great park magazine by Great Park Synagogue

Rabbi Rabbi Dovid Hazdan Cell: 082 334 4352 E-mail: rabbi@greatpark.co.za

Great-Park Synagogue

Rabbi Dovid Hazdan Minyan Leib Dovid Rabbi Shmuel Simpson Rabbi Yossie Medalie Chazan (Yamim Nora’im) Oshy Tugendhaft Shabbat Ba’al Koreh Rabbi Shmuel Simpson Chairman Clive Blechman Treasurer Paul Werner Choir Master Dean Murinik Choir Master (Yamim Nora’im) Kevin Derman Youth Director Choni Gavin Bnot Mitzvah Rebecca Sarchi Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre Chairman Ernest C Leibowitz Executive Director Leon Lotzoff Directors Hazel Cohen René Sidley (Tel: 011 728 8088) Office Staff Shul Secretary: Sandy Budin Bookkeeper: Sandy Zacharowitz Part time Receptionist: Julie Krossynski In Touch Magazine Leah Hazdan Design & Reproduction & Printing Powerset Printers Cover Design (see page 49) Ivor Ginsberg Proofreading Bradley Serebro Irwin Rabinowitz GREAT-PARK SYNAGOGUE POSTNET SUITE 95 PRIVATE BAG X92418 NORWOOD 2117 TEL: 011 728 8152 FAX: 011 728 8154 EMAIL: sandyb@greatpark.co.za

WEBSITE: www.greatpark.co.za

The celebration of our 10th anniversary of our awe-inspiring new synagogue is an important milestone in the life of our community. It is a season to reflect and to assess; to dream and to plan; to count our achievements and to evaluate our true potential. It is a great joy to be a part of the dynamic growth that is taking place in our spiritual home. I remember nostalgically the long walk with my young children from Observatory to the old Great and the challenges of our community confronting the inevitable end of an illustrious history. I remember the glimmer of hope that was kindled in Currie Street and the multifaceted negative energies that tried to stifle our flame. I remember the deeply spiritual aura of our first service on Rosh Hashanah night in 2000 and how we were filled with pride and trepidation. Pride – because we had realised a dream; trepidation - because we were well aware of the manifold challenges that lay ahead. Today our Great-Park Synagogue is a vibrant hub of Jewish communal energy. Throughout the week our doors welcome multitudes of people who come to pray, to study, to be inspired and to share in diverse social and cultural activities. The additional seats that are added every Rosh Hashanah bear testimony to the consistent growth of our congregation. During this last year, we welcomed Rabbi Shmuel and Goldie Simpson, who have added many creative programmes, events and social and study opportunities that have enriched the lives of young and old. This year we renovated the downstairs area and transformed it into a beautiful function venue and we upgraded our security significantly to meet CSO requirements. It is a year in which we hosted community wide events as well as initiatives that addressed the needs of the less fortunate beyond our Jewish community. It is the year in which we launched our Mikvah building campaign, in which we have brought the internationally acclaimed “JLI” (Jewish Learning Institute) to Great-Park and in which our beautiful Great-Park website went live (www.greatpark.co.za). This Intouch@Great-Park Magazine highlights many of this year’s events and achievements. It also features articles contributed by members of our congregation. I express my immense gratitude to our beloved chairman, Clive Blechman, to our outstanding honorary treasurer, Paul Werner, to our dedicated committee, to our loyal office staff, to the Community Centre and to our entire community of which I am so proud and in which I feel so privileged to have served for the past 21 years. We enter our 11th Rosh Hashanah at Great-Park with renewed commitment and higher aspirations for the year 5771. We ask Hashem to grant us a year of health, nachas, sweetness, joy and peace. A year of redemption in which we witness our world restored to the Garden of Eden with the coming of Moshiach. Wishing you and your family a Ketiva Vechatima Tova.

Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein Great Park Synagogue

On behalf of the South Africa Jewish community, it is an honour to extend warmest Rosh Hashana greetings to the Great-Park Shul Congregation. The world is always new. G-d created it on Rosh Hashana and, as we say in our daily prayers, “in His goodness He continually renews the work of creation”. Life is dynamic and everything is in constant flux. The status quo is always changing. We know, therefore, not to be arrogant in good times, nor despondent in adversity because anything can change in an instant. As our Sages say: “The salvation of G-d comes at the blink of an eye”. We also know that we can always change ourselves. Free choice is a gift from G-d, and is one of Judaism’s foundational pillars. That’s why Rosh Hashana is such a hopeful and exciting time of year. It is a time of new beginnings, when G-d decrees changes for the world, and when we are called upon to change ourselves for the better. We go before G-d with faith in the power of prayer and the opportunity of “teshuva” – repentance and return to Him.

uninspired. On Rosh Hashana we have the opportunity of renewing our lives with fresh perspectives and new actions as we strive to return to G-d through “teshuva”, which is often translated as “repentance”, but which more accurately means “return”. The profound concept of teshuva includes returning to life filled with energy and enthusiasm. As we look ahead to the new year, we as a community face many challenges and opportunities, in our local South African context, or as members of the global Jewish people and, of course, in Israel. We must be dynamic, pro-active and passionate in our quest for renewal, improvement and excellence. May Hashem bless us in this sacred task. May He also inscribe us all here in South Africa, together with our fellow countrymen, and Jews across the world, and especially our brothers and sisters in our precious State of Israel with a year of life, goodness and abundant blessing.

The Mishna (Pirkei Avot 4:25) says that a child learns Torah like ink written on new parchment, and an old person learns like ink written on parchment that has had many erasings. When a scribe corrects the writing on parchment he uses a sharp instrument to scrape away the old letters and so, over time, after many corrections to the parchment, it begins to look scuffed and jaded. The Mishna uses this image to convey to us an important paradigm in life: Those who are young in their approach to life, whatever their physical age, are like fresh parchment, while those who are old in their attitude are like old parchment, scuffed and jaded by life. Being young means being excited, open to change, open to growth, and improvement in our life and closeness to G-d and His Torah. On Rosh HaShana we read of the momentous event of the binding of Isaac – Akeidat Yitzchak. At the crucial moment, G-d tells Abraham, in eternal proclamation of the sanctity of human life: “Do not send your hand against the young boy” (Bereishit 22:12) – of course referring to Isaac. And yet, according to our Sages, Isaac was 37 years old at the time. How could G-d refer to him as a young boy? Rav Yisrael Salanter, one of the great Rabbinic leaders of 19th century Europe, says that this was the highest accolade G-d could possibly have given to Isaac at that moment of his personal greatness. In spite of everything that Isaac had achieved, he remained a “young boy”- open to change, growth and renewal. The message is clear. To retain youthful openness and excitement throughout one’s life is a very high ideal that we should all strive towards.

Torah is compared to water. Without it we cannot survive. Without it we cannot stay fresh and excited. There are many young people – even children and teenagers – who approach life like old parchment: cynical, disinterested, and

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Wishing all congregants a Shana Tova and well over the Fast. Les, Renee Freedman and Family 3

Clive Blechman Chairman

Great-Park Synagogue

Once again it is Rosh Hashanah, the “Head of the Year” when hopes are new again and possibilities are limitless. As Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur draw near it behoves me to review and reflect on the progress that has been made by a very significant collective community effort. It is heart-warming to realise that the Great-Park Synagogue (although established nearly 100 years ago as “The Great Synagogue”) has only been in its present location for ten years. If we reflect over the last decade we have so much to be proud of! We at the Great-Park are one family – part of the greater Jewish family looking to the Shul as a sanctuary of G-d where spiritual sharing is the norm, where we look forward to the experience and rewards of Shabbat and Yom Tov, where every morning starts with the shacharit service and every evening ends with the ma’ariv service, and participants enjoy a pleasing experience.

influence, and their support and confidence in me. I would also like to thank all the staff for their daily efforts. Most important I would like thank each and every member for being an integral part of the success of our Great-Park Shul this last decade.

The Shul has become an epicentre of knowledge and a revered place where all Jewish festivals are celebrated. We gather at the Great-Park not only to pray, but also to actively perform mitzvoth. This is emphasised by the Lag Ba Omer forest function attended by over 3 000 people who not only enjoyed themselves, but also donated blankets to the underprivileged helping them to have some warmth during the cold winter months. We also must not forget the 67 Minute Mandela Day Drive where our greater community gave so generously and so readily.

