Rosh Hashanah Journal - 5775

JOURNAL THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

FULL HIGH HOLYDAY GUIDE STARTING ON PAGE 10

REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST PP100001387

contents

TISHREI CALENDAR AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

WELCOME Message from Our President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Message from Rabbi Levi Wolff . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Message from Rabbi David Freedman . . . . . . . . 6 Message from our Shlichim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Soulmarket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 YOUR HIGH HOLYDAY GUIDE Rosh Hashanah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Yom Kippur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Sukkot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah . . . . . . . . . 13 Power Postures & The Lulav . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 VOICES FROM OUR COMMUNITY Being Jewish, by Nicholas Levy . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Stand with Israel, by Robert Goot AM . . . . . . . .18 Being Embraced By Shabbat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Shabbat Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 COMMUNITY NEWS AND UPDATES What’s Been Happening @ Central? . . . . . . . . 26 Hineni Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 S.P.A.R.C.S. Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Births . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Bar Mitzvahs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Bat Mitzvahs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Engagements & Weddings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Rosh Hashanah Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Condolences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014 PUBLISHED BY

15 Bon Accord Avenue | Bondi Junction 2022 Sydney NSW Australia | +61 (02) 9355 4000 WWW.CENTRALSYNAGOGUE.COM.AU MANAGING EDITOR: LEIGH GOLOMBICK

MAGAZINE DESIGN BY SPOTLIGHTDESIGN.COM

WEDNESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER EREV ROSH HASHANAH Selichot / Sacharit . . . . . 6:00am Eruv Tavshilin Candle Lighting . . . . . . . 5:34pm Mincha followed by Maariv 5:40pm THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 1ST DAY ROSH HASHANAH Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . . 7:45am Torah . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00am Creche (2-6) . . 9:30am to 1:30pm Childrens Service (6+) 10:30am-1pm Shofar . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00am Mussaf . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:15am Sermon . . . . . . . . . . . 12:30pm Mincha followed by Maariv 5:40pm Light candles . . . . . after 6:30pm FRIDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 2ND DAY ROSH HASHANAH Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . . 7:45am Torah . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00am Creche (2-6) . . 9:30am to 1:30pm Childrens Service (6+) 10:30am-1pm Shofar . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00am Mussaf . . . . . . . . . . . 10:15am Sermon . . . . . . . . . . . 12:30pm Light candles . . . . .before 5:35pm Mincha . . . . . . . . . . . 5:40pm Shabbat Service . . . . . . .6:00pm SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER FAST OF GEDALIAH Fast commences . . . . . . . 4:21am Selichot/Shacharit . . . . . 8:00am Mincha followed by Maariv . 5:15pm Fast ends . . . . . . . . . . .6:20pm FRIDAY, 3 OCTOBER EREV YOM KIPPUR Selichot/Shacharit . . . . . 6:15am Mincha . . . . . . . . . . . .1:00pm Candle Lighting & Fast Commences . . . . . 5:40pm Kol Nidre 5:30pm for 5:45pm sharp SATURDAY, 4 OCTOBER YOM KIPPUR Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .8:45am Torah . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:15am Yizkor & Sermon . . . . . . 11:15am Mussaf . . . . . . . . . . . 12:00pm

Break . . . . . . .

Mincha . . . . . .

Sermon & Ne’ilah Fast Ends . . . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

.2:30pm .3:45pm 4:45pm . 6:37pm

WEDNESDAY, 8 OCTOBER EREV SUCCOT Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .6:30am Eruv Tavshilin Candle Lighting . . . . . . 6:44pm Mincha . . . . . . . . . . . .5:45pm Yom Tov Services . . . . . . 6:00pm Family Succot Dinner in the Shule THURSDAY, 9 OCTOBER 1ST DAY SUCCOT Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .8:45am Hallel/Torah . . . . . . . . .9:30am Mincha/Maariv . . . . . . . .5:45pm Maariv . . . . . . . . . . . .6:00pm Light Candles . . . . . after 7:41pm FRIDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2ND DAY SUCCOT Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .8:45am Hallel/Torah . . . . . . . . .9:30am Light Candles . . . . before 6:46pm Mincha/Maariv . . . . . . . 5:45pm WEDNESDAY, 15 OCTOBER HOSHANA RABA Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . 6:00am Eruv Tavshilin Candle Lighting . . . . . . . 6:50pm Mincha . . . . . . . . . . . 5:45pm Maariv . . . . . . . . . . . .6:00pm THURSDAY, 16 OCTOBER SHEMINI ATZERET Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .8:45am Hallel/Torah . . . . . . . . . 9:30am Yizkor/Sermon . . . . . . . 10:15am Mincha followed by Maariv & Hakafot . . . . . . . . . . 7:00pm Light Candles . . . . . after 7:47pm FRIDAY, 17 OCTOBER SIMCHAT TORAH Shacharit . . . . . . . . . . .8:45am Hallel . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:30am Kiddush & Hakafot . . . . 10:00am Mincha / Maariv . . . . . . .5:45pm Chandle Lighting . . . before 6:51pm

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

DEAR CONGREGANTS,

A

t the outset I would like to thank The Board of Management and the congregation of The Central Synagogue for having the confidence in me to serve as the Shules president for another year.

It is a great honour to lead this unique congregation and I assure you all that I will do all in my power, with the support of the Board of Management to enhance the welfare of our beautiful Shule. I welcome the opportunity to work again with a wonderful and committed Executive, and thank Paul Rubenstein along with Stanley Kalinko for their wisdom and support.

As we approach Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we must of necessity reflect on the critical situation facing Israel from Gaza and the subsequent rise of Anti-Semitism around the world.

These are indeed troubling times for Medinat Yisrael and world Jewry.

The Central Synagogue has always championed love and support of Israel – it is one of the three fundamental pillars of our core beliefs, and hence the synagogue has played its role in bringing together the wider Jewish community in support of Israel.

We held a solidarity gathering in July attended by 1200 people. This was followed in August by a panel discussion on “How to become an advocate for Israel” — again well supported by the community. Also in August, an evening of prayer was held in support of the Israel Defence Force and its brave young men who are putting their lives on the line to defend Israel’s very existence.

Who will forget the wonderful renditions on Shabbat of the Prayer for the IDF by Chazan Shimon Farkas supported by Chazan Yehuda Niasoff and our outstanding choir. The truly magnificent tune with its emotive plea to Hashem to bless the soldiers of the IDF elicited an outpouring of love

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

for the young defenders of our Jewish homeland. l am sure that you will all join me in praying for peace to return to Israel and that Jews all over the world will live in peace, free of threat and harassment.

At this point in time I want to thank our Clergy for their efforts on behalf of the synagogue. Rabbi Levi and Chanie Wolff have recently celebrated their thirteenth anniversary at our shule and their impact on our congregation is immeasurable. They have such passion and dedication to Yiddishkeit and our community, and our wish is that they will continue to bring guidance and leadership to our Shule for many years to come.

I also want to thank Rabbi David Freedman for his service, sincerity and his commitment to our Congregation. Our Chazanim , Shimon Farkas OAM and Yehuda Niasoff, bring such beauty to our services and with our renowned choir offer a service that cannot be replicated. Our Hineni Shlichim, Aaron and Shachar Kalman have made their mark on the community in the short time they have been with us. They provide our youth with the important connection to Israel and are working tirelessly to find ways to bring the love of Israel into the lives of our young congregants. I offer a hearty Yeshar Koach to all those who dedicate themselves to the synagogue and its welfare.

The Administrative staff, so ably led by Leigh Golombick and our CFO Phil Ginges, continue their exceptional service to our Shule. I thank each and every one of them.

On behalf of my wife Dannielle, The Executive and Board of Management I would like to wish each of you and your families a Shanah Tovah and well over the fast. May the Year 5775 usher in a year of peace for Israel and Jewish communities in the diaspora.

BY DANNY TAIBEL President

See you all in Shule.

3

MESSAGE FROM OUR RABBI

THE HEAD VS. THE START OF THE YEAR

A

s a yeshiva student, I was fortunate enough to receive some hands-on experience visiting Jewish communities around the world, during the (American) summertime.

BY RABBI LEVI WOLFF

Often we’d encounter people who’d tell us that they were Jews at heart, and thus politely declined the opportunity to perform a Mitzvah with us.

It left me thinking, can a Jew indeed be a Jew at heart? Surely as the Talmud states, “G-d wants the heart” (Sanhedrin, 106b); one cannot strictly go through the motions without passion or care, rather our Jewish experience must be infused with zeal and vigor. But can the latter alone suffice? Can one give the heart without the hand?

The summer ended, and I forgot about my question, but some three weeks later, when Rosh Hashanah arrived, I had my answer.

As we know, nothing in Judaism is incidental, or left to chance. Thus it is safe to say that even the name of the holiday which ushers in the New Year, was surely meticulously chosen to impart a lesson and a message.

What then, is the meaning of Rosh Hashanah and how did I find in its name solace from the question that had been bothering me?

THE HEAD OF THE YEAR VS. THE START OF THE YEAR

Translated literally, the words Rosh Hashanah, mean ‘Head of the Year’, implying that it is the starting point of the year, much as the ‘head’ of a movement, 4

organisation or family serves as the fulcrum to his or her framework.

If we probe deeper however, a slight difference arises; a difference that will turn out to be all but slight, yet can mean something else altogether.

A head, unlike a beginning is not a mere point of origin, which one moves away from as he or she progresses; rather within its complicated recesses, and hidden in the fibre of millions of cells and neurons, lays the functional command center of the entire body. Thus in a microcosmic way, the groundwork for the ability of the hands to touch and for the feet to walk is all laid in the head. (Perhaps we can turn the ancient Latin axiom on its head and say ‘corpore sano in mens sana’ – a healthy body in a healthy head!)

Similarly, Rosh Hashanah is not a ‘one time thing’; it cannot be confined to the two days of holiday, rather its effect carries on year-round. The ‘brain cells’ of the high holidays, the hours spent immersed in prayer and introspection are mediums of life and activity for the next twelve months, and if it’s true that a healthy head enables a healthy body, then a ‘healthy’ Rosh Hashanah must spur us to continued vitality and inspiration for the entire year ahead.

Indeed Rosh Hashanah is not only about living in the moment; rather it is about having the keen vision to come

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

WE MUST HAVE THE LOVE AND THE PASSION FOR OUR G-D, BUT A HEALTHY HEART IS ONE THAT PUMPS BLOOD TO EVERY LIMB IN THE BODY, AND ENABLES THEM TO ACT.

away enriched with the inspiration to last a full year ahead.

Carrying over the idea from the head of the year, the same is true about the heart; and that’s when I knew that surely we must be “Jews at heart”, we must have the love and the passion for our G-d, but a healthy heart is one that pumps blood to every limb in the body, and enables them to act. A healthy heart is one that allows the hand to give Tzedakah, the feet to go and perform good deeds and the eyes to view those living around us in the correct and in the most positive manner.

