BEING PART OF HISTORY

I feel so honored to be the first executive director of our amazing new, vibrant synagogue - Congregation Mishkan Or!

Recognizing that we're all getting to know each other, let me share a little of my background. I have dedicated more than 30 years to the non-profit sector and Jewish communal life. At Fairmount Temple, I served in several positions, including Executive Director, coordinator of lifelong Jewish engagement, and a long time Hebrew teacher. I was also the founding executive director for the Heights Schools Foundation, supporting the historic Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Schools, and served as City Council member for the City of Shaker Heights for eight years, including two years as vice-mayor.

Volunteerism is very important to me and I've held leadership positions with the Shaker Heights League of Women Voters, Cleveland Jewish News Foundation, and Shaker Heights Development Corporation. I hold a Master of Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University, as well as a Master of American Policy & Women’s Studies, and a Bachelor of Political Science from Ohio University.

It’s an honor to walk with all of you on this journey—filled with challenges, growth and so many opportunities. The hard work we’re doing to create Congregation Mishkan Or is absolutely worth it because we are building our sacred community together.

When I'm not working, I love hiking, kayaking, teaching yoga, or working in the garden! My husband, Harris Senturia, is an attorney, and we have three college-age children.

I hope you'll be joining us this Friday, July 5, for our first Congregation Mishkan Or Service at 6 pm, which is preceded by a 5:30 pm Oneg. I invite you to join me at a special meet and greet from 5-6 pm before the July 19 Shabbat Service so we can connect!

We know it might be hard to navigate everything at first at CMO. Please know, we're here to help. Don't hesitate to call our main line 216-831-3233, and if we can't pick up, we'll get back to you soon. We're checking email regularly.

Staff have spent the week getting settled into new workspaces. We're so grateful for the outpouring of kind wishes and support, and also for your patience. We know not everything has been perfect this week, and thank you for knowing that we're just getting started! So much is ahead of us, as we co-create this beautiful community, and I feel privileged that you have chosen to make Congregation Mishkan Or your synagogue-home.

L'Shalom,

Julianna Johnston Senturia

Executive Director, Congregation Mishkan Or

You can also reach me at jsenturia@mishkanor.org, on LinkedIn @Julianna Johnston Senturia, Facebook @julianna.senturia,  or Instagram @jjsenturia

SHABBAT SERVICE INFORMATION

Friday, July 5, at 6 pm, First Shabbat in the history of Congregation Mishkan Or. This week's worship will be co-led by Cantor Vladimir Lapin, Cantor Kathy Sebo, Rabbi Josh Caruso, Rabbi Roger Klein, Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum and Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk. At 5:30 pm, there will be a pre-service Oneg Shabbat. We'll gather in the commons outside the MIshkan Or sanctuary, sing, and enter our sanctuary at 6 pm in unity!

SHABBAT MORNING ADULT LEARNING

On Saturday, July 6, at 9 am, choose from two different options for Shabbat morning adult study. We encourage you to get acquainted with many of our different clergy at Shabbat worship, study and mitzvah activities. Both sessions below are offered in person and live-streamed.

• Rabbi Roger Klein will offer a study of texts of the Prophet Amos in the Hartzmark Room in person at 9 am. Want to know a little more about Amos, and his prophecy within the Hebrew Bible? This Iink from MyJewishLearning.com sheds light on themes in the text of Amos such as the people Israel's punishment for mistreatment of the poor, for ethical offenses, for their record of keeping pledges and more.

• Robert Nosanchuk, our Senior Rabbi and Will & Jan Sukenik Chair of Rabbinics, will offer a study in the Chapel in person at 9 am. He will teach on the meaning of sacred places in our lives, with Korach, this week's Shabbat Torah portion in the Book of Numbers as a 'point of departure' for interactive discussion. Rabbi Nosanchuk wonders whether we might see the challenge Korach provides to Moses as fitting to how we express in Reform Judaism a demand for worship that is not only authentic but democratic and egalitarian. What values do you hold about worship and conduct in sacred spaces?

YAHRZEIT REMEMBRANCE AT SHABBAT WORSHIP IN CONGREGATION MISHKAN OR

As we unify the names of beloved ones for whom our previous temples hold in loving memoriam, but within our new Congregation Mishkan Or, a process change occurs this week, July 5, 2024. You can help us! Please reach out to staff of Congregation Mishkan Or if you wish for our clergy to speak aloud the name of loved one(s) for whom that Shabbat service is a yahrzeit anniversary of remembrance This is how to be assured that clergy speak aloud your loved one's name. Thanks in advance for your help!

In addition to lifting up such names in blessed memory, our congregation plans to record with great honor the names of all whom who have established perpetual yahrzeits in our Shabbat handout. You will see the anticipated full list of perpetual yahrzeit names in each week’s E-news, see below. However, clergy will only speak aloud the names of those whose loved ones contact our office at 216-831-3233 or email Cwilson@mishkanor.org. If you email, we encourage you to use the subject line "yahrzeit," to help alert us and let us know by Thursday of each week. Another way to indicate you'd like clergy to speak aloud your loved ones name is to visit with our ushers just before services and fill in the name(s) on a very brief notecard ushers can get to clergy during worship.

PERPETUAL YAHRZEITS, July 5-6, 2024

We thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding

CLICK HERE to learn more about Congregation Mishkan Or, including Shabbat Services, Fridays at 6 pm

Check out our website at Mishkanor.org.

To reach us by phone: 216-831-3233

Join us Friday, July 5, 5:30 pm for a pre-service oneg, and 6 pm for Shabbat Worship at:

Congregation Mishkan Or

Jack & Lilyan Mandel Building

26000 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood, OH 44122

Visit Mishkanor.org for livestream to worship virtually!

Please note, the Wednesday morning learning series is on hiatus and watch future eblast/newsletters for updates.