What a bright Chanukah it has been.

Last Friday night we experienced a most warm and uplifting atmosphere as hundreds of adults and children celebrated Chanukah together. Special thanks to Brookie and her crew for the fantastic Chanukah on Fire kids’ programme and to the team  who put the Friday Night L’Chaim together.

Shabbos day, there was an absolutely delicious Kiddush in honour of both Mark Fischer’s Aufroof and Chanukah, sponsored by Joe and Loraine Fischer and catered by our remarkable Ladies’ Guild.

Motzei Shabbat our teenagers really got into the spirit with an exciting night at South Head Youth's 'Chanukah in a Hummer'. They made oil lava lamps, enjoyed a musical Carlebach Havdallah, lit the Menorah, and then enjoyed a couple of hours together in a Hummer!

On Sunday, Rabbi Dovid Sebban and youth leader Yisroel Kievman did us proud with his efforts at the Opera House where for the first time a giant Menorah was lit before a crowd of hundreds. We extend a yasher koach to Rabbi Sebban and Yisroel for organising the event and to our Shamas Reuven who actually made the giant Menorah. Very impressive display of talent!

Monday evening saw the current JLI Course conclude with a L’Chaim and celebration of Chanukah. As the pictures reflect everyone thoroughly enjoyed the delicious latkes and donuts! Click here to visit our gallery. Special thanks to my PA Helen for the very active role she plays in JLI.

On Tuesday our Youth did us proud again, this time on the sporting field. The inaugural inter-shule soccer competition at Chanukah on the Bay saw our Team take out the honours and trophy. Well done Yisroel Kievman in putting together such a winning team in such a short time!

And Tuesday evening, we had a delicious BBQ dinner at our home where we welcomed quite a number of members who have recently joined our shule. (BTW, if you haven’t yet had the opportunity of meeting us up close and personal, please let Helen know. We’d love to have you over).

Chanukah may have ended, but our activities certainly haven’t. Tonight we will have Birthday Club, followed by our BatMitzvah Graduation Banquet - organised by Brookie and catered by the Rebbetzin (Believe me, I have no idea how she does it!)

It’s really wonderful to be part of such a bright and energetic Kehillah. May we continue to go from strength to strength.

As you know, we light the Chanukah candles in an ever increasing number - beginning with One and concluding with Eight. In Jewish thought, Seven signifies the natural order of the finite world - 7 days of the week - whereas Eight represents the Infinite. Accordingly, Chanukah represents our infinite and never-ending quest to light up the world with goodness and holiness.

In that spirit, let’s pray that the light and energy of Chanukah carry us ever forward!

With best wishes for a Good and Peaceful Shabbat, on behalf of the Rebbetzen and all of us at South Head,

Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM 

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Knowing Chicago's Ropes
Mr Frank Moscowitz

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When Mr Moscowitz was offered the principal’s job in a large school filled with anti white anger just after the Chicago riots he travelled to New York to ask the advice of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe was so unpredictable in terms of his responses. In many, many respects, he was so far ahead of everyone that sometimes his answers were not quite understandable. However very soon the answer became crystal clear. Click here to read his story.

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Shabbos After Kiddush Shiur
For Men & Women in the Herbert Hall

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Embody and to celebrate the "brit" (covenant) between God and the Jewish Moses and Marx
Is Socialism a Jewish Ideal?

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JLI 
Life in the Balance Concludes

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The Final Lesson ended with the Lighting of the Menorah and a festive Siyum in honour of the conclusion of the Course and in celebration of Chanukah.

"This Course has given an indication of how you can use the Talmud and our earlier sources to find relevance in our lives. Torah is considered to be the blueprint for the world - it is said that G-d looked in to the Torah and created the world. If you really believe that the world is based on Torah you can look into Torah and get some clear  indications about how to deal with circumstances as they arise." -- Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM

Our next JLI Course begins mid February and tackles the question of Jewish identity through the lens of modern history.

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Brookie Reports

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We're very excited to be welcoming lots and lots of children to Birthday Club this Friday night. The beautiful tradition continues as children over 3 and under Bar or Bat Mitzvah enjoy special age related activities in celebration of their Jewish birthdays over the past few months and of course receive a very special gift from the Rabbi in Shul.

