Dear [first_name],

I would like to take this opportunity to farewell Rabbi Dovid and Rutti Sebban and their family as they make Aliyah next week. Rabbi Sebban has worked as the assistant Rabbi at South Head for 12 years. Please join us tonight at a Kiddush after Shul to farewell the Sebban family and thank them for their contribution to our Kehillah.

I would also like to wish a hearty Mazal Tov to three of our Junior congregants, each of whom are regular Shabbat morning shule attendees, for their school achievements.

Mazal Tov to Byron, Julie, Erin & Daniel Gordon on Erin being appointed School Captain of Bellevue Hill Public School. Erin was also awarded overall sportsman of her year and received the Honours certificate for excellence in all curriculum areas.

Mazal Tov to Kevin, Mandy, Aimee & Dean Shapiro on Aimee receiving her badge for the Leadership Team for 2017 and the Honours certificate for drama at Bellevue Hill Public School

 

 

Mazal Tov to Nick, Carmelle, Lilah, Lior & Amielle Hedges on Lilah receiving the Principals Award at Rose Bay Public School

 

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Live In or Out?

This week's parasha, Vayetze, is the parasha of Exile. At the beginning of the parasha, Jacob leaves Israel. At the end he returns. In the intervening 22 years he works, marries, has his children and becomes extraordinarily wealthy. One could say, that it is in the parasha of Vayetze that he becomes a mensch. It is here that he reaches the peak of his life's accomplishments.

But Vayetze is unique in another way. It is the only parasha in the Torah where there are no paragraph breaks. It is one long paragraph from the beginning until the end. Imagine reading it the way it is written - you would be out of breath long before you reached the half-way mark!it" (covenant) between God and the Jewish people as originally revealed in the Torah and as it has evolved through our history. Read More

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President's Message
South Head Financial Difficulties

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Dear Congregants,

As you may be aware we are facing extreme financial difficulties. This is the result of accumulated losses since 2011.

I will endeavour to give you more information over the next few weeks but for the time being the following should be noted.

1. The synagogue is in debt to the bank to the tune of 1.5 million dollars. We have no facility to borrow more, nor do we wish to.
2. The vast majority of our debt is related neither to the mikveh nor to any other capital works.
3. We are struggling to pay wages until end January. If you owe money to the Shule please pay so that we can meet our commitments.
4. Working together, the Rabbi and Board intend to reduce expenditure by $400,000 in 2017. This will entail some painful sacrifices. This is the only responsible way forward at this time.
5. We tried very hard to come to an accomodation with the choirmaster to reduce costs, as we are doing across every area of Synagogue expenditure. The choirmaster unilaterally withdrew from these discussions and disbanded the choir just a few hours before last Shabbos. We hope to find alternate means to enhance the Friday night service - possibly involving a volunteer choir or other musical accompaniment.

We are working hard to to find a positive way forward and hope to be able to share our plans with you over the next few weeks.

Yours sincerely,
James Hochroth
President

Please click the below image to enlarge

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Friday Night Kiddush Sponsor
Milecki, Niasoff, Hochroth & Harkham Families

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The Friday night Kiddush this week is being held in honour of Rabbi Sebban and his family in appreciation of their contribution and dedication to South Head Shule over the last 12 years. The Kiddush has been kindly sponsored by Rabbi Benzion & Rebbetzin Henya Milecki, Chazzan Yehoshua & Nissa Niasoff, James & Yvonne Hochroth and Menashe & Geraldine Harkham.

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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JLI
How Success Thinks!

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Over 90 people came to our two JLI courses this week on exploring the secrets of social success. Next week is the final course in what has been a fantastic program on How Success Thinks - 7:45pm Monday or 7:45am Tuesday.

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Youth News
Register for Camp Shalom!

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Happy Hebrew Birthday to Benjamin and Sarah Uria, Sophia and Olivia Bollot and Alexander Gellert, wishing you a year of much happiness and success!!!!

There's just over a week left for Camp Shalom, are you ready??? If you haven’t signed up yet just visit us @ southhead.org/campshalom for any queries email us at southheadyouth@gmail.com 

Wishing you and your family Shabbat Shalom!
Elimelech & Shimi

For all information on upcoming activities please contact us on 9371 7300 ext 3 or 0434 811 770

 

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Friendship Circle & South Head Gift Wrap
Wrapped in Friendship

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South Head Synagogue and Sydney Friendship Circle once again partnered with each other to provide Chanukah gifts to children with special needs. 

Read More

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The Task Force
Mr Bentzion Bernstein

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"And then came the audience that changed my life, when the Rebbe told me that, instead of pursuing a career in education, I should take steps to qualify as a lawyer. The Rebbe wanted to create a “taskforce” (as he put it) of religious Jews in the sciences and professions. He explained, “I want to build up a group of Torah observant people who would be able to relate to those in the sciences and in the professions from the inside. I want these Torah observant people to be role models, to show that it’s possible to be a professional and to be committed to Yiddishkeit." Read More

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Parasha Sheet
Parashat Vayetzei

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Q. Parashat Vayeitzei relates how Yakov found his life partner and established the ‘everlasting edifice’ of marriage. Many laws and customs of Jewish matrimony are derived from Yakov’s marriage. So what can we learn from this marriage?

 

Read More

 

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Communal Events
Support the Community!

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