I hope that the year 5771 is a sweet and special year for you and your family and that you will be able to share it with your community at the Great-Park. Wishing you all a Shana Tovah

Great-Park Synagogue Security Due to the nature of our institution and the circumstances in which we find ourselves, the security of the Great-Park Synagogue has to be taken seriously at all times. In order to improve our overall security, certain measures have been taken over the past year: we are very involved in the CSO Jozi project which includes ongoing support and advice from the CSO, as well as the deployment of a Kabbat (head of security) officer for regular supervision and assessment. We also have developed a very good working relationship with our external security company, whose guards and vehicles patrol our premises and perimeter. In addition, we have completed the extension to the solid brick wall around our shul. A very important ongoing feature of our security is the group of volunteers who stand guard at our gates and access points. Under the excellent direction and guidance of Nicky Hupert, all these committed people deserve a huge thank you for the important work that they do on an ongoing basis.

Many congregants have commented on the positive atmosphere within the Shul. There is fun on Purim which everyone so enjoys. There is solemnity at the time of Tisha B’Av and the yizkor services. Weddings, Barmitzvahs, Batmitzvahs, births – in fact all simchas are celebrated with eager anticipation. The Community Centre has an active education programme which has created tremendous interest in the wider Jewish community. We believe that together we have established a solid foundation from which to serve the religious needs of our Great-Park family far into the future. Time really does pass so quickly. Often we are left with only the memory of events, some sweet and some sad, to distinguish from one year to the next, and one decade to the next. Sometimes it is only our hopes and dreams that will carry forward. At the Great-Park what strikes me as unique is that we are ever mindful of who we are, where we come from and what we stand for spiritually and historically.

We urge all members to play their part in ensuring the safety and security of the Great-Park Synagogue at all times. Be aware, be involved and let’s all make sure the Great-Park Synagogue is always a safe and peaceful place to be.

This Rosh Hashanah we will once again be inspired by our beloved Rabbi Hazdan and the service will be dignified with the beautiful chazzanut of Oshy Tugendhaft and the sound of our wonderful choir led by Kevin Derman. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful, tolerant committee who I thank for their quiet effectiveness and vital

Kevin Norwitz

Wishing everyone a Shana Tova. The Forman Family 4

Paul Werner Treasurer

Great Park Synagogue Great-Park

Since last Yomtov we have achieved some wonderful milestones but with many challenges on a daily basis. The Great-Park Synagogue has become like any other true business, it just loves money. One of the milestones which was reported at our Annual General Meeting was turnover generated of more than R 4 100 000 for the 2009 financial year. This was a commendable achievement and I sincerely hope that we can exceed this turnover in the years ahead. We are acutely aware of the correction of the economy, following on a recession which is why we are so grateful to all members of the congregation. We have noted that certain members have been affected by this downturn and it is important to note that whatever your situation, the Great-Park Synagogue will always be your home. Through two generous donations we have managed to do some upgrades and improvements to the Great-Park Synagogue. For security purposes and through continued advice from the CSO, we have extended and raised our exterior wall. The facilities downstairs at the Community Centre also received a welcome facelift. We have enhanced the area to host larger functions where walls have been removed, the area has been completely re-tiled and the ablution facilities have been upgraded. To this end, I need to thank Julian Michaels who oversaw both of these projects, and made sure that the aesthetics were totally in compliance with the current architecture. You would have noted over the last two years, various projects have been commissioned and completed over this period of time. Some of these have been the guard house, electric gate, radio equipment, additional lighting, exterior wall and the upgrades to the area associated with the Community Centre. An initiative that started eight months ago in planning is about to be completed. Under guidance of Rabbi Shmuel Simpson we will be going live with our own website. Please visit www.greatpark.co.za. Our next project will be the installation of a closed circuit television system. Unfortunately, due to the times we live in, security will always be on the agenda. Talking of our financial position, my biggest disappointment to date has been the size of our outstanding debtors. While writing this report just under R 1 000 000 is owed and outstanding for many, many months. We do appreciate any congregantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal financial situation and we are more

than willing to assist. However, for those congregants who are in a sound financial position, I respectfully request that you make every effort to settle your dues that may be owing to the Great-Park Synagogue. On a happier note, may I take this opportunity to thank all our members who have supported us in paying their current and outstanding membership fees. To our generous donors, you have made such a difference to our Synagogue as your generosity is so well needed. As always, I look forward to your continued support for our beautiful shul. To Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, our wonderful spiritual leader, whose commitment and passion for our Synagogue and its members is so well appreciated. To my fellow colleagues on the shul committee, my heartfelt thanks for all your assistance in supporting and understanding the financial demands of the Great-Park Synagogue. To our Chairman and close friend, Clive Blechman, whose tireless dedication, devotion and commitment to the community is an inspiration that keeps all of us committed to enhancing the Great-Park. To our three dedicated ladies who work behind the scenes to make sure that the Great-Park Synagogue is what it is today, namely Sandy Budin, Sandy Zacharowitz and Julie Krossynski, a very special thank you. To all other staff of the shul, thank you for your contribution. I hope that the year 5771 is a sweet and special year for all the members of the Great-Park Synagogue and their respective families, and I wish you a Shanah Tovah and happy and healthy year.

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Yonatan Pollard

Gilad Shalit

Guy Hever

Ron Arad

Zachary Baumel

Yehuda Katz

Tzvi Feldman

May our sons return speedily to their land! With thanks to Eli Gordon

Wishing all congregants a Shana Tova and well over the Fast. Laurence, Gail, Warren and Alexa Beder and Stella Beder. 5

Oshy Tugendhaft chazzan

Great Park Synagogue

I am again delighted to be officiating for this my 6th successive year as Chazzan over the High Festivals at the magnificent GreatPark Synagogue, joining your revered and beloved Rabbi Hazdan and the choir under the excellent direction of Kevin Derman.

Music, some of our renowned sages have said, begins where words leave off. The musical liturgy has therefore always been an integral part of Jewish worship dating back to the first Temple. There, the chanting of the Leviim was accompanied by a plethora of musical instruments, banned from the service as a sign of mourning after the destruction of the second Temple. Our unaccompanied music must therefore suffice until the Temple is restored speedily in our days.

May our songs be heard on High and Hashem grant all our prayers.

My family and I wish the entire congregation a G’mar Chatima Tova.

Shana Tova from ENS

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Shul Committee

Rabbi Hazdan

Clive Blechman Chairman

Spiritual Leader

Bradley Serebro

Les Matuson

Treasurer

Tyrone Zinman

Sean Kramer

Kevin Norwitz

Geff Geffroy

Paul Werner

Uri Krost

Our Shul Team

Mel Kur

Harvey Silver

Gabbai

Catering and Kiddush Convener

Sandy Budin

Sandy Zacharowitz

Julie Krossynsky

Secretary

Accounts

Part time Receptionist

Staff Michael Ramanala

Alfred Mhono

Eric Moyo

Kitchen and Housekeeping

Rabbi Shmuel Simpson Great Park Synagogue Great-Park

“If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?” (Ethics of the Fathers 1:14) “The strength of the team is each individual member...the strength of each member is the team.” (Coach Phil Jackson - Chicago Bulls) I feel fortunate for the opportunity afforded to me over the past year to get to know many of the special individuals that make up the Great-Park community. There is so much to learn from each person’s life experiences, interests and attitudes, and I am committed, together with Goldie, to providing opportunities for all of us to learn from each other. Speakers at our dinners for young adults are professionals and stars from our very own community, and at group discussions & forums, we listen to and gain insights from each other. One of the highlights of our involvement at Great-Park has been the connection formed with many members of the community with whom we have had the opportunity to study during the course of the year. At shiurim and one-on-one learning sessions we have explored various Torah topics, and gained a deeper appreciation of our heritage. Please do not hesitate to approach

me if you would like to arrange a couples group or shiur at which we can examine questions or topics of your interest. In researching various aspect of the Shul for our new website (www.greatpark.co.za– check it out!), I have learned about the magnificent history and journey of our Shul. But what contributes most to the beautiful sense of community at Great-Park is each individual’s part in the whole. May we always recognize our own strengths, the strengths of each other, and may we go m’chayil el chayil.