THE FIREMAN AND THE TYCOON

It reminds me of a story I heard in the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Centre, of a wealthy yet physically handicapped man who was imprisoned on the 76th floor of the North Tower on the morning of 11 September 2001. Due to his constraint he could not escape what would soon become an enormous pile of debris and twisted metal.

A fireman stormed into his office, and seeing the dire predicament the man was in, picked him up and rushed him down the 76 stories to safety without exchanging a word.

Once outside, the affluent tycoon who owed his life to this nameless public servant, offered to repay

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

him with anything he wanted; “Please tell me, what can I do for you? I am a man of means, do not withhold, I will grant you anything you desire.” He said.

“I need nothing for myself, dear sir”, said the fireman, “but if to repay me is your will, there is one thing I will ask: live a life worth saving…”

This Rosh Hashanah as we ask our Heavenly Father to grant us a year filled with happiness and health, success and satisfaction, let us resolve to live a life that is worthwhile and indeed He will grant us each A Shana Tova U’mituka!

May we be blessed with a year of ultimate Shalom for our people and Israel!

Chanie and the children, join me in wishing you and yours a very sweet and Happy New Year!

5

MESSAGE FROM RABBI DAVID FREEDMAN

TO CHANGE, OR NOT TO CHANGE THAT IS THE QUESTION

“How wonderful is repentance! One day a person can be separated from the Lord, God of Israel, ….. and on the next he can be attached to the Divine Presence….” (Rambam, Hilkhot Teshuvah 7:7)

S

o Maimonides describes the human capacity for change, a characteristic that is unique to our species. Only among humans do we observe measured and self-regulated transformation — for it is only humans who have free choice and a moral compass.

BY RABBI DAVID FREEDMAN

6

There is one additional element that is significant if humans are to change, and that is the passage of time. Time is generally a pre-requisite to meaningful change, it rarely occurs overnight, and when it does, it is seldom permanent.

Perhaps that is why Judaism has nominated a full ten days (the Ten Days of Repentance) when we can analyse what we have achieved with our lives, and what changes are deemed necessary for self-improvement.

This relationship between change and time, is borne out by the similarity between the Hebrew word for difference – shinui, and the Hebrew word for a year, namely, shana. Little wonder, in Jewish tradition, that our key time for making changes is at Rosh Hashanah – as one year changes to the next.

Perhaps with this in mind, it is eas-

ier to appreciate the festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These two festivals are deeply personal and they reflect our individual journey through both time and space. These holiest days of the year are like renewal ceremonies, when one can step outside of time to see what one has become, and equally important – what one may yet achieve.

There are so many wonderful quotes regarding change, but here are just a few that resonate with me.

‘When you are through changing, you are through!’

‘The only way that we can live is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. The only way that we can become exposed

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

“I ALONE CANNOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT I CAN CAST A Mosaic artwork by Michoel Muchnik muchnikarts.com

STONE ACROSS THE WATERS TO CREATE MANY RIPPLES.”

is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it.

Throw yourself.’

Along the same lines, but put rather more briefly: ‘In life, if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything.’

But my favourite quote, which appears linked to the Jewish concept of an annual review on the Yamim Noraim, is quite simply: ‘A year from now, you will wish you had started today.’

And that in essence, is what Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are all about. It may be in matters related to your family, or issues connected to your health and fitness, or the ultimate questions of life, of spirituality and religious faith. But whatever concerns you have, use these days to think deeply about them and prepare to modify, first your thinking and then your actions.

The beauty of our religion, is that this is not done alone. These actions and thought-processes are

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

done in a communal setting, sitting in shule, often surrounded by hundreds of people. Jews do not wander off alone into the desert for forty days and forty nights, even though that seemed to work for Moses and Elijah. But in our tradition, strength, comfort and wisdom may be found inter-acting with others.

It is, as one sage advised: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

So as you attend our beautiful synagogue services this year, cast some stones across the waters; challenge yourself to alter one’s perceptions, vary the direction in which you should be heading, refine one’s faith and increase one’s level of Jewish observance, and perhaps in doing some or all of these things, one will change one’s future for the better.

Then, with the help of others around you and above you, may you find deeper meaning and greater happiness in the year ahead.

Whatever else, make a start, so that you can avoid being like so many others, to whom it is said: ‘A year from now, you will wish you had started today!’

7

SCHLICHIM MESSAGE

YEAR OF SHMITA, A NATIONAL SHABBAT

T

BY SHACHAR AND AARON KALMAN

THE SHABBAT, A DAY WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH OUR FAMILY AND REST FROM OUR DAILY WORK. THE YEAR OF THE SHMITA IS A LARGER SCALE VERSION OF THIS IDEA.

8

he Hebrew month of Tishrei is always a special one. As we get closer to the holy days, we always start reflecting on the year that was and looking forward to the year ahead. Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish year, is a time of self-reflection and prayer, it is a time that allows us to make resolutions and take upon ourselves commitments in the hope of having a good new year.

Rosh Hashanah is a time of starting fresh. The ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the days we ask our friends and family for forgiveness and start a new slate. These are also days where we ask Hashem for new starts, praying that things don’t stay the same but have positive changes and progress.

For us this Rosh Hashanah is very special. After spending what seems like a long time in the community, we finally have the chance of welcoming a new year with you. It’s a year we hope will be filled with enthusiasm and commitment, by us and by everyone else.

This Rosh Hashanah is special for another reason. It’s special because of a Jewish event that happens in Israel once every seven years, as we mark the year of Shmita, the national version of our weekly Shabbat. Each and every one of us knows and loves the seventh day of the week, the Shabbat, a day when we spend time with our family and rest from our daily work.

The year of the Shmita, is larger scale version of this idea.

In the book of Vayikra (Leviticus 25), we’re commanded, “On the seventh year, the land will have a Shabbat-Shabbton.”

During this year the Land of Israel rests along with the people. Agricultural work

is all but stopped; finances are dealt with differently; and, in the past, slaves released. In Sydney, Paris or Toronto the Shmita remains an abstract idea; it has little implication on the lives of Jews living there.

This isn’t the case in Israel. For the next 12 months, the citizens of Israel will be reading the labels on the fruit and vegetable aisles in the supermarket. Items that are usually kosher will have to be double checked to make sure they were grown according to the special laws of farming during the Shmita.

Like other Jewish ideas, also the Shmita can only be fulfilled by our nation living in Israel. Judaism has never been about the individual; it’s always had an important communal and national aspect.

There’s no doubt people in this community have a strong connection to the Jewish people and to Israel. We’re ending our first year on the job, a year filled with classes, movies, Hineni camps, young adults parties, children services and an unforgettable communal photo exhibition. As we look forward to the year ahead, we hope to give all of you more chances to connect to our collective heritage and love of Israel.

Shanah Tova!

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

SOULMARKET

THE MONTHS IN REVIEW

REUBEN (RUBI) RIVLIN SWORN IN AS ISRAEL’S 10TH PRESIDENT Jerusalem born Rivlin is eighth generation Israeli. Previously in the management of the Betar Jerusalem soccer team and deputy mayor of Israel’s capital, Rivlin was elected as President after decades of public service that saw him appointed both as a minister and, more recently, as the Knesset Speaker. He’s known as a student of Menachem Begin, very proudly Jewish and Zionist but with great respect to the individual rights of other religions and minorities within Israel.

DAVID BLATT PUSHES ISRAELI BASKETBALL FORWARD A HARSH ISRAELI SUMMER

The abduction and murder of Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel, three Israeli teenagers on their way home from school, shook the Jewish world. Prayers, gatherings and many acts of solidarity and unity were carried out in the communities around the world, as people felt someone from their family had been hurt. Shortly after, Israel was once again forced into a defensive military operation against Hamas’ terror infrastructure in Gaza. In a campaign that claimed the lives of dozens of Israeli soldiers, the IDF targeted and attacked rockets meant to hit Israel’s cities, as well as tunnels dug in order to kill and kidnap Israeli civilians.

Without a doubt, the summer of 2014 will be remembered in Israel’s history as a harsh one. But, if every cloud does indeed have a silver lining, it seems that the show of unity in the Jewish world was the positive ray of light in these dark times.

SYDNEY SNAPSHOT

ROYAL FAMILY VISITS AUSTRALIA It was hard not to notice the traffic and long lines

by Sydney’s main attraction in April, as Prince William and his wife, Kate, arrived for a visit. But, despite their importance, the star of the trip was without doubt Prince George, the newest addition and future heir to the throne.

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

The team was an underdog all season, with people saying it had no chance against the bigger, richer teams in Europe. But, on 18 May Maccabi Tel Aviv, led by coach David Blatt, proved people wrong and defeated Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid to win its sixth European title.

A couple of months later Blatt had another accomplishment, when he signed as the head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending his fabulous European run for a shot in the NBA. In doing so, the American-born Blatt became the first Israeli to coach in the world’s best league.

TURMOIL IN THE UKRAINE Riots in Ukraine erupted earlier this year, with violent clashes between the pro-Russian separatists and those loyal to Kiev, claiming many lives. Like in other incidents throughout history, these events also placed the local Jewish community between a rock and a hard place.

According to the Jewish Agency, the number of people who started the process of making Aliyah and moving to Israel has more than doubled in comparison to the same time period last year. With Molotov Cocktails thrown at synagogues and rabbis being harassed and threatened, the feeling of danger is very real. Hundreds of Jews have already moved from the Ukraine to Israel since the start of 2014, including some who had to be smuggled to airports far from their homes that would guarantee planes could depart safely. With the general situation getting worse, it looks like the more Jews will follow.

9

GUIDE {high holydays}

ROSH HASHANAH SEPTEMBER 24-26

T

he Jewish New Year is not about popping champagne or dropping a large matzah ball in Manhattan.

Rosh Hashanah means, “head of the year.” Just as the head controls the body, Rosh Hashanah is seen as the potential for life, blessing and sustenance for the entire year.

On Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of our great-grandparents Adam and Eve, we renew our relationship with G-d. The shofar awakens our hearts and minds to make G-d's mission our mission.

Our actions on Rosh Hashanah set the tone for the year to come. We eat apples dipped in honey, wishing for a good and sweet year, and eat new fruits symbolising new beginnings. This is reflected in the words that we say during Rosh Hashanah, “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”

THE SHOFAR

ANSWER THE CALL

One hundred blasts are sound- TASHLICH ed from the shofar each day of Rosh CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Hashanah. The shofar is a ram’s horn, Performed before sunset on the first the oldest and most primitive of wind day of Rosh Hashanah (or second day, if instruments, yet its call touches the in- first occurs on Shabbat). Tashlich (“cast nermost chords of the soul. Its sound away”) is observed. We visit any stretch is simple and plaintive—a cry from the of water containing live fish, and recite heart, like that of a lost child for its par- special prayers. The Kabbalah teaches ent. It is a call to evaluate our actions that water is a sign of blessing, and the and improve our ways. The shofar his- “reception” of our prayers is enhanced torically was used to coronate kings. At by our proximity to the water.

