News Archive

Did you know that you can purchase Stop and Shop, Shoprite and Whole Foods gift cards through the synagogue office at face value and the synagogue earns a percentage? Specifically we earn 5 % of the face value while you pay face value and can use the card to buy your weekly groceries! Last year Or Shalom earned $2697.00 with an average of 20 members participating monthly. [ more ]

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Congregation Or Shalom every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Congregation Or Shalom. [ more ]

In this issue: "Third Annual Comedy Night", Kristallnacht, Shabbat in the Gazebo, Annual Campaign and  [ more ]

Wednesday evening, September 6th, 7:00 pm: LEARN TO MAKE BAKLAVA FROM AN EXPERT! & TAKE SOME HOME FOR ROSH HASHANAH! A Sisterhood & Social Action Event! Aminah al Saleh, whose family we and synagogues in the greater New Haven area recently adopted, is an accomplished Middle Eastern chef and phyllo specialist.

A $10 admission for this event is kindly requested, which will go toward the resettlement of Amina's family & as a fundraiser for our Congregation. Amina's Baklava will be available for purchase that evening! Please RSVP 203.799.2341 [ more ]

The start of the school year is just around the corner, and we have some exciting news to share: We're delighted to announce the opening of YAHAD, a Sunday morning community Hebrew School for grades Pre-K through 7. YAHAD, the result of months of collaboration between Congregation Or Shalom and Congregation B'nai Jacob, will take place at the JCC in Woodbridge on Sunday mornings. On Wednesdays, our Hebrew school will be held, as usual, at Congregation Or Shalom. [ more ]

Sunday, November 5, 2017 – 9a.m.  Marion Pritchard, may she rest in peace, distinguished herself as a savior of Jewish children in the Netherlands during World War II.  [ more ]

Annual Campaign 2017/2018.  The Or Shalom Annual Campaign FY2017/18 is on!  The Annual Campaign is one way we help keep dues lower than other local congregations.  It allows us to distribute the financial burden voluntarily, to those that may be better able to afford it, in so doing lessening the burden on those who may be less able to do so.  Participating is indeed a mitzvah.   [ more ]

The newly organized Chesed Project is a network of volunteers who bring to life the meaning of Chesed-- kindness -- by providing assistance to Synagogue members facing difficulties related to health, loss and grief. Coordinated activities may include phone calls and visits to Congregants.  [ more ]

Tuesday, May 30, 7:30 pm, Shavuot, The Torah of Yoga with Sherri Sosensky, Torah-Yoga Teacher. Torah is the divine path to human healing and holiness. Shavuot, the night we met G-d on the 50th day after our Exodus from slavery, is traditionally seen as the moment we received the Torah. The custom arose, therefore, to devote that night to Torah study. On May 30th, Shavuot night, our Torah teacher will be Mrs. Sherri Sosensky, a noted local Judaic-Yoga instructor. Her topic will be: The Torah of Yoga. [ more ]

April 30th, at 9:45am, A Unique Holocaust Education Event Sunday morning."HOW LITHUANIANS FACE THEIR TROUBLING PAST"  In the space of three years, 1941-1944, 95% of the Jews of Lithuania (known affectionately as "Litvaks") were murdered.  [ more ]

Sunday, April 30, 2017, 2:00 pm Adult Education Movie. "Above and Beyond" In 1948, six Arab armies invaded the newborn State of Israel, with overwhelming superiority in numbers and weaponry.
[ more ]

In this issue: Meet our Shomrei-Or, "Guardian of Light" recipeints, Membership Raffle tickets, Annual Membership Meeting and  [ more ]

May 30- June 1, SHAVUOT: Shavuot is the "Birthday" of the Torah!  It commemorates the night, 50 days after Passover, when the Ten Commandments were revealed by our ancestors, and then communicated to the world. We'll usher Shavuot in on Tuesday night, May 30th at 7:30 pm, with a brief service, followed by a special holiday study session.  And as is customary, cheese blintzes will follow!   [ more ]