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Tyrone Zinman Leib Dovid Minyan - Gabbai

Great-Park Synagogue

We are honoured to have our intimate, warm, participative Minyan Leib Dovid lead by Rabbi Shmuel Simpson in the small Shul over Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. As one of the congregants stated when he davened with us for the one service last year: “Now I understand why this is the best kept secret in Johannesburg”. The Davening will be lead by Yisrael Frimeman. May you and your families all be inscribed and sealed for a Shana Tovah and Metukah.

New Developments As the Great-Park Synagogue continues to grow there are many new and exciting developments taking place throughout the Great-Park campus. The wall is not the only thing removed, the carpets are gone too, replaced with spanking new tiles throughout the entire room. We are very grateful to David Lazarus who sponsored this all important project. The Brocha room downstairs has gone through an extreme makeover. The wall between the two rooms has been taken down and we now have one large room which provides much needed space. With all the benefits of the extra space let’s not forget the most important one – more room to maneuver around the chocolate cake at the Brocha!

With a generous grant from a member of our community, in memory of Shana Michelle Wiessman, we have finally been able to complete the south and east walls of the Shul. We now have a beautiful red brick border providing security (and aesthetics!) to our campus.

Our new coffee machine enjoyed after Shacharit

Our new Sukkah, with thanks to Geff Geffroy and Uri Krost

Best wishes to the entire community amidst Am Yisrael for a Shana Tova Umetukah. Rabbi Dovid, Feige, Leah, Yosef & Sheina Hazdan and Rabbi Shmuel, Goldie & Yisroel Simpson. 10

The Cry of the Shofar: Two Parables Eli Friedman A parable from Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov: A King had an only son, the apple of his eye. The King wanted his son to master different fields of knowledge and to experience various cultures, so he sent him to a far-off country, supplied with a generous quantity of silver and gold. Far away from home, the son squandered all the money until he was left completely destitute. In his distress he resolved to return to his father’s house and after much difficulty, he managed to arrive at the gate of the courtyard to his father’s

This cry elicits G-d’s mercies, and He demonstrates His abiding affection for His child and forgives him. A parable from Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev: A king was once traveling in the forest and lost his way, until he met a man who recognized that he was the king and escorted his master out of the forest and back to his palace. The king later rewarded him with many presents, and elevated him to a powerful minister’s post. After a while, however, the man committed an act which was considered rebellious against the king, and he was sentenced to death. Before he was taken out to be executed, the king granted him one last request. The man said: “I request to wear the clothes I wore when I escorted His Majesty when he was lost in the forest, and that His Majesty should also wear the clothes he wore then.” The king complied, and when they were both dressed in the garments they wore at the time of their meeting, he said, “By your life, you have saved yourself,” and called off the execution. The meaning of the parable is that when G-d gave the Torah to Israel, he offered it first to all the nations of the world. They all refused, except the people of Israel, who willingly accepted the yoke of Heaven and fulfilled the commandments of the Creator. But now we have transgressed and rebelled, like the man in the parable, and with the arrival of the Day of Judgment we are fearful indeed. So we blow the shofar to recall the shofar blowing that accompanied our original acceptance of the Torah and coronation of G-d. This merit stands by us, and G-d forgives us all our sins and inscribes us immediately for a year of goodness and life.

palace. In the passage of time, he had actually forgotten the language of his native country, and he was unable to identify himself to the guards. In utter despair he began to cry out in a loud voice, and the King, who recognized the voice of his son, went out to him and brought him into the house, kissing him and hugging him. The meaning of the parable: The King is G-d. The prince is the Jewish people, who are called “Children of G-d” (Deuteronomy 14:1). The King sends a soul down to this world in order to fulfill the Torah and mitzvot. However, the soul becomes very distant and forgets everything to which it was accustomed to above, and in the long exile it forgets even its own “language.” So it utters a simple cry to its Father in Heaven. This is the blowing of the shofar, a cry from deep within, expressing regret for the past and determination for the future.

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How to Enter the Holy of Holies By Naftali Silberberg On Chanukah we light the menorah and on Passover we eat matzah. But what is Yom Kippur all about? Well, though there are a lot of don’ts associated with the holiest day of the year -- eating, drinking, leather footwear, bathing, etc. -- Yom Kippur is most associated with praying, long prayer services that occupy most of the hours of the holiday. Interestingly, prayer is barely mentioned in the Biblical instructions for Yom Kippur. Instead, the Torah devotes an entire chapter to the procedure of the Holy Temple service on Yom Kippur, a service that was unmatched on any other holiday in terms of length, arduousness and detail. The highlight of the Yom Kippur Temple service was the convergence of the holiest elements of time, space, and life form. On the holiest day of the year, the holiest person -- the High Priest -- entered the holiest place on earth, the Holy of Holy chamber in the Temple sanctuary, where he would pray on behalf of all his Jewish brethren and secure their atonement. The goal of the Yom Kippur prayer service is to access the Holy of Holies of this temple Today we have no Temple service, so instead we pray. With our prayers we attempt to replicate, in spiritual terms, the Holy Temple service, and hopefully thus to elicit the same result, the same atonement, which was effected by the Temple service of yore. Every Jewish person is a potential temple for G-d, and every individual is the serving high priest in his or her personal temple. The goal of the Yom Kippur prayer service is to access the Holy of Holies of this temple. The Holy of Holies housed the golden Ark which contained the holy Tablets. The Tablets were unique in that the Ten Commandments were etched into them, unlike a Torah Scroll whose words are penned on its surface. G-d’s word was part of its very fabric, not an added component which was appended to its being. To erase the words would be to destroy the Tablets themselves. Throughout the year we serve G-d with our “external,” conscious, faculties. We connect with Him with our minds, by attempting to comprehend Him and His messages. We work on creating a warm and emotional relationship with Him through contemplating on His greatness and His kindness towards us. But the human mind and heart are fickle at best -- they are add-on software, not the soul itself -- and the relationship that results from their efforts is, therefore, akin to ink on parchment, subject to fading and even erasure. The innermost “chamber” of the Jewish soul, however, its Holy of Holies essence, shares a Tablet-like connection with G-d. At our core we are connected to G-d not by virtue of any effort, nor does the relationship require cultivation -- it is who we are, “a veritable part of G-d Himself.” And on Yom Kippur we have the ability to access this normally 13

sub-conscious chamber. In doing so, we refresh our relationship for the year to come, and we also have a reciprocal effect on G-d. He is reminded that His relationship with us is also part and parcel of who He is. He can no more forsake us than we can forsake Him. And as such, no matter the transgressions of the past year, G- d grants His children atonement and seals them in the Books of Life and Prosperity. ________________________________________ Throughout the year, the high priest was bedecked in resplendent attire while performing his duties. The high priest’s vestments featured gold, an array of precious stones, and the finest materials. When entering the Holy of Holies, however, the high priest was clad in simple, pristine white linen garments. Not a touch of opulence or grandeur. Let us not erroneously assume that we lack the qualifications, the magnificent deeds or impressive Torah knowledge, to enter the Holy of Holies this Yom Kippur. All that is needed is purity of heart and mind, a readiness to start anew.

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Question: At a recent lecture I attended on the topic of preparing for the New Year, the discussion was about the importance of teshuvah—a process of stock taking, reflecting on the year gone by, identifying areas of weakness or failure and making amends to ensure a better year ahead. I find this idea very confronting and uncomfortable. I think that if I focus on this past year I will only feel guilty and depressed. Can’t I just forget about the past and move on?

Answer: Moving forward with growth and improvement can only happen if we are uncomfortable with where we are now. To achieve this, we need to puncture our comfort zone by confronting the past, creating a feeling of discomfort and a little bit of healthy guilt. That feeling will become the catalyst for real change. It also allows us to learn from our mistakes so that the past can be used to make a better future. But the process need not make us depressed. On the contrary, it actually carries a powerful message which generates a strong feeling of joy and closeness to G-d. When G-d asks us to confront our shortcomings and create a better future, He is really saying: “You matter to Me and you make a difference. I need you to engage in this confronting process because I care about you. Everything you do is significant and hugely important to Me. I have given you this special time of the year for reflection because I recognize that you are human and you make mistakes. But you mean too much to Me not to give you this opportunity of repairing, reconnecting and moving forward”. Don’t let this opportunity slip by. Think back through the year, identify a mitzvah you can improve on, or a relationship you can strengthen and take the first tangible step forward. It might hurt a little, but its importance makes it all worth it.