{ S P I R I T UA L I N S I G H T S } CELEBRATING OUR POTENTIAL Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of Adam and Eve. When Adam was created, his soul so irradiated his being, that all the creatures wanted to crown him as their creator.

Adam corrected them, saying, “Come, let us

10

Sinai, the Torah tells us, a shofar was sounded. The Prophets talk about the great shofar that will soon herald the coming of the final redemption.

worship, let us bow down and kneel before G-d our Maker” (The Zohar).

At that moment, he actualised the universe’s potential—to become one with the Divine.

It is only through the creation of Adam (humanity) that the separate elements of the universe can unite with one purpose.

Only we have the power

to elevate physicality into something spiritual.

When a ram’s horn is blown on Rosh Hashanah, the animal kingdom is elevated. When we make a blessing before eating an apple dipped in honey, we elevate the organic kingdom. On this day, we realise the potential and responsibility we have as human beings.

ROSH HASHANAH

CHECKLIST • Candle lighting, both nights • Kiddush and festive meals, both nights and both days • Apple dipped in honey, first night • New fruit is enjoyed, second night • Hear the shofar, both days • Visit a body of water for Tashlich, first day

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

YOM KIPPUR OCTOBER 3-4

O

ver 3,500 years ago, our people sinned with the Golden Calf. Moses pleaded with G-d and on the 10th day of Tishrei, G-d proclaimed, “I have forgiven.” That day has since been named “Yom Kippur” or “Day of Atonement.”

Before Yom Kippur, we observe the Kapparot service by rotating a fowl or money over our heads, which we then give to the poor. On Yom Kippur, we do not eat, drink, wash, use perfume, have marital relations or wear leather shoes.

It is a custom to wear white, symbolic of purity.

Yom Kippur begins with Kol nidrei, expressing our timeless commitment to G-d.

Yom Kippur reveals the essence of the Jewish soul, a spark of G-d united with its source. The final prayer of Yom Kippur, when our judgment for the coming year is sealed, is called ne’ilah, “closing the gate,” which culminates with the final sounding of the shofar.

KOL NIDREI

LOOK AT OUR HEARTS, NOT OUR CLOTHES

The first prayer of Yom Kippur, as the sun is setting, is Kol Nidrei, the cancellation of vows. The significance of this prayer dates back to the persecution of Jews during the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th Century, when Jews were forced to convert to Catholicism under the threat of death. Outwardly, the Jews behaved like their Spanish neighbors, but in private they remained devout.

Once a year they would gather in secret, declaring Kol Nidrei to vow their commitment to Judaism, despite their

{ S P I R I T UA L I N S I G H T S } THE SOUL ESSENCE Yom Kippur has a special power, for “whether one repents or does not repent, Yom Kippur atones.”

To quote Maimonides, “The essence of the day atones.”

The soul has many levels. Though it is

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

seemingly Catholic lives. Kol Nidrei was their proclamation that their external behavior was not who they were.

a spiritual entity, there is a level that is affected by our physical transgressions.

For this level of the soul, repentance is required to reattach it to G-dliness.

However, the essence of the soul is literally one with G-d and cannot be affected by our physicality.

On Yom Kippur, G-d reveals this essence that is hidden throughout the year.

The Hebrew word kapparah has a connotation of “scrubbing”—meaning that on Yom Kippur, we can scrub off our transgressions and connect with our essence.

TESHUVAH (REPENTANCE) RETURN TO SENDER

Teshuvah means “return” — a return to real you. To your inner self that was always connected to its Source. Start with sincere regret for transgressions and the resolve to abandon those ways.

You’ll develop a desire to come closer to G-d. The sages suggest prayer and increased performance of mitzvot, particularly the giving of charity to the poor, which “redeem” the soul from spiritual captivity.

YOM KIPPUR

CHECKLIST • Kapparot & charity, • Fast, from before before Yom Kippur sundown until after nightfall • Two festive meals, before the fast

• Yahrzeit memorial candle is lit before Yom Kippur (if applicable)

• Candle lighting, before sunset

• Yizkor memorial prayers during daytime services

• Break the fast after the Havdalah service, marking end of holiday

11

teaches that on each of the seven days of Sukkot, we are joined in our sukkah by seven spiritual Ushpizin, honored guests: Abraham, representing the divine sefira (attribute) of chesed, kindness; Isaac, representing gevurah, restraint; Jacob, representing tifferet, beauty and balance; Moses representing netzach, eternity and perseverance; Aaron, representing hod, splendor; Joseph, representing yesod, spiritual foundation, and King David, representing malchut, sovereignty. The sukkah encompasses its visitors in unison. In this way, the sukkah reveals the simple and beautiful oneness of a people rooted in the oneness of their Creator. When all of Israel dwells in a single sukkah, our unity transcends our differences.

SUKKOT OCTOBER 8-15

S

ukkot, the season of rejoicing, means “huts,” reminiscent of the temporary shelters in which the Jewish people dwelled in the desert. Also called the Festival of Ingathering, Sukkot is the time that the produce from the field, orchard and vineyard THE FOUR KINDS is collected.

ALL FOUR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL It is one of three Pilgrimage Festivals when Jews would travel to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, demonstrating their unity. We express this unity by blessing the Four Kinds: The lulav (palm branch), etrog (citron), haddasim (myrtle) and aravot (willow).

During the seven days of Sukkot, we eat our meals outdoors in the sukkah.

The sukkah is the only mitzvah that encompasses us, symbolising the “clouds of glory,” which surrounded and protected the Jewish people upon leaving Egypt.

Hoshanah Rabbah, the last day of Sukkot, means “great salvation,” and marks the end of our judgment period,

which began on Rosh Hashanah. We traditionally tap the floor with a bundle of willow branches, and ask G-d to seal our inscription for a good year.

THE SUKKAH

SEVEN DAYS UNDER HIS ROOF

Sukkot is a seven-day festival. A sukkah is an outdoor structure, where we dwell during the Festival of Sukkot in symbolic demonstration of our faith in G-d’s providence. Its roof is composed of branches. “Sukkah is the only mitzvah into which a person enters with his muddy boots,” goes the saying. The sukkah, its walls and roofing, encompass us entirely. The Zohar

Performed each day of Sukkot, except for Shabbat. The unity of the Jewish people is expressed by blessing the Four Kinds: The etrog (citron) has both a pleasant taste and smell, representing one who is both knowledgeable in Torah and proficient in the observance of mitzvot. The lulav is the branch of the date palm, whose fruit is tasty but has no scent, representing one who is accomplished in Torah, though less so in mitzvot. The hadas (myrtle branch) is tasteless but aromatic, representing one who, though lacking in Torah knowledge, is observant in mitzvot. The tasteless and scentless aravah (willow branch) represents the individual who lacks in

{ S P I R I T UA L I N S I G H T S } AN ENDLESS JOY The spiritual light we achieve during the High Holydays through prayer, meditation and fasting is again achieved on Sukkot, but through joy.

What we accomplish through blowing the shofar is now accomplished by placing the schach branches on the roof of our sukkah. (The word schach has the numer-

12

ical value of 100, equaling the amount of sounds blown from the shofar during Rosh Hashanah.) The seven days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur can elevate each day of the coming year; the seven days of Sukkot elevate the coming year with joy and spirituality. The cloud of incense offered in the Holy Temple on Yom Kippur is a manifestation of

the “clouds of glory” that protected the Jews leaving Egypt; a physical sukkah is the spiritual manifestation of these clouds.

Joy is not logical; it is above our comprehension. Our Sages teach, “joy breaks all boundaries.” Through joy, Sukkot gives us the power to reach our spiritual potential, by breaking our intellectual boundaries.

SUKKOT

CHECKLIST • Candle lighting, both nights • Kiddush and festive meals, first two nights and first two days • Eat all meals in the sukkah • Bless the Four Kinds each day, except Shabbat • On Hoshanah Rabbah, eat festive meal and tap the aravot (willow branches)

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

both Torah and mitzvot. When we are bound together, each individual makes up for that which is lacking in the others. The Four Kinds also represent four personas within each individual: Lulav is the intellectual within, who does not allow feeling to cloud the purity of knowledge; hadas is the emotional self, where feelings comprise the highest ideal, even at the expense of intellect; etrog is the force that strives for balance of mind and heart, while aravah is the capacity for setting aside both intellect and feeling in commitment to a Higher ideal.

SHEMINI ATZERET & SIMCHAT TORAH OCTOBER 15-17

S

hemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are the culmination of the holidays of Tishrei. On Shemini Atzeret, which means “the eighth day that concludes the festival,” some customarily eat their meals in the sukkah. In the synagogue, we pray for rains of blessing.

Simchat Torah, which means “rejoicing with the Torah,” is celebrated with exuberant dancing. Completing the annual cycle of reading the Torah, we read the final section of the Torah, after which we immediately start to read it again. The rest of the year, we approach the Torah with serious study. On Simchat Torah, we approach the Torah with joyful dance.

This holiday emphasises that the

Torah is the inheritance of every single Jew. By starting to read the Torah anew, we demonstrate that learning never ends, especially when it comes to the Torah and its infinite wisdom.

DANCES WITH THE TORAH FEEL THE BEAT

All reserve disappears in the exuberant dancing of Simchat Torah. Every Jew, learned and unsophisticated, feels

{ S P I R I T UA L I N S I G H T S } SIMPLY DIVINE Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot are considered our engagement with G-d’s Will.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah constitute our wedding, the time of “Intimacy with the Divine.”

A wedding brings two

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

people together in happiness and fulfillment.

Simchat Torah means “the joy of the Torah,” because we bring joy to the Torah when we bring her into our lives. Our soul comes from the essence of the Divine; the Torah is the manifestation of the Divine Will.

It is only when the soul (clothed in a body) adheres to the Torah, that the Divine Will is actualized and fulfilled.

When we dance with the Torah on Simchat Torah, G-d’s essence and His Torah are reunited, bringing purpose and fulfillment to each other.

a natural desire to take a Torah in his arms and dance. Simchat Torah taps a point in the soul that defies the differences that exist between one Jew and another. The source for this happiness is of course the Torah. Yet throughout the entire Hakafot dances, the Torah is never opened; we dance holding it wrapped in its mantle. Though the Torah is usually associated with disciplined study, on Simchat Torah we approach it differently, singing and dancing in a manner that bears no apparent relationship to understanding. We are lifted beyond the realm of our individual identities and become the “feet of the Torah.” These celebrations reveal that our bond with G-d and the Torah is unconfined by the limits of intellect. Moreover, this celebration anticipates the ultimate celebrations that will accompany the coming of Moshiach and the advent of the Era of the Redemption. May we merit it now.

