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What’s Nu @ Sydenham Shul?

At the Forefront of Jewish Life

Your Family Shul Where Everyone is Welcome

BY Rabbi Yossy Goldman

Dear Friends,

What a world we are living in! Who ever heard of Poway?! Suddenly it is the focus of global attention. Overnight, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein is an international personality on every television network and even got his Op-Ed published in the NY Times! Then, the next day there was a security scare in Bondi, Sydney at the famous Central Synagogue. Thank G-d, Rabbi Levi Wolf informed us that it was a false alarm.

And how is this for irony? Two of the injured in the Chabad of Poway terror attack are Israelis who used to live in Sderot! They left for California because they couldn’t handle the regular rocket and missile attacks from Gaza nearby and relocated to Poway for security, peace and quiet! There is no escape, is there? We just have to ensure our places of residence and our Shuls are safe and secure. Thank G-d for our own CSO here. America is still getting their act together with Security. Hopefully, it will happen very very soon.

And on that note, our own Shul CSO Security leaders tell me that they are again short-staffed. Long-serving volunteers are retiring, and we need new members to please come forward. Please offer your services to Janine Gelbart on 083 630 1973, or Larry Nussbaum on 083 310 1329. Thank you!

Yet, there has been an outpouring of love, faith, determination, even defiance, since the tragedy in Poway. We mourn the loss of a wonderful woman named Lori Kaye who by all accounts really was a very special lady. May G-d bless and protect her family and her soul. May Rabbi Goldstein and the others injured enjoy a Refuah Shleimah, a complete and speedy recovery. Click here for some positive inspiration from this terrible story.

Today is Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. I was invited to lead the communal Kaddish at the ceremony at Westpark cemetery. The guest speaker today, Lord Kevin Shinkwin of England, a non-Jew, gave an excellent address. Our own Mr Adi Wanda was one of the Survivors invited to Light the Memorial Lamps.

That Martyrs Monument is surely one of the most outstanding such sculptures in the world. 6 clenched fists holding 6 Shofars representing the 6 Million holy souls and the words Lo Tirtzach – Thou Shalt Not Murder in the centre. Powerful stuff!

Here at Shul, Pesach ended on a high note. We had most enjoyable Shul services over the last days of Yom Tov. Chazan Yudi & Co. were very pleasant indeed. Moshiach’s Seudah was definitely an appropriate grand finale with nearly 200 people present!

For Yizkor I encouraged people who go out to come back for the Memorial Prayer for the 6 Million and for Israel’s fallen heroes. This year, for the first time, Yudi combined them into one Hazkarah as is done in other parts of the world. I thought it was an improvement. The new Av Harachamim with the kids at the end was very moving as well.

And here is a friendly reminder that we all must make good on our pledges made at Yizkor to donate Tzedakah in memory of our loved ones. Any charity is fine, but why not your own Shul? We certainly qualify. Thank you.

As it is Shabbos Mevorchim, Yudi and I will do the Children’s Musical Blessing on Friday night in Shul. Fathers of children present are invited to come down to the aisle and join us in blessing their children. And, of course, everyone is invited to sing along!

The Brocha this Shabbos will be in the Seeff Hall followed by the Shabbos Mevorchim Iyar Sushi & Black Label Farbrengen.

On Monday 13 May we will begin a new CAJE partnership with The Academy. Leading up to Shavuot, we will do a 4- week in-depth study of the Book of Ruth with Ronit Janet. See poster below. Booking via The Academy on www.theacademy.org.za or Tel 010 140 2099.

You may download the latest Good Shabbos Sydenham by clicking here, so even if you cannot be in Shul this Shabbos you can still enjoy a good read.

Mazel TOV to Hylton and Justine Herring on their daughter Noa’s Bat Mitzvah celebration in Israel and to the grandparents Stan and Ingrid Seeff and Leslie Herring. Lots of nachas.

MAZEL TOV to Jeffrey and Stephanie Eliasov on their grandson’s Bar Mitzvah in the UK. Much nachas.

MAZEL TOV to Moira Fisher on her grandson Ashri’s Bar Mitzvah in Perth. Mazel Tov to our old friends David and Lorraine! Lots of nachas.

MAZEL TOV to Craig and Bev Hummel on the birth of a daughter and to the grandparents Lawrence and Janine Hummel, Jack and Avril Ordman. Much nachas.

We extend our deepest condolences to Manfred Kalmek on the passing of his sister Shirley Louis in Australia. Long Life.

And to Pearl Greenberg and family on the passing of her mother Freda Stein. Long life and only simchas.

Our very best wishes for Refuah Shleimah to Peter Michels, Dave and Rita Sieff, Mike Sher, Les Berman, John Flaum, Gertie Tobias, and Cyril Lucka.

Remember YOM HAZIKARON: Honouring Israel’s fallen heroes, Tuesday 7 May at 6.30 p.m. at Yeshiva College campus.

And YOM HA’ATZMAUT celebrations are on Thursday 9 May at Gold Reef City from 12 – 5 p.m.

RAFFLE TICKETS: Win a Car. SydShul in partnership with Smile Foundation, win a Kia Picanto. Tickets or books of tickets to sell are available from the Shul office with cash only or online with credit card at sydshul.co.za.

Sparkle up your day with Brian’s cleaning materials. All household and industrial cleaners at wholesale prices! Call Brian Desatnick now on 083 741 2752.

And a very experienced and competent woman from our Shul is looking for full-time employment as an Executive Personal Assistant or any other admin position. Call 083 255 8725.

Have you seen the adverts for the new Jewish Community Survey of SA that is happening now? The Kaplan Centre at UCT and Jewish Policy Research (JPR) from London will be conducting the survey. The last such survey was in 2000. I do encourage you all to participate in the survey. There is a substantial and detailed questionnaire to fill out and it will take you around 45 minutes, but we do need to know where we stand today so we can know how to plan for tomorrow. Please do participate. To get involved go to www.jcssa2019.co.za or www.facebook.com/jcssa2019.

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This week’s Parsha is Achrei and includes both Torah readings from Yom Kippur. The beginning deals with the services performed by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) in the Temple on the Day of Atonement and the end deals with the Torah’s Immorality Act, whom we may and may not marry, forbidden relationships, etc. Towards the end we are cautioned against mimicking the immoral practices of the pagan Canaanites and Egyptians lest we suffer the same fate as they did. The Holy Land does not tolerate unholiness. To be worthy of it we must behave as a holy nation.

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Shul Schedule:

Candle-lighting Friday 5:19 pm

Friday Mincha 5:30 pm

Shacharit: 8.30 a.m. / Shtibl: 8.45 a.m.

Mincha: 5.00 p.m. followed by Shalosh Seudos

Shabbos ends: 6.08 p.m.

Rosh Chodesh Iyar: Sunday 5th and Monday 6th

Weekday Mincha from Sunday at 5.25 p.m.

Remember to Count the Omer nightly!

Rochel and I wish you all a Gut Shabbos!

Regards,

Rabbi

Posted 27 Nissan 5779 / 2 May 2019