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Chairs and Tables: Remember, you will be taking all your meals in the sukkah for the duration of the festival. Plus, it is a special mitzvah to invite guests to share your sukkah. Decorations: Many communities decorate the sukkah with colorful posters depicting holiday themes and/or by hanging fresh fruits or other decorations from the sechach beams. (The Chabad custom is not to decorate the sukkah, as the sukkah -the mitzvah -- itself is considered to be an object of the greatest beauty.)

How to Build a Sukkah Your Sukkah Building Manual. The what, where and how of Sukkah construction For forty years, as our ancestors traversed the Sinai Desert prior to their entry into the Holy Land, miraculous “clouds of glory” surrounded and hovered over them, shielding them from the dangers and discomforts of the desert. Ever since, we remember G d’s kindness and reaffirm our trust in His providence by “dwelling” in a sukkah for the duration of the Sukkot festival, from the 15th to the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (in Israel, through the 21st only).

The Dimensions and other Requirements The Walls: A sukkah must have at least two full walls plus part of a third wall (the “part” needs to be a minimum of 3.2 inches wide). It is preferable, however, that the sukkah have four complete walls. The walls must be at least 32 inches high, and the entire structure may not be higher than 30 feet. In length and breadth, a sukkah cannot be smaller than 22.4 inches by 22.4 inches. There is no size limit in how large -- in length and width -- a sukkah may be. The Sechach: There must be sufficient sechach to provide enough shade so that on a bright midday there is more shade than sun seen on the floor of the sukkah. The sechach has to be spread out evenly over the entire sukkah so that there should not be any gap larger than 9.6 inches. Anything that is directly supporting the sechach should not be made out of materials that are not fit to be used as sechach. Thus, if the sechach is resting directly on the sukkah walls and the walls are not made out of wood, strips of wood should be placed between the sukkah walls and the sechach. In larger sukkahs where a framework of beams is needed to hold up the sechach, wood or bamboo poles should be used, not metal. Nor may the sechach be tied on with wire or fastened with any metal object.

A sukkah is essentially an outdoor hut that is covered with vegetation, known as sechach. But there are many guidelines and requirements that must be followed in its construction, and regarding the location where it is erected, in order for a sukkah to be deemed “kosher”--fit for use. There are excellent prefabricated sukkahs available, in a variety of sizes, from many Judaica vendors. If you choose this less adventurous (and less time-consuming) route, make sure that the sukkah comes with proper rabbinical certification that it meets the sukkah requirements.

Where do I Build My Sukkah? Construct your sukkah outdoors, ideally in a spot that’s most accessible to your residence. Popular sukkah locations include: porches, backyards, courtyards, lawns, balconies and rooftops. Basically, any location under the open sky. An important requirement is that there should be nothing between your sukkah and the open sky. So make sure that there are no trees, canopies or roofs of any sort overhanging your sukkah.

Some More Details: What Materials do I Need?

• A sukkah must be built anew every year for the purpose of the mitzvah. This requirement, however, applies only to the sechach (the roof covering of branches or bamboo), since it is the sechach that makes the sukkah a sukkah. Thus, one can leave the walls standing all year, and place the roof covering before the festival. If the sukkah and the sechach have been up all year, one can simply lift up and replace the sechach, which allows the sukkah to be considered as new. • One must first erect the walls and only then place the sechach covering. If the sechach is put up before there are walls in place, the sechach should be lifted up and reapplied. • It is best that a sukkah have four solid walls (aside from the doorways and windows). However, under certain conditions, incomplete walls will qualify, as follows: 1) If there is a gap between the bottom of the walls and the ground, the bottom of the walls must be less than 9.6 inches from the ground. 2) If the walls are 32 inches high, the roof may be higher (up to the maximum height of 30 feet off the ground), as long as the walls are beneath the roof. 3) There may be gaps of empty space in the walls, as long as these are less than 9.6 inches wide. (Thus a fence made of upright or horizontal slats can be used, as long as the spaces between the slats are less than 9.6 inches.) 4) The sechach should be placed on the sukkah by a Jewish person--one who is obligated to sit in the sukkah.

If you’re building your own sukkah, here are the basic materials you will need: The Walls: The walls of a sukkah can be made of any material, provided that they are sturdy enough that they do not move in a normal wind. You can use wood or fiberglass panels, waterproof fabrics attached to a metal frame, etc. You can also use pre-existing walls (i.e, the exterior walls of your home, patio or garage) as one or more of your sukkah walls. An existing structure that is roofless or has a removable roof can also be made into a sukkah by covering it with proper sechach. The Roof Covering: The sukkah needs to be covered with sechach--raw, unfinished vegetable matter. Common sukkah roofcoverings are: bamboo poles, evergreen branches, reeds, corn stalks, narrow strips (1x1 or 1x2) of unfinished lumber or special sechach mats. Mats made of bamboo, straw or other vegetable matter can be used only if they were made for the purpose of serving as a roof covering. The sechach must be detached from its source of growth--thus a live trellis, or branches still attached to the tree, cannot be used. You may also need some plain, unfinished wood beams to construct a framework on which to lay the sechach. Lighting: If you’d like to set up a lighting system and your sukkah is built close to an outlet, purchase a light-bulb with a rain protection cover and electrical cord. 17 17

Children’s Service Great Park Synagogue

Choni Gavin Youth Director

Great-Park children’s service is all about fun, love and informal Jewish

Choni Gavin

education. With dedicated madrichim and personal attention given to each and every child, Great-Park children’s service is the perfect place for your child to have fun and make friends while having an incredibly positive and fun Jewish experience within the warm community of Great-Park Shul. The newly implemented ‘Shul Bucks’ System provides kids with incentives to pray, bring friends to shul and to explore Jewish ideas and matters relating to the weekly portion. The reward being the chance to redeem awesome prizes for the shul bucks earned. Prizes include gift vouchers to Reggies and Sandton City…another great reason to bring your kids to Great-Park! We love to see new faces and strive to make every child feel welcome while having a blast! We have regular Friday night and Shabbat day services filled with fun, laughter and lots of prizes! Over the past few months we have seen the beginning of a new chapter in Great-Park children’s service history. We said Goodbye to Eli Unterslak, who has invested many years and much effort in getting Great-Park youth to where it is today and we thank him dearly for that. While we bid farewell to Eli we look forward to an exciting new era for the youth of Great-Park with myself, Choni Gavin, Gina Levine and the newest addition to our team, Dan Bacher. Daniel Bacher The new ‘Shul Bucks’ system, our annual trip to Gold Reef City and regular Friday night ‘Brochas’ to name a few, are some of the many exciting happenings of Great-Park Youth. While I don’t want to let the ‘Cat out the bag’, I will say however that we look forward to implementing many more exciting initiatives and events in the near future and from here on forward. Our services are held every Friday night at 6:15 and Shabbat Day at 10:30. On Yom Tov, please see notice board for appropriate times.

We Hope To See You There!!! Best Wishes for a happy and healthy New Year 18

Gina Levine

Bnot Mitzvah Great Park Synagogue

Becoming a Bat Mitzvah is an opportunity to demonstrate the paramount importance of continuing a legacy that has kept the Jewish people alive through the millennia. It is not only a special time in the life of a young woman, but it is also a time to express profound gratitude to Hashem for bringing these girls to this wonderful milestone in their lives. All the girls who attend Bat Mitzvah classes at Great-Park Shul are privileged to be a part of this wonderful programme. We are indebted to Ronit Janet who co ordinates the “Roots Bat Mitzva” programme. The programme includes, not only weekly lessons, but combined functions with the Bnot Mitzvah from all the other shuls. The Bat Mitzvah syllabus comprises discussions on Kashrut, modesty, shabbat, self esteem, Belief in Hashem, Mitzvot and many other valuable topics to help guide the Bnot Mitzvah towards Jewish adulthood. Lessons are both interactive and inspiring and culminate in a 2 hour written exam. Well done to all the girls for their diligence and enthusiasm.