SHEMINI ATZERET & SIMCHAT TORAH

CHECKLIST • Candle lighting, both nights • Kiddush and festive meals, both nights and both days • Dance Hakafot with the Torah • Yizkor memorial prayers, first day

13

POWER POSTURES & THE LULAV

THE SURPRISING SOCIAL SCIENCE OF THE HIGH HOLIDAYS

BY DR. GARY LEEDS

Are you shy? Are you worried about an upcoming job interview? Does getting called up to the Torah stress you out? The social scientists have discovered the power of nonverbal communication. And for the first time Dr. Gary Leeds introduces our readers to the nonverbal communication of the High Holydays and how physical shapes can make you a better Jew.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A Lulav is a closed frond of a date palm tree. It is one of the Four Kinds used on the Jewish Holiday of Sukkot. The other three kinds are: 2 willow branches, 3 myrtle branches, and a citron. The four kinds are put together and are called “The Lulav.”

14

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

W

hen we think of nonverbal communication we often imagine a politician with a handshake and a smile. But new research is now showing that nonverbal postures can not only determine whether we get the job or win an election, but also how we ourselves feel emotionally and physically.

Amy Cuddy is an associate professor at Harvard Business School. She was awarded the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science in 2011.

“You have people who are like caricatures of alphas, really coming into the classroom, they get right into the middle of the room before class even starts, like they really want to occupy space. When they sit down, they’re sort of spread out. They raise their hands.”

And then Cuddy noticed the opposite type of students that virtually collapsed into their seats. “As soon they come in, you see it. You see it on their faces and their bodies, and they sit in their chair and they make themselves tiny. Cuddy’s research indicates that the physical postures of these students seems to relate to the extent to which the students participate, and how well they do on their grades.

The question that Cuddy and other experimental social psychologists asked was simple: We know powerful people have powerful poses, but can a powerful pose make you feel more powerful?

The answer is surprisingly yes and Cuddy is going around telling everyone to stand in a power pose for two minutes before they handle a stressful situation. It seems to be working. The research shows that by adopting power postures or “power posing” it actually causes people to become more powerful. “After sitting or standing, alone in a room, in a high-power pose for just two minutes, participants in the experiment

resembled powerful people -- emotionally, cognitively, behaviorally, and even physiologically.

So is there a concept of “Spiritual Posing” to make us feel more Jewish? Are there nonverbal High Holiday messages that I’ve been missing? The answer is surprisingly yes as well. It seems the Talmud already knew all about “Power Postures” and that is why the Lulav must stand tall and not be bent.

So here’s a free Jewish life hack tip: When you see a shofar let its shape and sound bring about a feeling of humility, thankfulness, and gratitude. It’s a shape that indicates how big G-d is and how small we are. It’s the bent over shape of prayer and commitment. It’s the shape of the Days of Awe. At the conclusion of Yom Kippur we are sealed for a good year and on the following day we immediately begin dealing with the Lulav. Holding a lulav is a sign of victory (in many cultures), either in war or in court. Its palm is closed and we hold it tall and upright. The Kabbalah likens the Lulav to the spine.

So here’s another free Jewish life hack: On Sukkot feel confident that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur went well. Hold your Lulav as a sign of victory.

Feel confident that we have been victorious in the Heavenly Courts and we have been inscribed for a good and sweet year.

So the social scientists want you to stand tall like a Lulav and don’t let anything stop you from being a better Jew. But like the Jewish kabbalists like to remind us: True might and success come from making sure others do well. When we dedicate ourselves to making sure others do well we see the fusion of the “humility posture” and “power pose” together.

These two polar opposite ideas are also found in the nonverbal communication of the Lulav itself. The closed palm branch Lulav is a sign of victorious might but the open Lulav branch is used to cover the sukkah. In other words, the open palm is loving-kindness, a closed palm is might. Like the Lulav we have the capacity to use our “Jewish Posing” for Jewish victories and for acts of kindness.

Is there a concept of “Spiritual Posing” to make us feel more Jewish?

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

In Jewish tradition it’s not all about winning an election or getting through a tough work related situation. There are times when we need to be humble and bent. On Rosh Hashanah when we crown G-d as our king and devote our lives to being better Jews we use a bent shofar not a Lulav.

Have you ever seen a straight Shofar? Probably not and there’s a good reason why; according to Jewish law, a Shofar must be bent. The Talmud, in tractate Rosh Hashanah 26b, connects the bent shape of the Shofar to the bending of our will. The listener not only hears the cry of the shofar but is also moved by its shape to be more humble.

DR. GARY LEEDS lives in New York and writes for Jewish

Publications worldwide.

15

VOICES

BEING JEWISH

BY NICHOLAS LEVY

I

nitially, when asked to tell my story I must admit — I was somewhat hesitant. I was concerned about what to write and was wondering why someone would be interested in my story. However, I could not disappoint my mentor and close friend Rabbi Levi Wolff (‘Wolfy’), and Co. This great man, a tzadik together with an even more amazing wife and family has been such an inspirational force and positive influence in my life.

The difficult part about writing, is always where to start. To set the background scene, my biological father left my mother when I was extremely young.

I had no option but to move in with my grandparents. My grandparents had retired in Terrigal on the Central Coast. As you can imagine there is not exactly a thriving Jewish community in Terrigal with a variety of kosher restaurants and Synagogues. My grandparents (Uma and Umpa) taught me all of my life lessons, which I treasure to this day.

Growing up I felt that I was always different from my other classmates in the Central Coast. My work ethic (instilled by my grandparents) always seemed to be different compared with my peers. By contrast, on the sporting field I lacked the athletic prowess of my friends.

At home, I was fortunate that my grandparents kept a traditional Jewish home and celebrated the holidays. I was always reminded of how my grandmother’s relatives arrived in Ipswich from Poland in 1840 and my grandfather’s from England in 1880. Fascinating sto16

ries were discussed around the dinner table, such as how my grandmother’s grandfather started the ‘Solomon’s Matzah Factory’ and established the ‘Newtown’ Synagogue.

My grandparents embodied the values that I wished to aspire towards.

Compassionate, empathetic, and generous - just to name a few. They believed, supported and encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

For those who know me this may come as a surprise, but I definitely clocked up more hours in the principal’s office than in the classroom. The school’s close proximity to the beach enabled those many hours I needed on the surfboard to catch up with my mates.

At a young age I was sent to Jewish summer camps during holidays and retrospectively I realise that I always felt comfortable, and a sense of belonging.

My mother ensured (and insisted) that I had a Bar Mitzvah. Just like all the other kids, we travelled for 1-2 hours to the Synagogue 2-3 times a week for classes for 1.5 years to make this happen. After my Barmi it was difficult to continue and

the frequency with which I attended Shule gradually declined. Nevertheless, to this day, some of my fondest memories are my attendance at Shule with my Grandmother and my Great Grandmother, especially at my Barmi.

After school, I bucked the trend of the average Central Coast graduate, and rather than start a trade, moved to Sydney to complete my tertiary education. I developed a passion for mining, and as a result now work with Australia’s leading Gold producer ‘Evolution Mining’, led by one of our own communal figures– Jake Klein.

My journey into a more culturally

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME THIS MAY COME AS A SURPRISE BUT I DEFINITELY CLOCKED UP MORE HOURS IN THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE THAN IN THE CLASSROOM...

Jewish life resulted from a combination of factors. It was like a series of personal interactions, (perhaps by chance) that seemed to ignite a spark deep within.

The pivotal moment in my life was the loss of my grandmother five years ago. This was one of the most difficult times of my life and I felt an overwhelming urge to go to Shule.

During my first visit back to a Shule in about 10 years, I had some time to reflect. The turning point was the apparent realisation that there was no one to continue my family heritage.

Recognising the challenge ahead, I immersed myself on a 12 month Jewish learning Boot Camp encompassing shule attendance, learning regularly, adjusting my eating habits, involving myself in Shabbat and the Chagim.

At first it was an incredibly steep

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

learning curve, however I really enjoyed the concept of taking a step back from the daily grind and allowing a chance to view the world from another perspective.

So, almost five years on, I am committed more than ever! I am a strong advocate to the value and benefits of incorporating Jewish practices into your daily life. Each day is a struggle. However, acknowledging that 3000 years ago people were facing the same challenges, the teachings of the Torah are somewhat re-assuring.

After visiting Israel several times, and connecting with family, it makes me so proud to be a part of such an amazing community. While the inherent hatred that surrounds us saddens me, it only inspires me to excel when I see the impressive role model that Israel is setting on the world stage.

The greatest gift that I have ever

received was being born to Jewish parents. Judaism for me is far more than a religion. It is a multifaceted cultural heritage that transcends life itself. 3-4000 years of intense learning, challenging beliefs and striving for excellence has programmed us for an amazing existence. We are all living proof that as the chosen people we have an obligation to continue to define excellence is in all endeavours (Except the 100m sprint).

Our biggest threat is our lack of pride and confidence in our actions. The Jewish people united are unstoppable!

Every day is a challenge and using Judaism as a guide has, so far, given me the direction that I need. I’m definitely not a model Jew. Nevertheless, I am actively trying to take on Jewish values in my personal and professional life. I feel a sense of pride, and a deeper level of understanding of life as a result.

I hope you enjoyed my journey.

17

VOICES

STAND with

ISRAEL

BY ROBERT GOOT AM

W

hilst we deplore the appalling loss of life and injury sustained by innocent civilians in Gaza and in Israel, we know that Israel has taken unprecedented steps to minimize civilian casualties, whilst it exercises its fundamental right, which we support, to protect its citizens from armed aggression.

But we have to recall who it is firing the rockets and tunneling into Israel – not just “militants” as 60 Minutes chose to describe them last week, but Hamas – an organization that is openly violent, genocidal and anti-Semitic and is proscribed as a terrorist organization including by Australia.

And let us not forget that the Hamas Charter explicitly calls for the elimination of Israel by force and the removal by extermination or expulsion, of its

18

Jewish citizens. That is why the rockets are fired and the tunnels are built.

It is not a blame game, it is the shocking reality. Israel understands it – so should the world. It is those facts – largely ignored by the media, which are fundamental to understanding the position Israel is in; the existential threat to its existence; its response and whether or not it is proportional.

From January to 30 June 2014, Hamas fired more than 200 rockets into

Israel. The only purpose was to kill or maim innocent Israeli citizens. No one complained; the UNHRC said nothing; there were no demonstrations about Hamas’ war crimes – for war crimes they are.

From July 2014, Hamas bombarded Israel’s major population centres with thousands of rockets. That the rockets have not resulted in more deaths, is solely due to Iron Dome’s effectiveness.

But the disruption and the psychological and related effects alone on the young, the old, the survivors of the Shoah and other sections of society, is well documented, massive and completely unacceptable and intolerable.