Wednesday, March 29, 7:00- 8:30 pm, Taste of Passover: A TASTE OF PASSOVER!! Harry Garafalo, owner of our local Shop Rite, has again generously offered to host his famous: "Taste Of Passover" at Congregation Or Shalom. He has engaged a noted local chef to demonstrate, and enable us to taste, new approaches to the Passover meal. We're asking for a $10 contribution for this event, to be donated through Shop Rite to needy families @ Jewish Family Services of New Haven. Please RSVP by March 22! (there are only 75 spaces available) You must pre-register; call the office 203-799-2341 [ more ]

Saturday, September 10th, 10:00 am, in the Sanctuary Justin C. Beck was Marketing Director of Apple Inc., Australia, when a personal tragedy caused him to re-think the meaning of "success" in life. Justin's spiritual quest impelled him to relinquish the corporate fast-track; ultimately, it led him to the Kabbalah. Today, Justin is a noted scholar and lecturer on the supernatural side of Judaism. His book, about to be released, is entitled, "Kabbalah Now". [ more ]

In this issue: Meet our new President, Shabbat on the Beach, Vendor Fair, Summer Movie and  [ more ]

Sunday, August 6, 2017, Vendor /Craft Fair 11:00 am - 4:00 pm.  in our social hall. Food, Games & Raffles our vendors so far include
31 Bags, Pampered Chef, Touchstone Crystal by Swarovski, Lil Creates(Lillian Malkus), Lularoe, Mary Kay, Hall Costume Designs,Kevin Hall Designs, Essential Oils, Exotic Expressions(Jewelry) ,JudiaClay Designs, and more to come!

Men's Club will be serving snacks and lunch.  Open to all, admission is free!  [ more ]

In this issue: Shabbat Across America, Sex and Aging, Membership Raffle, and  [ more ]

In this issue: Adult Education Movie of the Month, World Wide Wrap, Sisterhood Shabbat,  [ more ]

Wednesday, June 21st, 6:30 pm, "Crossing Delancy" (Romantic Comedy) Isabelle Grossman (Amy Irving) is an attractive, intelligent Jewish woman in her early 30s. She has a good job and a nice apartment and she values her independence; she often visits her "Bubbie" (grandmother), who wants Isabelle to meet a nice Jewish man and settle down. Bubbie goes so far as to obtain the services of Hannah Mandelbaum, a matchmaker who finds the "perfect" man for Isabelle: a Lower East Side pickle salesman named Sam Posner! The rest is a romantic comedy called "Crossing Delancy" [ more ]

Saturday, October 14, 2017 - Mark your calendars for our Third Annual Comedy Night! Doors Open 7:00 PM  - Cocktail Reception: 7:15 PM - Comedy Show at 8:30PM. General admission tickets are $36 per person. VIP seating tickets are $54 per person. [ more ]

Sunday, March 13, 2016, 2:00 pm- Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem - an Israeli woman fights for three years to obtain a divorce from her devout husband who refuses to grant his permission to dissolve the marriage. [ more ]

Sunday, May 22, 2016,The bus leaves Cong. Or Shalom at 9:00am and returns @ 4:00pm. Cost is $35 and includes coach bus, museum fee and a 45- minute docent guided tour. Featured exhibits include: "Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History" The first ever museum exhibition to focus on the famous American fashion designer. Eat at the Museum Café, or bring your own lunch! There will be free time to enjoy the museum on your own as well. Space is limited, so please RSVP to Edina Oestreicher at edinao@bridgeport.edu as soon as possible. Sponsored by Sisterhood and our Adult Ed. Committee [ more ]

Sunday, April 10, 2016, 10:30 am- CHOCOLATE SEDER in Social Hall.  Everyone Welcome! Cost: free. Donate a non-perishable item for the foodbank.  Rsvp Robin Ben-Eli, sisterhoodorshalom@gmail.com or 203.799.0014 by April 4th. Sponsored by:Sisterhood, Men's Club, Adult Education and Education [ more ]

Please join us in celebrating the sweetness of the Jewish New Year 5776. During the High Holidays come and feel the joy and connection of our community as we celebrate with a variety of services. [ more ]