To all the Bnot Mitzvah remember - you are the next link in the glorious chain of our heritage. I am confident that you will Iy”h be faithful to the obligations and responsibilities worn proudly by every Bat Yisrael - daughter of Israel, as you embark on the road to adulthood. Make sure to use each of your G-d given gifts to the fullest, becoming the person that only you can be. Remember to always look back and cherish your past years, and the generations who have given so much to help make you who you are today. Look forward, for the goals and aspirations you seek, will help you reach every tomorrow. Wishing you all a Ktiva V’chatima Tova - a blessed new year filled with abundant blessings. REBECCA SARCHI Director of Bnot Mitzvah Program v " c

We are one The Role of

Ahavat Yisrael

A A

GREAT-PARK SYNAGOGUE SUNDAY 14th MARCH '10 28th Adar 5770

Jewish Women GREAT-PARK SYNAGOGUE SUNDAY 25th OCTOBER '09 7th Mar Chesvan 5770

Bar Mitzvahs Daniel Lazarus

Adam Midzuk

Max Matuson

Bret Rosengarten

Matan Traube

Terry Glick

Oren Blass

Taiman Milner

Weddings

Bianca and Shaun Blumberg

Stasia and Nicholas Behr

Tamar and Dale Resnik

Rachel Liya Barnes

Howard and Janet Zev with their son, Eli Samuel

Tarryn and Jarred Winer

Births

Ilan Ossendryver-ic.creations.com

Esther Yehudit Chana Teeger

Lecture on Jewish Thought and Interest with Rabbi Dovid Hazdan

Kingsmead College visits Great-Park

Shul Events

South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Gauteng Council Conference

The conclusion of a heartwarming Selwyn Segal-Great-Park Shabbat

Clive Blechman making Havdalah after Selwyn Segal-Great-Park Shabbat 21

Shacharit in the small shul on Sukkot

R C H C C

It’s hard to believe that another year has flown by so quickly. The RCHCC has continued to grow and flourish as a place where friends, old and new, gather to be stimulated, challenged, educated and entertained. The Centre is always a hive of activity with lectures, films, documentaries, concerts, plays, book launches and exhibitions. Yiddish classes are ongoing under the guidance of Cedric Ginsberg and Tamar Olswang, and prove to be as popular as ever. The Bridge remains very well supported with twice weekly sessions. Jeff Sapire continues to challenge and encourage the game and has introduced lectures over and above the supervised bridge. The building alteration done to the Centre, with the tiled floor and the entire space opened up, has now given us an even better venue for our Art exhibitions. These have proved to be exciting and also lend a decorative and warm ambience to the venue, where people are able to socialize during tea after our events. Membership of the RCHCC is ongoing, and we appeal to all to become a “Friend” of the Centre and enjoy the benefits of a 30% discount on all events. During the past year we have had many exciting evenings, with several excellent Israeli films such as “Waltz with Bashir”, the T.V. series “A Touch Away”, “Persepolis”, “Ajami” and “The Green Dumpster” amongst others. Lectures and book launches continue to be very popular and we have been extremely fortunate in having Moeletsi Mbeki, brother of the former president speak on his book “Architects of Poverty” describing what needs to be done to break the stranglehold of the African elites on political power. Peter Harris spoke on his book “In a Different Time - The Delmas Four”, which won the Alan Paton Award, and told of a true-life legal drama about his defense of the Delmas Four group of umKhonto we Sizwe soldiers. David Saks launched his fascinating book on the “Boerejode”, an account of the Jews who participated in the Boer War. David Medalie presented his new collection of short stories, “The Mistress’s Dog” and recently Charles Van Onselen, spoke of his new book, “Masked Raiders” which follows the wild exploits of legendary brigands who ravaged the subcontinent between 1880 – 1899. Rabbi Gidon Fox gave a series of lectures entitled “Back to the Future – Ancient Tradition as the GPS for a Modern Society” on organ donation, alternate medicine and genetics The magnetic Roelph Meyer and Schalk van Heerden from the organization ‘Action for a Safe South Africa’ spoke of their plans and visions to give back to South Africa through the game of soccer. The ever popular Hugh Raichlin engaged us with his trip to India and his interaction with the Jews of India. Another firm favourite at the Centre is Paula Slier, who, when ever she is in South Africa, fills us in on events in Israel. Dion Chang, the Trend Analyst, spoke on the unique South African perspective to social, business, technology, political and marketing trends. Two outstanding South Africans, Mervyn King and Ivan May, spoke about Mervyn’s book, “Transient Caretakers” and about their passion to save our environment and make life on Earth sustainable. Together with the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre, we hosted a brilliant and moving exhibition “Surviving History – Portraits from Vilna” which was attended by scores of people. This exhibition portrayed 10 survivors of the Nazi and Lithuanian Holocaust and honoured those who perished in all the towns and shtetles. During this time we ran a series of related lectures. We are looking forward to hosting an exhibition “Revisiting Muizenberg” in the near future, and will strive to continue to provide cultural and entertaining events for the community. From our Chairman, Ernest Leibowitz, Lolly Lotzoff, Hazel Cohen and René Sidley, The Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre wishes you all a happy, healthy, peaceful Rosh Hashanah for 5771. Chag Sameach

Talia Goldsmith exhibition of sculptures

Nicky Holtzhausen, Mike Flint (American Film Producer) René Sidley and Joe Blau at Mike Flint’s presentation of his documentary “Angels in the Sky” 24

Bridge Lecture

Students viewing the Lithuanian exhibition

R C H C C

F A N

Hi Hazel. My thanks to you and René. You both do an incredible job not only of organising, but also of arranging a really stimulating and interesting programme for the year. A l e x a n d r a

L e v i n

And you are amazing –the diversity of speakers etc you get is overwhelming! R a e l e n e

T r a d o n s k y

Hi René and Hazel Thank you soooooooooooooooo much. The RCHCC has become a very important venue in my life – truly a place where I have experienced learning, emotional historic journeys, movies of a caliber I could not find anywhere else. The socializing has meant hours with blessed friends and meeting up often with people I have not seen for many years – so wonderful journeys of my personal past. Thank you, thank you. Warmest regards, G a i l

Hearty congratulations to you both on such a good year you are certainly doing a grand job! Best wishes to all A n n

H a r r i s

Thank you Hazel and René for bringing such a wide tapestry to our community M a u r e e n

L e w i s

G o l d b l a t t

Dear Hazel and René – Super Stars. Thank you for keeping us mentally alive. I s a Te e g e r Dear Hazel and René, Thank you so much for the excellent lectures and films that you bring to our community. I feel that we all gain so much from it and , in appreciation we cannot thank you enough. Yishakayach! kindest regards, E l a i n e

F i e n b e r g

C L U B

B o r t z

Just another bouquet for you enterprising gals and the RCHCC One cannot complain of nothing cultural to do in this multi faceted city. (Especially the Jewish community.) We are indeed privileged to have the stimulation and entertainment provided by your efforts. A hearty and sincere thank you!!! D e n n i s a n d R o z B a s s e r a b i e

Dear Hazel & René, You have done a wonderful job and deserve all the praises - it really has become a special and only such place in JHB. Have a Happy and well rested break and Happy Hanukah. Best wishes, L e a h

D a v e

Congratulations Hazel and René on putting together events that are of a consistent high standard and that are both thought provoking and fascinating. Our cultural life is richer as a result of your efforts. P h i l i p p a

Although we have not been able to attend as much as we would have wished, the events that we have been to have been thought provoking and enjoyable. We appreciate the diversity of the topics. Thank you so much for your hard work and contribution to our community. Best regards, L e s

a n d

I r e n e

L e v i t t .

RABBI CYRIL HARRIS

B a l k i n d

COMMUNITY C E N T R E on

GLENHOVE (ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED NOT FOR GAIN)

Talia Goldsmith exhibition of sculptures

Students at the Lithuanian exhibition

Moeletzi Mbeki book signing

Lithuanian exhibition

Geff Geffroy Maintenance

Great-Park Synagogue

Maintenance is everything and everything is maintenance, c’est vrai. Your attendance to the Shul keeps the services alive. Your continued contributions assist us with the running costs of the Shul. Your Yomtov donations are VITAL to complete and supplement the shul’s total running costs.

Therefore it is fitting and appropriate for all of us to say bravo to our Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, our Chairman Clive Blechman, our Treasurer Paul Werner, the pillars of the shul and let’s not take it for granted that we have them and always acknowledge their importance and personal commitment to the Shul.

A HUGE THANK YOU to our sponsors who:    

Provided funds to extend the wall, maintain and improve security for all of us. “Tiled” the Brocha Room which is now spacious, clean and “inviting”. Donated the Coffee Machine which warms our hearts after the morning service. Committed to contribute to the “financial barometer” for the Mikvah, which is now over the halfway mark. We are also accepting Debit Orders.