And then there are the tunnels, constructed with materials provided to Hamas, including by Israel, to build houses, hospitals and schools, but cruelly and cynically diverted for the explicit

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

IDF officers shield a 4-year-old boy, protecting him with their own bodies during a Hamas rocket attack, 15 July, 2014.

Rockets fired from the Gaza strip towards Israel, 16 July, 2014.

Photo credit: Li Aviv Dadon

ISRAEL’S DEFENCE OF ITS purpose – not of safeguarding or advancing the interests of Gazan civilians, but of delivering Hamas terrorists underground into Israel to do their worst.

These are sophisticated tunnels, 4-5 stories below the ground, constructed in a vast network, from hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cement. And whilst Israel is condemned for killing innocent children, not one word is uttered by its critics, lamenting the death of 160 Palestinian children who have died helping to build those tunnels.

We deplore the loss of innocent lives, but we know that Hamas’ cynicism, in locating its armaments in, and operating out of, homes and mosques using human shields, knows no bounds.

Who other than Hamas, would locate its command centre underneath the al-Shifa hospital?

And fuelled by the unavoidable outcome of Hamas’ deliberate policy, Israel’s defence of its citizens has unleashed an outpouring of hatred of Israel hatred and open Jew hatred, the likes of which have not been seen in Europe, since the early 1930s.

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

CITIZENS HAS UNLEASHED

But what would the world have Israel AN OUTPOURING OF HATRED do? Not respond; atOF ISRAEL HATRED AND tack the weapons but not the tunnels or OPEN JEW HATRED, THE vice versa; or simply turn Iron Dome off for LIKES OF WHICH HAVE NOT a day or two.

BEEN SEEN IN EUROPE, We know the answer – Israel like any SINCE THE EARLY 1930S... other responsible nation, must defend its citizens whilst taking care of innocents rockets. It was only then that the blockin harm’s way. No one else would put up ade was imposed. with it and nor should Israel.

And how can there be a call to end And what has been the reaction in the blockade, without at the same time Australia? calling for Hamas’ weapons stockpile Last week, 43 parliamentarians and the vast network of deep tunnels called for “a ceasefire, which includes extending under Israel’s border, to be an end to the Israeli occupation and the destroyed. Were it otherwise, a ceaseblockade of Gaza”. fire would mean that Israel would cease, Israel ceased to occupy Gaza 9 years but Hamas would have an unrivalled caago. In 2005, it unilaterally withdrew all pacity to fire. its citizens and troops, but left its agriThen they say that Israel’s response cultural infrastructure, in the hope that has been disproportionate. As if the conby ceasing that occupation it would find cept of proportionality in war is based some peace. After Hamas took control on the number of each side’s civilian in 2007, all Israel got in exchange were casualties. It is not and never has been.

19

Inside a Hamas terror tunnel inside Israel. Hamas’ plan was to abduct Israelis and rush back to Gaza with hostages. 3 Aug, 2014

SOME OF THE ANTI ISRAEL BRIGADE

IDF soldiers from the Nahal Brigade operating in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge. 30 July, 2014

are neither accepted as such, nor BOTH ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT, forgiven.

And what about ARE NOW SHOWING THEIR TRUE the mainstream ANTI-SEMITIC COLOURS, OR AS media in Australia, who have failed MELANIE PHILLIPS OBSERVED “THE to guard against MASK HAS BEEN TORN AWAY”. biased, distorted, inaccurate and simply erroneous The rule of proportionality in armed coverage and commentary. conflict relates to loss of civilian life, The cartoon in last Saturday’s SMH injury to civilians, damage to civilian was unquestionably antisemitic. Our letobjects which would be excessive in re- ter of complaint to Fairfax was not even lation to the concrete and direct military published. The Carlton accompanying advantage anticipated”. opinion piece, was simply a disgrace and The “concrete and direct military had no place in a once highly respected advantage” of Israel’s military actions newspaper. It is reassuring to see that in Gaza is the removal of the direct Fairfax has at last acted to redress its threat posed to the lives and well-being significant lapses. of 8 million Israeli citizens (Jewish and 60 Minutes “Unholy War” last SunArab) by Hamas rocket attacks and the day night, did a massive disservice to tunnels. accurate and balanced reporting inUnder the Geneva Conventions, Isra- cluding by completely failing to give its el must give civilians warning of attacks viewers an understanding of the issues and try to keep civilian casualties to a and the reasons for so much loss and deminimum, which is precisly what Israel struction. Hamas was hardly mentioned. does via leaflets, text messages, phone Viewers were told that Israel was “trycalls and other means of the time and ing to get rid of as many Palestinians place of impending operations (even if as they can”. And there was no attempt this means prejudicing their military to have anyone counter that libel. And effectiveness) and provides maps show- in another untruth, viewers were told, ing civilians where to go to be safe. complete with graphics, that “Israel Of course Israel like every country was carved out of the Palestinian terrimakes mistakes, but Israel’s mistakes tories of the West Bank and Gaza.” The

20

1947 UN partition vote, the 1948 war of independence and the 6 day war, might never have happened for viewers of 60 Minutes.

Not everyone who criticizes Israel is anti-Semitic, and whilst many people of goodwill are truly shocked and dismayed at the loss and suffering, the most concerning aspect of what we have seen and heard in the last few weeks is that, fed by the distorted media reporting, some of the anti Israel brigade both on the left and the right, are now showing their true anti-Semitic colours, or as Melanie Phillips observed “the mask has been torn away”.

And perhaps even more troubling, in Australia, there has been a dearth of condemnation of this outbreak of anti-Semitism from civil society.

In our lifetime we have been truly and uniquely blessed to witness the miracle of the rebirth of the State of Israel.

Israel is here - and here to stay.

On the eve of Tisha B’av, when we mourn the destruction of the 1st and 2nd temples in Jerusalem, we stand with Israel knowing that there will be never be the destruction of a 3rd temple in Jerusalem – never.

Today, we proudly stand with Israel in its quest for security. We stand with Israel in its search for a true, just and lasting peace with its Palestinian neighbours – 2 states for 2 peoples.

Am Yisrael Chai

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

“

Tuesday 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Season Four 5774-5775

For more information, call: (02) 9355-4000 or e-mail: central@centralsynagogue.com.au

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE 15 Bon Accord Avenue Bondi Junction

Classes are free. Parking is available.

10 30 September

6 2 September DANCING WITH THE STARS

THE OTHER SIDE OF SIN

The Jewish View of Astrology, Soothsaying, and Omens

How to Make the Most of Our Mistakes

Abraham did it, Pharaoh did it, and millions around the world do it. What does Judaism say about telling your future through the stars and other methods? Is it silly or serious?

And if we do indeed want to change our future, is there anything we can do?

We all make mistakes. Some of us put it behind us and bounce back. Others somehow turn their mistakes into positive gains. What is their secret? To find out, this class looks at how Judaism sees sinning as the best decision we can make in life.

Rosh Hashanah Class

11 7 October

7 9 September JUDAISM’S PAYMENT PLAN

BROKEN PROMISES

In Search of Our Promised Rewards

Kol Nidrei’s Message of Hope

The Torah guarantees extraordinary benefits if we observe its commandments.

But where do we see the long life, prosperity, and peace that it promises us? This class explores when, how, and where we will enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Of all things, the Yom Kippur prayers start with the cancellation of vows. Couldn’t we choose something a little more inspiring? Discover the fascinating historical background to this ancient tradition—and the reason why Kol Nidrei is the perfect opening pitch.

Yom Kippur Class

8 16 September

12 14 October

RAIN, RAIN, DON’T GO AWAY

CONQUERING EVEREST

The Perfect Paradigm of Heavenly Blessing

The Talmud says that G-d decides our income. So what’s the point of working? Can we deny the hard toil, ingenuity, and pluck of those who succeed? This class examines the ultimate blessing—rain— to discover who exactly controls our fate in life.

The Three Stages of Spiritual Mountain Climbing The greatest hurdle to growth is ourselves. After all, if we’re only this smart and this strong, how can we dream of being something we’re simply not? Who made up this myth that anything is possible? G-d did—and the story of the Sukkah reveals why.

Sukkot Class

9 23 September HOW TO WRITE YOUR OWN TORAH SCROLL The Fascinating Revival of Judaism’s Forgotten Commandment

Commissioning a Torah scroll to donate to a synagogue is the height of Jewish philanthropy. Why must every Jew do so? What about the millions who don’t? And how can we write our own scroll without breaking the bank?

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

21

VOICES

BEING EMBRACED

BY SHABBAT

BY SHACHAR AND AARON KALMAN

I

t’s Friday afternoon and things start slowing down. As the sun passes over the rooftops, a change of vibe can be felt in the air: shop owners lock the doors; a little boy runs to the green grocer to get an extra lettuce; soldiers are catching last buses to get home; tables are being set; showers taken. The entire country is preparing for Shabbat.

Ever since it was given to us at Mount Sinai, the Shabbat has been a defining part of our identity. Every member of the Jewish people has a memory related to Shabbat – a family dinner, traditional tunes at Synagogue or grandma’s special chicken soup, they are all joined by the wonderful idea of Shabbat.

The Torah tells us that after six days of creation, Hashem took the seventh day and did something amazing – he rested. This is one reason the Shabbat was given to us, and every time we say the evening Kiddush we recite the idea that “G-d blesses the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it He abstained from all His work.”

There is also a second reason for the Shabbat, one we remember when reciting the morning Kiddush: “For six days you may and do all your work. But the seventh day is the Shabbat… you may do no work – you, your son and you daughter, your slave and your maidservant, your animal, and the stranger who is in

22

your gates.” Shabbat was given to us as a day to rest, along with everyone in our lives.

Resting on Shabbat is not necessarily easy. There are always things we want to do with work, people we want to see and homework that needs to be done.

But one thing makes Shabbat that much easier – when you are part of a community where everyone commemorates the Shabbat. And, while there are Jewish communities who celebrate this day of rest in many places around the world, no place has the same feeling of Shabbat as that felt in Israel, when the entire country knows the day is special.

If you have experienced a Shabbat in Israel, you know just how amazing it is. Friday afternoon is not just another workday, and it doesn’t matter how observant you are or are not. It all starts when you pick up the morning newspaper: the weekend inserts and special write-ups are delivered with the Friday paper since there is no paper delivery on Shabbat; many of the feature articles are

Photo by Itay Bar-Lev

Shabbat related; and lots of people put the whole thing aside, saving it ‘for after dinner.’

There are many reasons Shabbat in Israel is different than in any other place, and it starts with the fact that, from a legal and national perspective, Shabbat is the country’s official day off.

Not only is it called Shabbat (and not Saturday), it’s also a “day of rest.” In Israel commercial businesses are not allowed to work on Shabbat, so law or accounting firms are closed. Entertainment venues, such as movie theatres or restaurants do operate, providing those who want it with the option of a family outing.