Sunday, November 8, 2015 - 9:00 AM - Our annual Kristallnacht commemoration, Congregation Or Shalom in Orange will celebrate the life-saving deeds of Carl Laemmle. The birth of Hollywood is a remarkable story of innovation and ingenuity. It is also an American-Jewish story - one in which Carl Laemmle, an immigrant from Germany, played an enormous role. Laemmle's greatest legacy, however, stems from what he did during the last two years of his life ... [ more ]

In this issue: Annual Campaign, From the Rabbi, Security, Jewish Life Shabbat Dinner ... and lots [ more ]

January 8, 2016 at 5:45 pm - Please join with friends and family for an Israeli-themed Shabbat Dinner! Meet our emissary from Israel, Vicky. Share Israeli food - maybe a little dancing and singing too! Cost: $12 per adult, $8 per child (under 14) $32 per family of 3-4. RSVP to the office no later than January 4th. [ more ]

April 10, 2016, 1:00 pm. The CT Valley FJMC is honoring Paul Pincus with the prestigious Keeper of the Flame Award on Sunday, Beth El Temple 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117. All are invited. For more information contact Paul Seplowitz 203-641-2747, Allen Cohen 203-494-4983 or Jon Kelman 203-606-6960. Invitations were sent out and we hope you will make a tribute to Paul. [ more ]

Monday, March 7, 2016, 6:30 pm- Congregation Or Shalom will be sponsoring Introduction to Alpha Krav Maga- A Basic Self Defense Seminar held by Northeast Regional Training Center for Alpha Krav Maga International. Community Welcome- $10.00 at the door- RSVP to Sisterhoodorshalom@gmail.com [ more ]

Sunday, November 20, 2016 at 9:00 am .  In late 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds was captured by the German army along with over 1,000 American soldiers of the 422nd Infantry Regiment. Only recently, Yad Vashem, the state of Israel's center for Holocaust studies, verified and confirmed that on January 27, 1945, Master Sergeant Edmonds, at the risk of his immediate death, saved the lives of a large number of American soldiers imprisoned at the Stalag IXA prisoner of war camp near Ziegenhain, Germany. [ more ]

Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:00 pm, THE CATCHER WAS A SPY! The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg. SPEAKER: Nicholas Dawidoff. ANNUAL LANDWIRTH MEMORIAL LECTURE at Congregation Or-Shalom. Moe Berg, son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, was a professional baseball player in the 1930's. He played as a back-up catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. [ more ]

Saturday, November 5, 2016 - 7:30 PM - Mark your calendars for,  Leave'em Laughing, our Second Annual Comedy Night! General admission tickets are $30 per person until 10/15 and $36 thereafter. Premier Reserved Seating tickets are $54 per person. There will be a Cocktail Hour from 6:30-7:15 PM serving wine, beer and appetizers. [ more ]

Friday, March 18, 2016, 7:00 pm- Men's Club Shabbat Service. Come One, Come All!  Special Event Our Israel Emissaries Ron Zamir and Vicki Fisher will be participating and will be with us for all to meet at our Special Oneg. [ more ]

Sunday, November 15, 2015 - SISTERHOOD and JEWISH LIFE offered a free program geared towards chilren between the ages of 7- 13. Midrash Manicures! [ more ]

In this issue, annual Landwirth Lecture, Purim Carnival, Chocolate seder and lots [ more ]

In this issue, Annual Meeting, Shomrei-Or Award. Shavout, the new Chesed Project and much more....... [ more ]

In this issue: Annual Kristallnacht Commemoration, From the Rabbi, Latkes & Magic, Jewish Life Shabbat Dinner ... and lots [ more ]

In this issue: Annual Campaign Appeal; Gazebo Service; Annual Memorial Cemetery Services; Open Community Yizkor; Laughter Goes On Fundraiser; Sisterhood Wellness Brunch; Men's Club Open House BBQ; Stuffed Animal Parade ... and lots [ more ]

September 23, 2015, 4:00 PM - Congregation Or Shalom, the only Conservative synagogue in Orange, is offering all non-members an opportunity to come to a free community-wide Yizkor Memorial Service on Yom Kippur Day. This service, which will last under an hour, is open to the public ... [ more ]