Well there will always be MORE and MORE to be done. C’est La vie!! We must ALL continue to do our bit to maintain and extend what we started at The Great-Park Synagogue 10 years ago – Yashar Koach and let us be proud of our past achievements and CONTINUE to achieve our future goals which remain “constant” for the Maintenance of our Shul. Like the horizon, it is always ahead of us and challenging us to get there and to keep on reaching towards getting there …. “Merci beaucoup” to each and everyone. Have a Good Yomtov Yours ”MON AMI” With best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. Johanna, Tobias, Devorah and Dovi Ginsberg 26

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A SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS Over these past few months, we have experienced the most amazing aura of togetherness around us. The unbelievable unity, goodwill and success which we achieved from all walks of life at our Fifa World Soccer Cup games; the togetherness, meaningfulness, warmth and friendliness of our Great-Park Synagogue, which only strengthens and spreads through the privilege of our having Rabbi Dovid Hazdan to guide and lead us, the togetherness that the Gauteng Council of the Jewish Board of Deputies has shown in choosing to have their opening evening of their conference, “Share our World”, at our synagogue, with the renowned Rabbi David Rosen, International expert on Interfaith Dialogue, Director of the American Jewish Committee’s Department for Interreligious Affairs, and the Heilbrunn Institute for International Interreligious Understanding, formerly Chief Rabbi of Ireland and former Senior Rabbi at the Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation, as their Guest Speaker. The beneficial and lasting reward of togetherness achieved by our Cape Town branch of our Union of Jewish Women of South Africa, having been asked by the International Council of Jewish Women, established in 1912, an organisation which represents Jewish Women in many important forums, and is strategically positioned to confront and respond to the concerns of Jewish Women in general, an organisation which has consultative status as a non-governmental organisation (N.G.O.) with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and maintains permanent delegations in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Paris, who chose our Cape Town branch of our Union of Jewish Women of South Africa, to host their prestigious event of their 21st Quadrennial Convention of “BEYACHAD UBUNTU TOGETHER’, I.C.J.W., A CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT, THE FUTURE BECKONS, for the second time here in South Africa, the first occasion was in Johannesburg in 1993, a time many of us will recall, when we were shocked by the assassination of the well known antiapartheid activist and political leader Chris Hani. Quadrennial Conventions, present opportunities where outstanding women from around the globe meet to debate challenges facing women in the 21st Century. The togetherness and synergy that emanated from the deliberations around the subjects of strategies for plural societies, human trafficking, corporate governance, enviromental degradation, H.I.V. Aids, and Child headed families, made me feel that through this togetherness and our continuous working together, we will help to advance the International Council of Jewish Women’s and the Union of Jewish Women of South Africa’s worthy humanitarian goals and further strengthen the bonds linking Jewish Women with one another throughout the world. At the opening session of the Convention, which was represented by thirty seven countries, I felt honoured as

President of The Union of Jewish Women of South Africa, to be asked to lead the “flag procession” by carrying our South African flag. Currently, I hold an Interfaith - Intercultural portfolio, and as the South African Affiliate Vice President of the International Council of Jewish Women, look forward to re-meeting with these wonderful women whom I met at the Convention, at the first Convention report back and planning meeting. This will be in New York, at the beginning of this November, where our purpose, and togetherness, will be renewed. Next year, 2011, the Union of Jewish Women of South Africa, will celebrate 80 years of serving the community. Our organisation, was founded in 1931, and is dedicated to the needs and ideals of our Jewish Community, and the enrichment of all the people of South Africa. I would like to pay tribute to our founding members, Mrs. Toni Saphra, who started our organisation in Cape Town in 1929, and Mrs. Flora Behrman, who started the Johannesburg Branch, for their insight and togetherness, and say how proud these women would have been to know that the Union of Jewish Women of South Africa, has now hosted two International I.C.J.W. Conventions, and continues to focus on all humanitarian needs. Judaism is about hope and a belief in a better future. Everything is fluid and dynamic and nothing is cast in stone and nothing is fixed. There is always hope and there is always the possibility for change and togetherness.

Wishing all a Shana Tova and well over the Fast. Irwin & Travice Rabinowitz & Family 29

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The Lubner Family wish our beloved Rabbi and his family and the entire congregation a happy New Year and a meaningful Fast. 31

i S r o s s c e h t ool n o Rosh Hashana is once again here, the beginning of another beautiful New Year, and all of us at the Great-Park Nursery School would like to wish everyone a Shana Tova and also take this time to be grateful and thankful for our precious children that we have at our school. We have a loving, caring environment which enables us to nurture these little children and give them a solid grounding for their future years ahead. From 2011, depending on the response, we would like to take children from 1Â˝ years old and older. We offer Playball and all Jewish education from Shabbat rings to all of the Chaggim. We have the wonderful facility on our doorstep of the forest where we take the children on walks and where we picnic. Our days are filled with lots of fun, laughter, singing, stories, painting and playing. May your year ahead be filled with Peace, love and prosperity. For more information, please contact Michelle: 083-377-1597. Shana Tova and well over the Fast.

Great Park Synagogue

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Great Park Synagogue

EGOALONEMATCH BA’ OMER 1 MAY 2010 FROM 7.45PM

GREAT PARK SHUL, GLENHOVE RD SALE. FREE RIDES, FOOSBALL,GREAT PRIZES, LANKETS ON SALE WILL BE DONATED TO CHARITIES 6-16 YRS R10, KIDS FREE

HY THEY CALL IT THE BEAUTIFUL FLAME

Adrienne Hersch member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Shofar Sounds and Sound Investments There is never a bad time to make a good investment, and in my experience, property is a pretty sound investment. If you don’t believe me, consult the Torah! The Talmud instructs us to invest no less than one third of our earnings in real estate. With a stabilising market and banks easing up on their criteria to qualify for finance, owning property today is the best possible investment against inflation in the long term. Very few would dispute the idea that putting in now means getting back later. Whether long or short term, life is all about investment. As potential purchasers, we believe that owning our own home will ensure a more secure future. As Jews, we believe that the work we do in this world determines our place in the next. My business is all about the pursuit of a sound investment; searching for and investing in your perfect home. As we approach Rosh Hashanah, I had a few thoughts on the parallels between these two worlds. Having been involved in the property industry for over two decades, I believe home ownership is the cornerstone of a strong community, and communities such as Great-Park are built upon the fulcrum of Jewish families who choose to settle and invest. But the concept of a Jewish home, fundamental and integral to our religion, is about so much more than just ownership. It is about using our homes as vessels of nurturing and kindness. A Jewish home is about investing in each other; hosting, sheltering, entertaining and indeed, welcoming those who need it most. That is the real investment. What a Jew chooses to do with his home is the spiritual investment that goes hand in hand with the physical one – another foundational principle in Judaism. Just as there is never a bad time to make a good investment, there is never a good time to make a bad one. But Rosh Hashanah is the apex, the zenith of the Jewish calendar and brings with it the precious chance to start again. As we are awakened by the blasts of the shofar, we are reminded that Rosh Hashanah is about renewal, about new beginnings. When we search for our first home, or for a new one, we seek a new beginning – the cathartic process of packing away the old and uncovering the new. When we say Tashlich on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, stand over a body of water, shake out our pockets and cast away the bad investments we’ve made, we commit to new and better ones. We embrace the chance to make a new start. In today’s market, I see a systematic shift in how consumers purchase real estate. They’re already constantly connected to multiple online sources of information about the industry and how to explore the real estate landscape. As a result, they are not looking to their agent for raw data which they can find on their own. Rather, they want to connect with real estate through real people. In my experience, I have found that there is still no substitute for that personal contact between buyer, seller and agent. People are at the heart of my business and I am reminded of how imperative it is for Jews to congregate in order to intensify the experience of prayer. On Rosh Hashanah more than any time of year, we want to daven together with a congregation. We want to achieve a balance between personal prayer and interactive experience for which there is no substitute. I see Rosh Hashanah as a chag solely devoted to long term investment. We make spiritual investments through prayer and repentance. We acknowledge that Hashem has invested His essence in each one of us and we pray He will give us the chance to celebrate and sanctify Rosh Hashanah next year, same time, same place. We let Him know that we’re in it for the long haul and that we hope to continue investing – in our home, our relationships, our lives, and our Creator. Here are some of my top tips for both providing a sound investment and purchasing one. 36