Another prime example of how Shabbat is felt at a national level can be found by looking at what sounds like a

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

WHILE THERE ARE JEWISH COMMUNITIES WHO CELEBRATE THIS DAY OF REST IN MANY PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, NO PLACE HAS THE SAME FEELING OF SHABBAT AS THAT FELT IN ISRAEL...

Last minute Shabbat shopping at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. boring and mundane list – the public transportation’s timetable. When you examine bus or train schedules, you will immediately see that the last departures on Friday are marked as “one hour before Shabbat” or “two hours before Shabbat” and the first operating lines on Saturday start “half an hour after Motzei Shabbat.”

But the fact that people care about the Shabbat also leads to tensions between the more traditional and the less traditional Israelis. Areas of public interest, such as the question of work on Shabbat or El-Al flying on the day of rest are constantly discussed and debated.

In 1948 David Ben-Gurion made a decision that the public sphere would keep Shabbat in a very traditional way. He, along with representatives of Orthodox

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

political parties, is the reason Shabbat is commemorated in public. But, in the decades since Israel’s establishment, there have been many questions and challenges towards this approach. During national and municipal elections there are always politicians who run on a platform of lessoning the legal constraints of activities on Shabbat.

However, despite the minor differences and changes made over the years, the idea that Shabbat be respected and remembered in public has remained a cornerstone of Israeli society.

This special Shabbat feeling is represented not only in legal or technical matters, but also – and maybe even mainly – in the culture Israelis have developed around Shabbat. Every Israeli child fondly remembers Friday morn-

ing at kindergarten, when the entire group welcomed Shabbat with songs and treats. The boys and girls often have a roster of being the “mother” and “father” of Shabbat, with them lighting candles and making Kiddush. This is as true on the secular Kibbutz as it is in an Orthodox community.

Also when you are older and out of school, welcoming Shabbat is part of the culture. Soldiers serving in the army know that the best meal of the week will be served Friday night, as the base welcomes the Shabbat. Whether in a training ground or by the Lebanese border, the dining room will be set up nicely and the food special. But the soldiers also know they won’t actually taste from the feast until one of them has recited Kiddush for all those present.

“Friday has arrived, and it came exactly on time / how much I have been awaiting, for something calming / and if it’s here than that’s a sign, that another week has passed / the quiet has come.”

These are the opening lines from a recent hit by the popular (and very good!) Hadag Nachash group. Titled “Yom Shishi” (‘Friday’), the song captures much of the public feeling as a country embraces another Shabbat. But the truth is, that when you are in Israel it’s not only about you embracing the Shabbat. Shabbat embraces you and an entire country.

23

VOICES

FAQs Q: WHAT IS IT?

The Shabbat Project is an international grassroots Jewish identity initiative that unites Jews to keep one Shabbat together.

Q: WHEN IS IT?

The Shabbat of 24/25 October, 2014… but… in the 10 weeks leading up everyone is starting to prepare - their knowledge, their homes, their guest lists.

Q: WHO IS INVOLVED?

Almost the whole world!

170 cities, 11 time zones, 30 countries, dozens of languages. Observant to first-timers, young and old – the real question is… “who isn’t involved?”

Q: WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

A

THE SHABBAT PROJECT AND THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

s we all embark on a communal commitment to keep Shabbat together, The Central Synagogue is excited to be hosting an array of fun-packed events to make the weekend even more special!

Join us on Friday night, 24 October for a delicious 3-course sit down communal Shabbat dinner in The John Saunders Hall following the Shabbat service. A very exciting guest speaker will join us to tantalise our minds and souls. Our Youth Leaders will be on site and running a wonderful children’s program whilst the adults can enjoy a glass of wine and good company.

For our Young Adults, a joint Shabbat dinner has been arranged at the new Waverley Oval Hall. An exciting guest panel will be announced as we explore deeper meanings into Shabbat.

Enjoy stimulating company, delicious food and a few L’Chaims!

On Saturday morning we are excited to host our talented Chazanim and choir who will recite the beautiful Shabbat service. We also look forward to welcoming a special guest appearance from a world famous musical talent. Following our service everyone is invited to a fun packed community Shabbat Lunch. A whimsical and fun Shabbat scavenger hunt has been organised for the children, so the kids can play and the parents can enjoy!

All the while Hineni will also be running a host of exciting activities and meals over the weekend, for all to enjoy! Stay tuned for more details.

24

If you want to be counted in, sign up for updates and information on our website shabbatprojectsydney.com.au. Pledge to Keep it Together.

Tell your friends about it, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram with our hashtags #keepingittogether and #shabbosproject When you register, be sure to encourage every member of your family to do the same.

Q. WHO IS IN CHARGE?

We all are! This is a grassroots initiative – shules, schools and communal organisations are all participating; each in their own way. There are hundreds of volunteers already hard at work in various

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

TESTAMONIALS committees from Challah Baking to Education to Home Hospitality.

Q. WHAT IS BEING ORGANISED?

The Shabbat Project organising team are offering four things: 1. Massive Community Challah Bake – Thursday Oct 23 @ 7.30pm 2. Shabbat Afternoon Activities – from 3.30pm – 6.30pm across Sydney 3. Havdallah Celebration – Saturday Oct 24 @ 8.45pm 4. Shabbat Showbags – with items on how to keep Shabbat, games to play with the whole family and ideas on how to enrich your experience. (limited numbers)

programs.

Individuals have already begun planning big dinners and lunches for their friends, changed arrangements so that they are free on the Shabbat Project weekend and generally started to share their enthusiasm.

Q: WHY DO IT?

By experiencing the magic of Shabbat, we give ourselves an opportunity to disconnect from the routine and challenge of daily live, focus on family and relationships and be part of a really extended Jewish family!

Q: DOES IT COST TO PARTICIPATE?

There are only two ticketed events that have a

JACKIE BARON: “What can I say about The Shabbat Project? People stop me on the street to chat about it, it’s become a conversation starter...there’s a certain spirit when we all start to talk about it. The last time I ‘kept Shabbat’ was over 15 years ago when I was Rosh Hineni but I’m excited to do it again – this time with my three gorgeous children and family and our Community.”

BARBARA LINZ: “Do you want to be

amused, enlightened, entertained and educated on Saturday 25th October (The Shabbat Project)? Our little group is working to make this a reality. Come join us at the hub in the Eastern Suburbs nearest your home from 3.30pm-5.30pm where you can listen to an array of fabulous speakers on various topics —and you’re welcome to add your opinion and your knowledge to the conversations.”

RANK MARKS: “I must be the oldest F volunteer. My contribution involves giving some advice about non-halachic legal stuff; insurance, safety, avoiding arrest, etc. Sorry, but can’t arrange bail on Shabbat!”

ROCHELLE SOLSKY (CADRY): “I am

Shules are organising extra things on top of their usual services such as meals, guest speakers, tishes and Farbrengens.

Jewish day school teachers are collaborating to produce the best and most exciting Shabbat programs.

Community organisations are planning meals, functions, extra newsletters and special children’s ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

nominal fee – the Massive Community Challah Bake and Havdallah Celebration.

This is not a fundraising project, it’s all about each of us connecting with the nearly 10,000 other Sydney-siders who will be Keeping It Together on 24/25 October.

CAN WE COUNT YOU IN?

honoured to be involved in this incredible project. It is weird as I am someone who has never kept Shabbat and never really wanted to, yet I am actually super excited to give it a try. The other night when I was cooking Shabbat dinner I found myself thinking about little things that I will need to do for The Shabbat Project weekend like what lights I would leave on before Shabbat comes in so the kids can get changed into their PJs. The excitement I feel has obviously rubbed off on my family. After listening to me on the phone talking about The Shabbat Project, my 9 year old son turned around and said to me “Mum, if we are going to keep Shabbat that weekend we really should also buy kosher meat for the weekend!” I can’t wait for the weekend to arrive and hope you all feel the same.”

STEPHANIE IVANY: “At first I was

sceptical of the idea of the whole community keeping Shabbat. Since being on the Challah Bake Committee and seeing the passion and energy of the team, I have been inspired. It has been amazing to see the whole community band together and I am excited to be part of this great initiative.”

25

PAST AND UPCOMING EVENTS @ CENTRAL

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE?

BY LEIGH GOLOMBICK

A

s we embark on our journey into the new, it is very important we reflect on the old.

The past 6 months have been no exception.

The Jewish community around the world has travelled a road filled with both joy and sorrow.

After Passover, we commiserated Yom Ha’Shoah. A day of mourning and reflection felt by all. This year we welcomed many community members into our Shule for a special Holocaust memorial screening enabling us to remember the atrocities that so many of our brothers and sisters endured.

We then moved from the sad to the happy as we celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut, this year feeling it even more significantly than most as the events in Eretz Yisrael began to unravel. We enjoyed a number of Israel themed events including a fun and active children’s Shabbat party.

We celebrated the giving of the Torah in a memorable and festive Shavuot weekend. We studied all night at a wonderful Tikkun Leil evening and enjoyed delicious milchik Kiddushim and ice-cream party.

Hineni organised what proved to be a VERY successful winter camp. Over one-hundred-and-twenty chanichim joined in for a spiritual, educational and fun Hineni experience. Kol Ha’kavod to the camp roshim and madrachim for their continued energy and passion. For

26

many wonderful photo’s please see the Hineni message.

Our Shlichim, Aaron and Shachar have been very busy, hitting the ground running. They successfully started a monthly SereTov movie evening where we have all been delighted by a selection of fantastic Jewish and Israeli themed movies.

They are well into their third shiurim series, having covered The Art of Davening, Hebrew lessons and Discovering the Magic of Israel.

Having settled in very smoothly to the Australian and The Central Community, a big Kol Ha’Kovod for their continued efforts and hard-work.

Unfortunately, whilst Australia was gliding through its winter months, summer in Israel was taking a turn for the worse. As the events of June the 12th began to unfold, so did the safety and security of Eretz Yisrael. Three Israeli teenagers travelling home to spend Shabbat with their families were kidnapped. For eighteen days the country and the entire Jewish world sat on edge waiting and praying for Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaar and Nafatli Frenkel. It was after nearly three weeks of intense searching and praying that the

bodies of the three boys were found.

As the world Jewry held its breath for the safe return of these boys, did Hamas’ reign of terror begin. And as I sit here writing this, I am very saddened to report, that this terror still rages on. Hundreds of rockets have been fired into Israel, and many innocent lives lost. The Israel Defence Force is working hard to restore peace to Israel’s citizens, and now the world sits and waits.

In an effort to show our continued support for Israel, The Central Synagogue was proud to host a Solidarity Evening, Communal Prayer Evening and a Panel Discussion on the importance of Israel Advocacy.

All three events were well attended as the Jewish community once again rallied together in love and support.

Sadly, this years Tisha B’Av was a sad and solemn day felt by all. After mourning the death and destruction of our two temples, we once again sit and mourn the souls of over 60 Jewish soldiers who have been killed while fighting in Gaza, not to mention the many innocent civilians who have been injured and affected. Now more than ever, do we as a people and nation stand together to show our unity and strength.