This Friday night also is the Graduation Banquet of our last BatMitzvah Discovery Course. We're really looking forward to hosting the families and extend a heartfelt Mazal Tov to all the graduates and their families: Micaela and Sarah Blau, Rubi Carr, Shira Charif, Emma Goldman, Ella Grossberg, Chloe Lees, Ashleigh Ludwig and Rivka Morris.

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South Head takes out Trophy
Winners of 1st Inter-Shul Soccer Comp

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We were all very proud of our dynamic team that won the first ever Chanukah inter-shule soccer competition last Tuesday at Styne Park.  A big yasher koach to Yisroel Kievman who put together a team whilst juggling loads of other Chanukah activities and brought home the Cup as well! Stay tuned as we look at making this a more regular than once a year event.

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Chanukah at South Head
Youth had a Ball!

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Last Friday night was a real blast for all the kids who filled the Braham Hall for our amazing Chanukah performance. Click here to see all the great pics

Motzei Shabbos was all about the teenagers as we made lava lamps, and ice-cream donuts; enjoyed a Carlebach Havdalah with Chazan Niasoff, then went off on a magical ride through Sydney in a Hummer! Click here

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Camp Shalom
Almost Booked Out

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Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are booked out but we are taking names in reserve.

Write to us at youth@southhead.org if you want to be placed on the waiting list.

If you want to book for Monday or Friday please go direct to our online facility at here.

Brookie and the Youth Crew look forward to seeing you all in Shul and wish you Shabbat Shalom. 

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Children's Services in Recess
December 20 - January 31

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We look forward to seeing everyone back on Shabbat Terumah and meantime wish you all a great summer break!

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Parasha Sheet
Vayigash

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Q. When Yakov and his family descended to Egypt, Yakov sent Yehudah ahead of the rest of the family. Why did he do this?

A. Yakov sent Yehudah ahead of him and the family to establish a Yeshiva in Egypt. Yakov knew that upon entering the land of Egypt and exposing the younger generations to a hostile culture and a new environment, the very first essential, necessary to Jewish survival, was to establish an educational facility, an institution of learning for his children and grandchildren. 

Yakov's emphasis on Torah education carries an important message for our own day and age. Educating our children is vital and its importance cannot be overemphasized. In fact, educating our children is a Torah Commandment which is repeated twice in the Shema prayer which we recite daily, morning and evening. The education of children should not fall squarely upon the schools, or only upon the parents of the children. Rather, the education of children must be a joint effort of both, the school and the Jewish home. In today's day and age where we are unfortunately exposed to negative influences, it is even more important to stress the importance of Judaism to our children and ensure that they are educated in a Torah way. 

Maimonidies explains, 'Every Jew desires to be a Jew; and to do all the Mitzvot, and to keep far away from sin. However, sometimes the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) prevails over his better judgement and prevents him from doing what he has to do in accordance with the Torah'. This teaches us that, essentially, every single Jew has a desire to perform all the Mitzvot of Hashem. However, sometimes the Yetzer Hara may convince a Jew to do something which he should not necessarily be doing. By educating our children in the Torah way and by educating our children to do Mitzvot, we are not creating a new desire within them to perform Mitzvot, but rather we are releasing them from the compulsion which had paralyzed their desire and hence enabling the child to express their true self. 

To learn all about the Parasha, download our Parasha sheet! 

Please share our Parasha sheet around your Shabbat table and let your family and friends explore the Parasha of the week together with you. 

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Communal News

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Gift of Life Australia

Right now there are 5 Jewish Leukaemia patients including 2 young children who will die unless matching stem cells from an unrelated Jewish or partly so potential donor would be found for them as sadly, no one in their own family has been found to be a match.

Appointments are still available for Sunday 8 December.
 
Anyone can at anytime register as a potential Stem cell donor while donating blood at any Red Cross Donor Centre / Mobile Unit . As special forms and test tubes are needed, an appointment is necessary. Call 13 14 95 

               www.giftoflifeaustralia.org.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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