10 Top Tips for Sellers: 1. Make sure that the property is correctly priced. 2. Make sure the exterior and interior of the property are well maintained. 3. The garden should be neat and clean. 4. If there is a pool, it should be sparkling and clear. 5. The home should have a fresh, clean smell. 6. All toys and clothes should be packed away neatly so as not to distract from the property. 7. Have an electrician inspect the property and issue an electrical compliance certificate. 8. Employ an agent to market your home in order to achieve the maximum selling price. 9. Make the property easily accessible by making the keys available for viewing or ensuring there is a person at home to allow the agent access. 10. Disclose any defects to avoid any problems after the sale. 10 Top Tips for Buyers: 1. Location, Location, Location! 2. Check the driveway and the accessibility to the property. 3. Check for any damp in the property. 4. See if the property has been recently painted. 5. Ask all questions regarding the condition of the home. Find out the special features as well as the defects. 6. Be aware of the selling price the surrounding properties have achieved. 7. Be informed of any special type of security in the area. 8. Know the municipal valuation of the property, and find out the rates and taxes levied on the property. 9. Stipulate which moveable features of the property are included in the sale. 10. Make sure that all electrical motors are in good working condition (stoves, pumps and automated gates and doors). Chag Sameach!

Carol Steinberg member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Great Park Synagogue

A JOURNEY TO MY ROOTS My beloved Yiddishe grandmother, Katie, died only a couple of years ago, when I was already a mother myself. My mother died shortly thereafter. Apart from the loss of the two women I Ioved most, the rapid succession of their passing left me in the shocked state of being motherless in the world. And the matriarch of the family – a status my grandmother and mother had assumed with seeming ease and with great love and strength – felt burdensome and strange to me. Granny Katie had told me so little of her life before she became my granny. I knew that she came from a shtetel in Latvia called Lutzin. She had told me that it was a beautiful place, built by a lake, which meant swimming in summer and skating in winter. She was part of a Zionist youth movement before she left with her family in 1932, aged 17, for South Africa. I used to push her to tell me more, but she would say that there was nothing to tell -- “Vot can I say?”. I’d ask more questions and she’d cry. She did not want to go back and visit. “Vot for? Dere’s nutting left for me dere”. When the opportunity to go to the Baltics fell into my lap, I knew it was journey I had to make. We arrived in the beautiful old Lithuanian town of Vilnius. Our guide there, Roza, is a woman in her sixties, the child of two of the very few Vilnius Jews who had survived the holocaust, an engineer, and the founder of the local Jewish museum. She gave us a tour of Vilnius, a town whose rich and bloody history she knows better than probably anyone else. She introduced us to the Yiddishe culture – both secular and religious – of her parents and grandparents. I was struck by its sophistication, the intelectual vitality of this destroyed world.

child of survivors, another accomplished historian, and curator of a museum in Kaunas. We criss-crossed Lithuania and then Latvia in his Toyota, with Simon helping us find the shtetlag of my traveling companion’s family and of my maternal grandfather. The experience was richly layered by Simon’s insights and knowledge, and most of all by his extraordinary humanity and compassion. Here was a child of people whose families and way of life had been obliterated by the Nazis, who had then grown up under Soviet occupation, who had not been allowed to celebrate his barmitzvah, and was only learning Hebrew as an adult. Yet his sensibility was primarily determined by his resolve to see each person, alive or historical, as accurately and fairly as possible. While his parents had been orphaned by Lithuanian Nazi collaborators, they had been saved by gentile Lithuanian farmers who had risked their lives by taking them in: in my mind at least, Simon’s inability to make easy generalisations was the product of this incongruity. I felt humbled and chastened by his generosity.

When we arrived in Lutzin (Ludze) a couple of days later, I was still feeling sad and shocked. I had been waiting for this moment, this stepping in Granny Katie’s world. And how beautiful it was: the big lake, the hills, the beautiful Catholic and Orthodox churches, the charming old streets. Here was the shop where she might have been sent to buy bread, here is a house like the one in which she would have lived. We saw the old brick synagogue in which her family would have prayed, and the Jewish cemetery in which her grandparents are buried, perhaps the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen. Set in a wooded glade with vistas of the town, the well-tended She would not speak about the past because she did not have graves tell stories of rabbis, musicians, Jews who survived the the words to tell me what she had left behind and what had Nazis and the Soviets, Jews who were killed en masse in 1941. happened to the world she had left behind. And I, in my arrogance and ignorance had never really recognized this. It was We picnicked by the lake on pickled herring, gherkins, not the hardship that I had insufficiently comprehended – I knew tomatoes, dark rye bread and buttermilk. It was the weekend, of the poverty that had driven her family to South Africa, of the and the families of Ludze had come out in their numbers to terror that the Nazi and communist occupations had brought. enjoy the lake. I napped in the sun until my friends insisted No, it was the greatness of the Yiddishe culture and the beauty that I join them for a swim. And then I was in Granny Katie’s of the landscape that she left behind that I had never imagined. I lake, playing in the waters of her childhood, with the same sun somehow had never thought of that loss and, more than that, of warming my head. I felt the grief wash away and the joy of the fact that, as an immigrant in Africa, she was forever torn away reunion bubble up inside. from the milieu in which she could properly communicate and be apprehended. I comprehended for the first time the greatness Back in Jo’burg, I went to Shul for Shabbat, as I have done and tragedy of the Yiddishe culture to which my beloved Granny since my mother’s death. As the choir sang the familiar songs, I filled myself with the spirit of my mother and her mother. I Katie was inextricably bound. felt reconciled to my Granny Katie: that my understanding her By the time we left Vilnius I had started to grieve. Our guide for a little better in death could go a long way to mending the rifts the rest of the journey through the Baltics was Simon, another and spaces between us while she was alive. Although Roza is of my mother’s generation, her manner and sensibility are remarkably like Granny Katie’s. At one point, I asked her a question relating to the horror that is the story of the Vilnius Jewish ghetto of the early 1940s. “Vot can I say?”, she replied. I went cold and turned my face away to cry. For the first time, I understood Granny Katie’s “Vot can I say?”. It was an expression of the inexpressible, of the impossibility of explaining what she meant, what she was. It was the fundamental ineluctability of her condition.

Hans Julius Phillipp Loewenberg member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Segments from a speech delivered by Dr. Brian Romberg, nephew of Hans, at Hansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 90th birthday. Hans was the youngest of three children born to his parents Luis and Hedwig in Bremen, Germany. He had two older sisters Gerda and Lotte. His father passed away in 1921 when Hans was 6 months old and his mother found it increasingly difficult to look after three children so at the age of 9 Hans was sent to a religious orthodox orphanage in EMDEN (3 hour train trip from Bremen). After completing his schooling he returned to Bremen where he worked in a menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing store. What I am sure of is that very few of you are aware of the fact that Hans only celebrated his barmitzvah in June 2003, at the age of 83, at the GreatPark Synagogue. At the time that he was supposed to have his Barmitzvah in Bremen, his mother developed appendicitis and the barmitzvah had to be postponed. It was rescheduled for a later date but then Hans developed diphtheria and it had to be postponed once again. Due to these circumstances in Germany at that time it was not possible for him to have his barmitzvah before emigrating to South Africa. Hanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eldest sister Gerda emigrated to South Africa in 1933 and his youngest sister Lotte followed in 1936. Hans eventually managed to emigrate together with his mother in April 1939 on a boat which sailed from Hamburg and docked in Cape Town on first night Pesach. Seder night was spent with a relation of his brother in law. The next day they proceeded by boat to Durban where they were met by a cousin who put them on a train to Johannesburg. Hans initially lived with one of his sisters in Doornfontein then moved into a boarding house in Saratoga Avenue, Doornfontein in 1940. He then boarded with the Isaacs family in Nugget Street before moving into a flat in Twist Street, Hillbrow. In 1986 he made alliyah to Israel but only stayed there for 6 months before returning to SA. Hans then stayed in a residential hotel before moving into Our Parents Home in February 1996. On arrival in South Africa Hans started working for a tailor, a Mr Wirt before moving on to the OK Bazaars where he worked in the warehouse. After 5 years at the OK Bazaars he went to work for Suzmans as a checker, in their dispatch department. He remained there for 18 years before joining the Johannesburg Municipality as a stock controller in their bus maintenance department. After another 18 years working for the municipality he went into retirement. Hans was a member of the old Wolmarans Street Synagogue where in the later years he assisted the shamus. He is now a member of the Great-Park Synagogue where he fulfills a similar role. Hans conducts the week day evening services at the OPH and keeps himself fit by acting as the local newspaper delivery person. He picks up the papers from the reception desk at the crack of dawn and does door to door deliveries ensuring that all the residents receive their papers on time. He also does the shopping for those residents who cannot do it for themselves. This page is sponsored by Les Levine 38