As we move into the New Year may we all be blessed with a year of ultimate Shalom for our people and Israel!

Wishing you all Shana Tova U’Matukah!

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

PHOTO GALLERY

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

27

PAST AND UPCOMING EVENTS @ CENTRAL

28

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

PHOTO GALLERY

UPCOMING EVENTS

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

29

HINENI UPDATE WINTER CAMP ONGOING PROGRAMS:

Machane Chushim (Camp Senses) was an explosion of sensual euphoria! Over one-hundred-and-twenty chanichim in Years 3 12 joined us at the beginning of July for a truly wonderful Hineni experience. Highlights included the muck-up-day manoeuvre, a haunted house night, trivia night, skit night, dancing, sport, human-sized chess and peulot (programs).

Shabbat is always the pinnacle of senior camp with fantastic ruach (spirit), delicious chicken and cholent and quality time to unwind. Our inspiring madrichim (leaders) created fun and thought-provoking programs about interesting topics in the realms of Israel, Judaism and Socio-political issues. A huge kol ha’kavod to camp roshim David Politzer and Orli Winton whose energy and passion was channelled into creating a hugely successful camp.

TERM 3 AT HINENI

Hineni doesn’t stop when camp ends! You can see all of your Hineni friends and madrichim throughout the school term! Hineni has a lot planned for Term 3, including:

UPCOMING EVENT:

WEEKLY SUNDAY MEETINGS

YOUTH MINYAN

What better way to spend your Sunday afternoon than by hanging out with all your Hineni friends and madrichim?

Also the best place to make new friends!

A Hineni kabbalat shabbat service, kiddush & all of your favourite madrichim. Join us for incredible shabbat ruach!

EVERY FRIDAY @ 5.45PM

YEARS 2-6 (2.30 - 4.30PM) YEARS 7-11 (4 - 6PM) EVERY SUNDAY @ Hineni (Central Synagogue)

SUMMER JUNIOR CAMP

Over 5 days in the Summer holidays, Summer Junior Camp is a highlight of the Hineni year!

YEARS 3-6: 22-26 DECEMBER Sign up today @ www.hineni.org.au

FED CAMP

Machane Technicolour, federal summer camp is Hineni’s huge senior camp where Jewish youth in years 7-12 come together from all over Australia in January to make new friends, have a lot of fun and make the most of their summer holidays.

YEARS 7-11: 6-14 JANUARY YEAR 12: 9-14 JANUARY Sign up today @ www.hinenifedcamp.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL

ALEX LIPS (0412 618 271) OR DORON CHESTER (0410 581 994) OR VISIT WWW.HINENI.ORG.AU

30

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

31

S.P.A.R.C.S. REPORT

“SPECIAL PROGRAMME OF ARTS RECREATION AND CULTURE FOR SENIORS”

S

PECIAL PROGRAM OF ARTS RECREATION AND CULTURE FOR SENIORS ( S.P.A.R.C.S.) IS STILL GOING STRONG AFTER TWENTY FIVE YEARS, BRINGING FRIENDSHIP AND STIMULATION TO THE OLDER MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

S.P.A.R.C.S. IS BRINGING FRIENDSHIP AND STIMULATION TO THE OLDER MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY...

32

Our weekly speakers and discussions provide us with a wide range of “food for the brain.”

Over the past months we have enjoyed speakers such as Rabbi Sanford Shudnow who served as a Chaplain the US Navy telling us stories of Rosh Hashanah at sea, Christine Yeats told us the history of the of the collapse in 1959 of the large Ferris Wheel at the Coogee Fair.

Our Hineni Shilchim, Aaron and Shachar Kalman, shared their experiences in Israel on Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Gael Hammer told us a “Ripping tale of a vanished Australian artist whose paintings were found in a flea market in Brisbane.” The artist was her Great Uncle, Miles Evergood, whose original name was Meyer Blashki.

Pam Stein recited wonderful Jewish stories each one with a special meaning of kindness and spiritual themes. Pam has an amazing way of telling these

tales. Allan Davis took us on a fascinating visual journey though North Korea.

Natan Kutcher, the Shules past choir master spoke on how music saved his life.

Apart from speakers we enjoyed musical mornings with LaPid Friendship Group.

This is just a short summary of the wonderful mornings spent at S.P.A.R.C.S. If you are free on Monday mornings and would like some company, food for thought, entertainment and a light lunch, feel free to join us in the Lowy Beit Midrash from 10:30am to 12:45pm.

Wishing you all Shana Tova U’Matukah!

ANNE-LOUISE OYSTRAGH OAM Co-ordinator

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

33

BIRTHS @

ADAM AND ROMY DINTE on the birth

GAVIN AND DARA MARCUS

CLARENCE AND BETINA NAIMAN on the birth of a daughter, and grandparents, Manny and Yafa Goldschmidt.

MICHAEL AND LAUREN KRESNER on

of a daughter, and grandparents, Michael and Denise Dinte and Graham and Liora Shulman, and great-grandmothers, Meryl Dinte and Sylvia Shulman.

The Central Synagogue

on the birth of a daughter, and grandparents, Sam and Marilyn Podjarski, and Hershy and Charmaine Marcus, and great-grandparents, Pat Skurnik and Sonia Marcus

the birth of a daughter, grandparents, Laurie and Margaret Kresner and Roy and Jennifer Cohen, and great grandparents, Neil and Shirley Cohen, Rose Kresner and Ellen Meyer.

RONNIE AND CARLY STAUB on

the birth of a son, and grandparents, Joseph and Debra Staub and Mark and Lynne Seskin.

BENJY AND LAUREN EINFELD on the

!‫מזל טוב‬ 34

birth of a son, and grandparents, Roz and Gary Levin, and Graham Einfeld, and great-grandparents, Elza Levin, Erica Border and Betty Kohane.

WARREN AND MIA KALINKO on the

birth of a daughter, and grandparents, Stan and Venetia Kalinko, and Marion and Morris Davids.

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

GREG KAPLAN AND AMELIA KLEIN on the birth of a daughter, and

grandparents, Peter and Judy Klein, and Elliot and Brenda Kaplan, and great-grandparents, Ann Sherell de Florance, and David and Ada Cranko.

DR MARK AND CAREN COHEN

on the birth of a grandson.

DEAHNE AND SAM HEMPHILL on

the birth of a son, and grandparents, Leon and Vivien Falk, and Mike and Anthea Hemphill, and greatgrandmother, Robin Wilson.

ROB AND SUZY SCHNEIDER

on the birth of a grandson.

DANIEL AND JENNA HEMLI on the

birth of a daughter, and grandparents Shimon and Vivien Hemli.

JOSHUA SHIPMAN AND TARYN

ALAN AND IRENE SMITH on

DANIEL AND KEREN GREEN on the

the birth of a granddaughter.

birth of a daughter, and grandparents, Zelwyn and Pearl Orbach, and Beverly and Jeremy Green.

BEN AND CAROLINE BOLOT on

the birth of their daughter, and to the grandparents, John and Josie Eisman & Peter and Shifra Bolot.

JOSHUA AND DANIELLE WAKERMAN

on the birth of a daughter, and grandparents, Simon and Esther Wakerman and Richard and Sue Lewis.

DAVID AND VICKY ABESHOUSE

on the birth of a great grandson.

DANIEL AND MICHELLE EISENBERG

on the birth of a son, and grandparents, Drs Barry and Leonora Abeshouse, and Dr Mark and Rochelle Eisenberg, and great-grandmother, Tabley Abeshouse.

JOSHUA SHIPMAN AND TARYN LEVIN on the birth of a daughter, and

grandparents, Mervyn and Thelma Levin, and Mike and Susie Shipman.

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

MRS HENRIETTA HARDY on the

SAM AND SYLVIA KAPLAN on

birth of a great granddaughter.

SAM AND AGI MOSS on the

YANKEL AND SHOSHANA KONCEPOLSKI on the birth

birth of a great granddaughter.

of a granddaughter.

RABBI CHAIM AND JUDITH INGRAM

JACK AND ESTELLE STERN on the

the birth of a granddaughter.

on the birth of a granddaughter.

birth of a great granddaughter.

HYMIE AND MARILYN HURWITZ

on the birth of a granddaughter.

35

MAZEL TOV TO OUR RECENT BAR MITZVAH BOYS:

BaR Mitzvah’s @ THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

2014

JEREMY BINETTER

AARON LIEBERFREUND

MAX EPSTEIN

SHAUN MAY

OLIVER EVANS

DANIEL NUSSBAUM

JAY HIRSCHOWITZ

HARRY ROOZENDAAL

AARON KLIMT

JONAH SIRTES

SELAH KRASSENSTEIN

Jeremy Binetter

Max Epstein

Aaron Klimt

Aaron Lieberfreund

Daniel Nussbaum

T

Shaun May

Selah Krassenstein

he age of Bar/Bat Mitzvah marks a very defining and significant time in the lives of our children. It is the corner stone where every young Jew/ Jewess enters into adulthood. To capture this moment and to truly learn its Jewish meaning The Central Synagogue offers a very engaging, spiritual and educational Bar and Bat Mitzvah program.

36

Jay Hirschowitz

Jonah Sirtes

Oliver Evans

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE BAR MITZVAH CLUB Bar Mitzvah literally means ‘Son of Mitzvah’ and describes a young man who has reached the age of 13 and is now able to fulfil all the Torah’s commandments. It marks a defining moment in a young man’s life as he stands before his family and friends and enters into the world of Jewish manhood. At The Central Synagogue we regard this milestone as one of utmost importance and offer a Bar Mitzvah academy that teaches all its significance and meaning. Our program runs for eight weeks and is designed to generate a love of our history and our faith.

We explore topics such as the meaning of a Bar Mitzvah, the meaning of G-d, keeping Kosher, the Jewish Soul and much much more.

TO FIND OUT MORE PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE ON (02) 9355-4000.

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

Bat Mitzvah’s @ THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

Ella Singer 2014

MAZEL TOV TO OUR RECENT BAT MITZVAH GIRLS: ELLA SINGER TAMAR FEST

Dania Spyrides

BIANCA LIEBERFREUND YASMIN HALAS DANIA SPYRIDES SOPHIE MALEK

Bianca Lieberfreund

BAT MITZVAH ACADEMY Bat Mitzvah, meaning ‘daughter of the commandments,’ is said to be the time when a women’s soul comes of age. It marks a defining moment when a young woman is entrusted to bring the joys, values and traditions of Judaism to life for herself and for her generations to come. At The Central Synagogue we work with our Bat Mitzvah girls to truly understand the meaning of a Bat Mitzvah and all the associated Jewish traditions. Our program runs for 8 weeks and covers exciting topics such as Mitzvot, Shabbat, Friendships, Jewish Life Cycle, Israel and more. We include many exciting guests and outings such as Challah making, visiting the Mikvah, making Mezuzah’s and plenty more.

