Dear [first_name],

The Rebbetzen and I take this opportunity of wishing you a joyous, happy and uplifting Simchas Torah.

For the past two weeks the Rebbetzen and her merry band of dedicated women have been hard at work preparing for what we expect to be the best Simchat Torah evening Kiddush ever.

But there is a BIG change this year. Instead of the party taking place at our home in Dover Heights, it will take place at our other home… South Head Synagogue.

Accordingly, the Rebbetzen and I invite you to join us “At Home” at South Head Synagogue, 8:30pm Monday evening 24th October, for this most joyous event on the South Head Calendar.

And that’s not all that’s changed!

This year the Hakafot (Simchat Torah dancing) will move from the Synagogue to the Herbert Hall where a mechitza will be erected and both men and women will be participate in the dancing and join in the festivities. No more will the women be left to watch from upstairs! Indeed, with the active involvement of the women we expect that this will be the most beautiful and vibrant Simchat Torah ever!

And don't forget to bring your kids to our not to be missed, fantastic kids program "Simchat Torah Circus & Live Talent Show" commencing at 6.00pm! Details below!

On Tuesday, we will honour our Chatan Torah and Chatan Bereishit, Rodney Naumberger and Danny Biggs as we joyously call them up to the Torah. We will then continue the celebrations with a fully catered lunch hosted by our Chatanim and their wives - Rodney & Sharon Naumberger and Danny & Jaqui Biggs. It is sure to be an occasion to remember! (Read the President’s message on the very special significance of Rodney and Danny’s election to Chatan Torah and Bereishit this year - exactly fifty years since their fathers, Mundig Biggs and Max Naumburger, filled the same roles!)

The great Chassidic Masters explained that it is from the joy of Succot - and especially Simchat Torah - that we draw joy upon ourselves throughout the entire year. So let’s do our very best to celebrate these holy days with as much joy, fervour and warmth as possible.

On behalf of the Rebbetzen and all of us at South Head, we offer you best wishes for a truly joyful, energising and uplifting Shabbos and Yom Tov,

Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM

P.S. If you think Simchas Torah today is wild, you should have seen how it looked in England almost 400 years ago as reported by Samuel Pepys in his diary.

Samuel Pepys, the famous 17th Century English diarist, decided to pay a visit to the Jewish Synagogue in London on October 14th 1663. Not realizing it was Simchas Torah, he thought that what he witnessed that day was the way that Jewish people always conducted their services. He was not too impressed. For us however it is fascinating to see how the passage of almost four centuries has not made any difference to the manner in which we observe our holidays. You can imagine yourself entering the seventeenth century London Synagogue and feeling as comfortable and familiar there as in our shule hundreds of years later.

October 14th 1663
After dinner my wife and I, by Mr. Rawlinson's conduct, to the Jewish Synagogue: where the men and boys in their vayles, and the women behind a lattice out of sight; and some things stand up, which I believe is their Law, in a press to which all coming in do bow; and at the putting on their vayles do say something, to which others that hear him do cry Amen, and the party do kiss his vayle.

Their service all in a singing way, and in Hebrew. And their Laws that they take out of the press are carried by several men, four or five several burthens in all, and they do relieve one another; and whether it is that every one desires to have the carrying of it, I cannot tell, thus they carried it round about the room while such a service is singing.

And in the end they had a prayer for the King, which they pronounced his name in Portugall; but the prayer, like the rest, in Hebrew.

But, Lord! to see the disorder, laughing, sporting, and no attention, but confusion in all their service, more like brutes than people knowing the true God, would make a man forswear ever seeing them more and indeed I never did see so much, or could have imagined there had been any religion in the whole world so absurdly performed as this.

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Presidents's Message
Chassanim - Past &Present

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Simchas Torah is this coming Monday night and Tuesday. Two months ago I wrote about our Chossons, Danny Biggs and Rodney Naumburger, both of whom grew up in our synagogue and whose families are pillars of our community. Danny is an orthopaedic surgeon and Rodney is an accountant and businessman. Fifty years ago in 1966 their fathers, Martin Biggs and Max Naumburger, were our Chossons. As Rabbi Milecki has often said, sometimes we stand on the shoulders of giants who have come before us; I think that is the case here.

Max Naumburger was born in Fürth in Germany in 1922. Fürth is a small city next to Nuremberg in Bavaria; Max’s family had lived there for hundreds of years. Henry Kissinger was in the class below him. He left Germany for England on a schoolboy visa just after Kristallnacht; he was the only member of his family to survive the war. After the war started, he was interned then sent to Australia on the Dunera; on that ship he met and befriended Hans Bachrach, who became his longstanding business partner. After a period of internment at Tatura in Victoria, he worked on farms owned by the Feiglin family in Shepparton. In the 1940s he started a jewelry supplies business in Melbourne and soon after moved to Sydney. He married Ingrid in the early 1950s; Ingrid and her sister came to Australia on the only Kindertransport to Australia. They moved to Dover Heights in 1956 and had three children, Michelle, Karen and Rodney. In the late 1950s Max began his involvement in property development in Coffs Harbour; over the past 30 years he helped transform Coffs Harbour from a fishing and banana-growing town into a major regional centre. He had a strong interest in Jewish education: together with Sam Fisher and Shya Redelman, he helped found Moriah College, where he served on the board and contributed to financially over many years. Max died in January 2013. He is remembered as a good thinker, strong-willed and principled, a highly successful businessman, close to his family and always active in the Jewish community. Read More

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The Shabbat Project
An Extra-Ordinary Shabbat!

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The Shabbat Project is coming to South Head on the 11th and 12th of November!

Full details for special Shabbat events and the Challah Bake are coming.

Bookings will be available online at www.southhead.org/shabbatproject from Wednesday 28th October.

For more info please email shabbatproject@southhead.org

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Kiddush Sponsor
Charif Family

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This weeks Friday night Kiddush has been kindly sponsored by Ian & Bernice Charif in celebration of Alon and Dina's engagement.

If you would like to sponsor a Kiddush in honour of a Simcha, Birthday or a Yahrtzeit please contact Shmuly on 0401 558 223 or shmuly@southhead.org.

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Youth News
Simchat Torah Circus & Talent Show!

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Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach from the entire South Head Youth Crew.

We look forward to seeing you at Shule!

Shmuli, Shimi, Elimelech & Efraim

For all information on upcoming youth events please contact us on 9371 7300 ext 3 or 0432 876 770 or youth@southhead.org

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A Time For War
Rabbi Laibl Wolf

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However, the Rebbe urged me to focus on my mission of Jewish outreach rather than becoming overly involved with the Vietnam War issue. He told me, “Yes, you have responsibility toward all people who have been created in this world, and therefore, you should help anyone who is in pain. At the same time, you have to consider where your priorities lie.” He gave the example of two people drowning, one of whom is your brother while the other is a stranger, and you can save only one. ”Nobody will blame you if you choose to save your brother first,” he said. “Your brother is your priority. Of course, once you have met your obligation to your brother, you should help the stranger but, until then, your focus has to be clear.” And then the Rebbe looked at me and asked: “And have you completed all your obligations to your brothers and sisters?” Read More

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Communal Events
Support the Community!

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