From The President
Maxwell Freedman
e: president@greatsynagogue.org.au
Dear Friends
This week, Shabbat Chol Hamoed, we will be celebrating the Bat Mitzvah of Scarlet Sher. We wish Mazal Tov to her parents Batya and Dani Sher, siblings Cassidy, Ezra, Jethro, Lillian and Reuben, along with Grandmother Denise Sher and all family and friends.
It was very nice to see so many in shul over Rosh Hashana, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur. Each service was well attended and our thanks to Rabbi Elton, Rabbi Feldman, Rabbi Richter, Ezra Wexler, the choir led by Ezra Hersch, our gabbai group, Steve Schach, Toby Hammerman and Michael Rosenthal, all supported by our wonderful office team.
Our services were made even more comfortable due to the new air conditioning made possible through the generosity of the Estate of the Late Lionel Green. Our thanks to the Green family for facilitating this major change.
We are now in the middle of Sukkot, and we thank the Women’s Auxiliary for preparing all the kiddushim along with David Hartstein, Michale Rosenthal, Adam Pisk and others who prepared the succah. I look forward to seeing as many as possible at our Simchat Torah dinner to congratulate our 3 honourees, Rabbi Benjamin Elton, Zach Cardo, and Soraya Calavassy.
Marking anniversaries this week is Melissa Havas (birthday) and Ruth and Steven Jurke (wedding anniversary). We wish them Mazal Tov.
For members marking Yahrtzeits we wish you Long Life and anyone unwell or recovering Refua Sh’Lema.
Upcoming calendar events
SIMCHAT Torah - Tuesday 14 October
Honouring three outstanding members of our community at our Dinner for the Honourees | 6:30PM. Followed by Ma’ariv, Hakafot, Dancing & Dessert
SHABBAT LUNCH In honour of the Great Synagogue Choir – 25 October
With a performance by Chazzan Rabbi Feldman and TGS choir.
COMMUNITY SHABBAT DINNER – 31 October
With guest speaker Anthony Weinberg who is the Regional Environment Program Manager at Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils and is a graduate of the Jewish Climate Network's 'Lighthouse Retreat'
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach
From the Rabbi
DEVAR TORAH - Yom Kippur 5786
We wish a very warm mazal tov to Scarlet Sher on her bat mitzvah this Shabbat, to her parents Dani and Beth, to her grandmother Denise, Scarlet’s siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins, family and friends. This is another historic simcha as we celebrate the coming to Jewish adulthood of another descendent of our first President, George Myers. This record of continuity is an especial source of joy and we wish Scarlet and her family every blessing.
On Shabbat afternoon Hinda and I look forward to welcoming you to our home for Mincha and supper in our succah. That will be at 6:15pm on Saturday afternoon. All are very welcome.
We kicked off Succot with a beautiful choral service and a dinner in the succah filled to capacity. The Yom Tov services continued to be very enjoyable led by our Chazzan and Choir, and with congregants enjoying taking the Lulav and Etrog and Kiddush in the Shule succah. I want to thank the Women’s Auxiliary for the extra effort it takes to make these Kiddushim and all those who helped set up the succah. On Thursday the Women’s Auxiliary hosted their annual morning tea in the succah, with entertainment and education from Rabbi Feldman.
There are important events for the second part of Succot. On Monday evening at 6:30pm there will be a choral evening service with special prayers in memory of the victims of October 7 and of the Manchester Yom Kippur attack. Tuesday morning, Shemini Atzeret will be an opportunity to say Yizkor.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we will bring the High Holidays to a rousing finale with Simchat Torah. At 6:30pm on Tuesday there is the dinner for this year’s honourees. I am delighted to have been asked to serve as Chatan Torah. Zac Cardo who has been an amazing project manager installing our sanctuary air conditioning is Chatan Bereshit, and Soraya Calavassy, a new Board member who has transformed our PR and marketing work is the Eshet Chayil, which has been endowed in memory of our much-missed Ginette Matalon. Please join us for that dinner, which is complimentary. It will be followed by Maariv, Kiddush, desert and dancing in the Shule.
On Wednesday morning, all men will be called to the Torah, and there will be special celebrations for the kids: a call to the Torah, gift bags, flags, dancing with the Torah and a festive program. Bring along your children and grandchildren to make beautiful Jewish memories.
As we close another amazing High Holiday season I want to thank everyone who made it so inspiring, the Chazzan, Choir, shofar blower, those who led Shacharit and Mincha, and the Gabbaim, Rabbi Richter, the office staff, the kids’ program helpers, the Board and all volunteers, Amy and the building staff and everyone who attended.
We enter this last stage of Yom Tov with the welcome news that a peace deal has been agreed for Gaza, and the hostages will be coming home. Thank God and Am Yisrael Chai.
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