The evening included a lively sing-along with Rabbi Sherry Grinsteiner, a meaningful Havdalah service, and the magical lighting of Or Atid’s living menorah in the Gan Chesed garden*.
Participants were able to make a fun latke craft, create and enjoy an edible dreidel, play spin-the-dreidel with gelt, and deliver their best smile at the selfie photo booth station. Delicious sufganiyot and other Chanukkah treats were literally icing on the cake at this amazing event.
A huge thank you goes out to the many organizers of this event, who made this such a fun, festive and creative celebration!!
The Gan Chesed Kindness Garden is supported, in part, by a generous contribution from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.
A Spiritual and Lively Shabaton Weekend
On December 6th and 7th, Or Atid partnered with Congregations Or Ami and Beth Ahabah, to create a beautiful Shabbat experience weekend filled with warmth and music. Attendees were treated to the spiritual sounds of Yoel Sykes, the Musician-in-Residence, as well as the participatory services created by the spiritual leaders of the congregations.
n Friday, we welcomed Shabbat at Beth Ahabah with children playing, followed by a Shabbat dinner. On Saturday, we held the Shabbat service at Or Atid, followed by a Kiddush luncheon. Saturday evening concluded at Or Ami with a Havdalah service, a beautiful Yoel Sykes concert and delicious desserts.
It was a special occasion where the greater Jewish community of Richmond all came together for a weekend of spirituality and unity. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who helped make this community-wide experience so meaningful.
Our History, Our Stories – Final Presentation by Viviane Oberhand
As our last installment of “Our History, Our Stories” series, approximately 100 guests were on hand at Congregation Or Atid to hear the powerful story of Viviane Oberhand (pictured above) and her childhood growing up in Tunisia.
Through her personal anecdotes and tales of the powerful central role her mother held in her family, attendees learned about how harsh the existence was for the ghetto Jews of Tunis (the capital of Tunisia).
Viviane related how she experienced everyday life with little food, no electricity, little shelter, and minimal water that was retrieved from a well only three days a week. Despite the harshness of their existence, the Jews of Tunis thrived spiritually through their community and the central role Shabbat played in their lives.
Viviane and her family were expelled from Tunisa in 1956, and few Jews remain there today.
Viviane also told of her life when her family moved to Paris and her emigration to America as a young adult.
Congregation Or Atid would like to thank Viviane for sharing her emotional and inspirational story.
Or Atid would also like to once again thank all the inspiring excellent speakers who participated in this fascinating series. Christina Ramirez, Tino Habib, Rabbi Sherry Grinsteiner, and Viviane Oberhand were all truly inspirational for in sharing their emotional and impactful journeys.
he Mo’adon Seniors Schmooze and Nosh (club) had a Fun-Filled Hanukkah Program
The Senior Schmooze club had a party of their own on December 31st. About 30 people celebrated Hanukkah and pre-New Year’s Eve.
There was a long table full of delicious food, including donuts, veggies and dip, hummus, bagels and cream cheese, fruit, and other goodies.
If you think Seniors can’t sing, think again! Everyone participated in singing “Oh Hanukkah”, and there was a contest to see which table sang the best!
Rabbi Sherry played “Jewardy” and divided the three tables into teams, The Greeks, The Priests and the Jerusalemites. There were very smart answers and with some answers that were totally off, but it was all a lot of fun.
In addition, everyone took turns taking memorable photos at the Photo Booth, some even more than once! See one photo above
Seniors in the West End of Richmond are invited to attend these enjoyable monthly Mo’adon programs. This is a great opportunity for casual conversations and stimulating activities in a warm and friendly environment. Activities include music, dance, performances, lectures, socialization time, and of course delicious desserts.
Programs are held once a month, generally on the last Tuesday of each month from 2-4 p.m. at Congregation Or Atid.
Need a ride? Just let our synagogue office know, and we’ll arrange a ride with our volunteer drivers. We encourage you to also bring your friends and make the most of this delightful time together!
All of these programs are FREE thanks to a generous grant from the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.
For additional information and/or to register, please contact the synagogue office at (804) 740-4747.
Community-Wide Weekend Event
Join Congregation Or Atid for a Community Wide Weekend Event Featuring Rabbi Natan Margalit, Ph.D
Congregation Or Atid is pleased to announce the second annual Residence-in-Scholar program to be held the weekend of Feb. 14, to coincide with Tu B’Shvat.
The special guest will be Rabbi Natan Margalit, PhD, author of, “The Pearl and the Flame: A Journey into Jewish Wisdom and Ecological Thinking.”
Rabbi Margalit will provide three talks to be held Erev Shabbat, Shabbat morning and at Havdalah, on the theme of, The Tree of Life: Torah and Ecology for a Flourishing World.
See attached flyer for more details and/or to register.
Please register for these events or call the synagogue office at (804) 740-4747.
A Meaningful Brunch Provided at the Doorways
On Sunday, Dec. 22, several members of Congregation Or Atid, under the auspices of the congregation’s Social Action Committee, gathered at The Doorways to provide a hearty and delicious brunch for the people residing there.
The Doorways is a local non-profit to help individuals and families who are undergoing medical treatment far from home.
The volunteers cooked eggs, sausage, turkey bacon, pancakes, tater tots and provided homemade bread, cookies, corn muffins and biscuits. They also provided fruit, donut holes, juice and coffee. It was a great experience and a mitzvah for the volunteers as they were providing a meaningful service to the people needing to stay at the Doorways.