Yasmin Halas

TO FIND OUT MORE PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE ON (02) 9355-4000.

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

37

ENGAGEMENTS & WEDDINGS

WEDDINGS

We wish a HUGE Mazel Tov to all our newly married couples:

JESSICA WEISS & DANE SEGAIL KAREN MARTIN & IGAL BELKIN CASSY ATLAS & GREG NATHAN ADINA MOSS & JUDA SCHLASS Cassy Atlas & Greg Nathan

GETTING MARRIED AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE

Jessica & Dane Segail

A JEWISH WEDDING

is much more than a “ceremony” or a symbolic ritual. It is a spiritual process which creates the soul connection between the bride and groom. Beneath the Chuppah, there occurs a fusion of souls; two souls which were separated before birth joyfully reunite. Jewish rituals and customs derive from a rich blend of historical and spiritual underpinnings.

Rites of passage in one’s personal life are inextricably linked to events in the history of the Jewish people. In this way, a traditional Jewish wedding is a tapestry woven

from biblical and historical threads. These threads are carried from one generation to the next in an effort to link our contemporary lives to our past, forming a chain of Jewish continuity which goes back more than 3,800 years.

OUR GOAL at The Central

Synagogue is to help you understand the meaningful and spiritual significance of each part of the wedding celebration and the exciting path to follow.

We will demonstrate how our traditions constitute the body and soul of the wedding and consummate

the start of a strong and united partnership.

RUN BY both Rabbi and

Chanie Wolff, our wedding program is a four part series which covers a variety of topics. These topics include wedding day traditions and their meanings, discovering more about the pillars of a Jewish home, a practical guide on marriage do’s and don’ts and an interactive and informative session with a regarded marriage counsellor. We also look at effective communication skills, marriage responsibilities and the laws of purity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HAVING YOUR WEDDING AT THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE ON (02) 9355-4000

38

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

ENGAGEMENTS

We wish a HUGE Mazel Tov to all our happily engaged couples:

SIMONE PHILLIPS and JAMES NATHAN, and

parents, Robert and Judy Phillips, and Peter and Sarah Nathan, and grandmothers, Clara Zipser, Millie Phillips and Mama Gun Wood MELISSA COHEN and SAUL COHEN, and parents,

Mari Cohen, and Ivan and Shelley Cohen

ANNE SELIKOWITZ and DANIEL GIESSER on their

Aimee Wagenheim & Lior Harel

engagement, and their parents, Michelle and Pieter Giesser and Mark and Jill Selikowitz, and their grandparents, George and Connie Miller, Annie Giesser and Jack Fletcher KARIN SCHWARTZ and JOSHUA STERN, and

parents, David and Robin Stern, and Peter and Mally Schwartz, and grandmother, Hannah Stern NATALIE FREEDMAN and MIKIE WAKERMAN on

their engagement, and their parents, Simon and Esther Wakerman and David and Diane Freedman

Simone Phillips & James Nathan

GABRIELLE KAHN and AMIT SEGEV on their engagement

and to their proud parents, Raphael and Hilary Kahn CARA MUNITZ and DANIEL FRANK on their

engagement, and their parents, Hymie and Liora Munitz and Eric Frank and Deborah Frank and grandparents, Sylvia Smaller-Winnikow and Pearl Chipkin Natalie Hausman & Larry Wagenheim

NATALIE HAUSMAN and LARRY WAGENHEIM on

their engagement, and to their parents, Morris and Lynn Wagenheim and Debbie and Neville Hausman, grandparents Reuben and Corrie Aaron AIMEE WAGENHEIM and LIOR HAREL on their

engagement, and their parents, Morris and Lynn Wagenheim and Karen Stock and Danny Schnall and Judy Carman and Amir Harel, and grandmother Susie Stock

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

Gabrielle Kahn & Amit Segev

39

DELICIOUS

RECIPES ROSH HASHANAH

SYMBOLICALLY SPEAKING:

ROSH HASHANAH FOODS FROM “THE COMPLETE YOM TOV COOKBOOK” BY SARA FINKEL

R

osh Hashanah is a powerful day—the words and symbols used at this time can affect the entire year.

It is customary on Rosh Hashanah to eat symbolic food to remind us that man stands before the true judge and needs to repent. We combine the power of the meanings of these symbolic foods with the power of prayer by reciting the appropriate supplication with each food.

In the same way that we make an effort to eat certain foods, we avoid eating nuts on Rosh Hashanah because the numerical value of the Hebrew term for nut, egoz, is the same as the numerical value of the word chet, sin.

On Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to eat sweet foods made with honey and sugar, and to avoid sharp or sour foods such as horseradish, pickles and lemons. At this time, our hearts should be filled with love for our fellowman as well as with goodness and joy towards our family, as we gather around the festive table with our loved ones.

40

SYMBOLIC FOODS OF ROSH HASHANAH AND THEIR MEANINGS:

DATES: Tamar, the Hebrew word for date, is related to the Hebrew word for “eliminate.” We ask Hashem to eliminate our enemies—especially the enemy within us, the yetzer hara, the evil inclination.

APPLE: We dip a slice of apple in honey and ask Hashem for a sweet new year.

POMEGRANATE: Just as the pomegranate has many seeds, we ask to be granted countless merits on Rosh Hashanah, the time of judgement for the coming year.

HEAD OF THE FISH: We eat from the head of the fish because it symbolises the hope that we be like the head—the part that controls our instincts—and not like the tail, which is passive and reflexive.

RUBIA: carrots and black-eyed peas: carrot is called mehren in Yiddish, and both black-eyed peas are rubia in Arabic.

Both means “many”. These foods are symbolic of the many merits we ask for on this day, as our destiny is being determined.

KARA: Crookneck squash or leek: Squash in Hebrew kara, which means “tear”. We pray that all evil decrees be torn up.

SILKA: Spinach or beet greens: Silka, Aramaic for “beets” or “spinach”, is related to the Hebrew word that means “remove”, and alludes to the hope that our enemies be removed.

KARSI: Leek or Cabbage. The Hebrew word kares means to “cut off”. We ask that our enemies be cut off and destroyed.

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

SOUP OF THE DAY:

“WHITE” SOUP INGREDIENTS

METHOD

2 leeks chopped

• Heat Olive Oil in a saucepan and add leeks and celery till they sweat and soften. Do not burn.

2 sticks celery chopped 1 potato ½ (or just over) head of cauliflower 1 large or 2 small parsnips 4 Jerusalem artichokes (if not in season use celeriac) 1 teaspoon dried Thyme 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon Nutmeg Salt & Pepper to taste

• Then add all the other chopped vegetables, the seasoning, the water, and the stock and bring to the boil.

• Simmer for 1-1 ½ hours, until all the vegetables are soft.

• Puree with a stick blender, or wait till soup has cooled and use a blender • Taste and adjust seasoning to suit and serve with some chopped parsley/chives and serve with sour cream or crème fraiche if desired.

Liquid vegetable stock 2 litres of water 2-3 tablespoons

MAIN DISH:

NORTH AFRICAN HOT FISH STEW INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1 kg firm fresh fish cutlets or fillets (Barramundi or kingfish)

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add garlic and spices and fry over high heat while stirring for 2-3 minutes without burning

½ cup oil

• Add the tomato paste and stir until the paste blends in

5-6 cloves of garlic crushed 2 tablespoons paprika 1 teaspoon (or less) Cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

• Add 1 cup of water and cook covered for 5 minutes • Carefully add the fish fillets to sauce, bring to boil, cover and lower heat • Turn the fish over half way during cooking • Cook for 7-10 minutes or until fish is done but still firm Best served with cous cous or rice

1 cup water All recipes courtesy of Judy Phillips — Judy’s recipes for life For more recipes or info on Judy’s cooking classes email Judy on: Judysrecipes4life@gmail.com

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

41

SIDE DISH:

ISRAELI HERBED COUS COUS INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons olive oil 1 large chopped onion 1 clove garlic chopped 1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, mint) 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock 1 packet Israeli cous cous Salt and Pepper to taste METHOD

• Heat the olive oil in the saucepan and add the onions, sauté till translucent • Add the garlic and herbs and sauté 2 minutes • Add the cous cous and continue frying for 3 more minutes • Add the stock and bring to the boil- cook on a low heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the cous cous is tender Beautifully served with Fish Stew

SOMETHING SWEET:

HONEY ROASTED FIGS INGREDIENTS

METHOD

8 large or 10 small figs

• Preheat oven to 180° C

2-3 branches thyme 2 tablespoons brandy/ Cointreau 2-3 tablespoons good quality honey 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 3 strips lemon zest

• Cut the stems off the figs and slice each in half-length wise • Toss with all other ingredients • Lay all the figs cut side down in a single layer • Roast figs for 20 minutes or until soft or cooked through • Serve with yogurt, custard or ice cream

42

THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE JOURNAL

‫ום‬

‫ה‬

‫ים‬ ‫ל‬

‫י צ‬

‫ם בתוך‬ ‫אתכ‬ ‫חם‬ ‫ינ‬

‫מק‬

‫ש‬

‫יון‬ ‫ו‬ ‫י‬ ‫רו‬

‫ש‬ ‫אר א‬ ‫ביל‬

CONDOLENCES The Central Synagogue community extends sincere condolences to our members who have lost loved ones: Sunea Eisenstein, Michael, David and Richard Eisenstein on the loss of their Mother and Grandmother Srul Perelman on the loss of his Sister Peter Ullman on the loss of his Mother Yerachmiel Isaacowitz on the loss of his Father Joy Strous on the loss of her Mother Frank Lowy AC & Alex Lowy on the loss of their Brother Clara Domany on the loss of her Sister Asher Smith on the loss of his Brother Pearl Orbach on the loss of her Aunt Ervin Katz on the loss of his Sister Dr Les Brenner, Dr Philip Brenner, Alexandra Linz & Maxine Rich, on the loss of their Mother and Grandmother

Nanette Horak, Jackie Miller, Danny, Lara & Jared Horak, on the loss of their Husband and Father Lorraine Shlom, Justine Shlom and David Shlom, on the loss of their Father-in-law and Grandfather Sam Ginges on the loss of his Brother Russell Kavnat & Andrew and Shelly Cohen, on the loss of their Grandmother.

Nanette Shiffer on the loss of her Husband Malka Barukh on the loss of her Mother

May G-d comfort them among all mourners of Zion and Jerusalem Due to timing of publication any families not captured above will be included in the Pesach journal

ROSH HASHANAH 5775 / 2014

43

15 Bon Accord Avenue Bondi Junction, NSW 2022, Australia phone: +61 (02) 9355-4000 fax: +61 (02) 9355-4099 email: central@centralsynagogue.com.au WWW.CENTRALSYNAGOGUE.COM.AU