Heidi Brauer member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Great Park Synagogue

Do what you love and love what you do

Sometimes I say to people that I feel as if I get sucked into the week on a Monday and spat out on a Friday. And I love it. I have always worked and grown a career, even whilst Daniel and I have been raising our 2 sons, David and Benjamin, who are now fine, young teenage men. Is it hectic? Yes. Am I often exhausted? Yes. Would I trade it for a life of ‘leisure’? Never. Because I do what I love and I love what I do. I was describing my job to a cousin I haven’t seen in a dozen years the other day. She was astounded and remarked that what I do today is completely different to what I studied at varsity way back when. It made me think of the discussions in the last year with our son David who was in matric and trying to decide what to study. My advice to him was to pick something that interested him and that he had a natural talent for. The rest will follow. I remember my own matric year, filling out the application form for Wits. I was going to study for a BSc. in Occupational Therapy – I was interested in the human body and had an artistic streak, so it seemed like a good idea. Family friends were visiting and mentioned that their daughter had studied a BSc in Nursing and, just like that, I literally crossed out ‘OT’ and wrote ‘Nursing’! Five hectic years later I graduated with a fruit salad on my shoulders, somewhat overqualified for a hard life of little pay (but lots of gratification, I must admit). And so a journey began where I found myself in the world of pharmaceutical marketing, then market research and now in the wonderful, challenging world of airline marketing. And I love it. Lucky me. How did I end up in the exciting world of airlines, heading up marketing for two such divergent and challenging brands as kulula.com and British Airways? A year or so ago I was giving a talk to a group of MBA students who were doing their marketing elective. They wanted to hear about what career path to follow to become a marketing director and I think I shook their academic socks off when I told them how I‘d done it. No MBA. No BComm. No IMM. No marketing course. Just passion and reading and learning and growing. And never being afraid of a challenge. I have learned to listen to how my soul sings when I’m doing what I love. I’ve learned that I can handle stress when my mind is being challenged by problems that my brain knows just how to untangle. I’ve learned to appreciate the gift of mentors and guides, teachers both formal and informal and lessons that present even when you think you are the teacher.

In my combined 33 ‘mommy years’, I’ve missed only 2 school concerts or music evenings and my wonderful support system of Daniel and grandparents stepped in. We’ve learned to be an equal opportunities family – each of my men can hold his own in a kitchen or grocery store. Our traditions and spirituality, Great-Park community of which we’ve been part since David was in my tummy, and lessons of giving and charity have made sure our home life is rounded and beautiful even with a full time career mama in the mix. And so a schedule of lots of travel, ad agency deadlines, doing my thing on industry bodies, writing, teaching, brands that demand as much attention as my children do, staff who need and deserve a stimulating and growing work environment somehow squish in beside parentteacher meetings, school lifts and science projects, shabbos dinner planning, movies with my spouse, varsity exam-nerve management and teenage freak outs. I’ve never apologized at work for being a mom. Never apologized at home for having a career. I know that doing what I love and loving what I do in every aspect of my life enables me to be whole, rounded and grounded.

Wishing the congregation a Shana Tova. Andrew and Ann Levy 39

J Julian n Michaels M Mi h member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Already 10 years ago, full of anticipation and excitement, the Great-Park Community moved into its newly built Synagogue complex bordered on the south east corner by Glenhove Road and 4th Street Houghton, to the west the M1 highway, to the north Jhb Waterworks / James and Ethel Grey Park. Our mandate was to capture and give expression to the spirit and language of the Wolmarans Street Synagogue precedent. A thorough study was made of the Architecture of the Wolmarans Shul, its structure, organization, proportion and pattern language. The reuse and collage of multiple movable original Wolmarans Synagogue components comprising; the teak Bimah, the Pulpit, Rabbi Hazdan, the committee, the copper Ark doors, the Torot, menorot, candelabras, Top hats, Singer Siddurim, the Ner Tamid, the Luchot, the chandeliers, light fittings and the original teak pews all enhance the communities sense of experience and perpetuation of history. Ten years ago this development in not yet settled times, comprised a Shul and Community Centre, with related infrastructure and facilities. Based on the pledges we have received, we are hoping to start with the building of a Mikvah located adjacent to the North West side of our shul building in the greater Park precinct. The organizational and spatial implications and interrelationships have been carefully considered and resolved to facilitate the possible construction of a future Banqueting Hall and related infrastructure facilities, to independently accommodate 590 people. Our Main Shul seats 590 worshippers, 324 men, 266 women. Our small Shul seats 57 worshippers, 28 men, 21 women and 8 around a table. The auditorium in the Community Centre seats 108 people. Together with related offices and infrastructure, the building inhabits a total developed area of 1936m2.

The area of the ground floor 1009m2, the first floor 426m2 , the basement 500m2. All of the above is housed in an outer circular red face brick drum emerging from the red soils of the sloping site, culminating in a circular copper dome. The perimeter lower circumference of the dome punctuated at regular intervals with stained glass windows, (the magen david windows on the centre lines of the magen david underlying structure), all telling the story of Jacob’s ladder reaching beyond the dome meeting the sky. The internal height from the Bimah / Ark axis floor level to the top inside of the dome is 17 metres. This centerline Bimah/ Ark axis is parallel and aligned to Har Habayit. The essence and resultant fabric of this building is structured by and unfolds out of an underlying hexagonal geometry (magen david pattern and derivatives) structuring the horizontal and vertical dimensions in relation to facilitating optimal function and balanced expression. The same process and fabric structures the Mikveh Building which comprises, an immersion pool and 2 fully equipped change room / bathrooms with related waiting and office infrastructure. The Mikvah is also housed in an outer circular red facebrick drum, partially submerged below ground. The journey begins by walking down a ramp on either side to the submerged facilities culminating in the immersion pool, and out by way of different exit to entry. As the Great-Park Community moves on, growing in time, it perpetuates the determination and wishes of a Community dedicated to growth.

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Great Park Synagogue

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ARCHITECT'S SIGNATURE............................. OWNER'S SIGNATURE................................... ENGINEER'S SIGNATURE...............................

THE GREAT PARK SYNAGOGUE PROPOSED NEW MIKVEH ON LOTS 2357 HOUGHTON ESTATE TOWNSHIP FOR THE COMMUNITY

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Wishing you youall allaafulfilling, fulfilling, Wishing happy and andhealthy healthyNew New happy Year and and well well over overthe theFast Fast Year Les,Mandy, Mandy,Talya Talyaand and Les, MaxMax Matuson ARCHITECT'S SIGNATURE............................. OWNER'S SIGNATURE................................... ENGINEER'S SIGNATURE...............................

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Nikki Richard member of the Great-Park Synagogue

The Sounds of Memory A legend in the Talmud teaches that before a child is born, Hashem dispatches an angel to instruct each and every soul on the wisdom of the Torah. For nine months the angel shines a light above the infant’s head and reveals the infinite wisdom of the universe. Just before the child enters the world, the angel taps him between the nose and the upper lip, leaving an indentation, and everything that was taught is immediately forgotten. Whilst momentarily erased, this retrievable archive of all-embracing wisdom, buried deep within the chambers of memory, is the radiance that is capable of rekindling the angel’s light: when perception is illuminated by recognition, we are merely reacquainting our souls with this paradise of knowledge.

The rousing blasts of the Shofar are more than mere sounds; they’re musical permutations designed to capture various recollections within the shared Jewish collective unconscious. The tekiah and teruah sounds are respectively bass and treble, and the Shofar blowing sequence is as follows: tekiah, shevarim-teruah, tekiah; tekiah, shevarim, tekiah; tekiah, teruah, and then a final blast of ‘tekiah gadola’ which means ‘big tekiah’, which is held for as long as possible.

As we approach Rosh Hashanah and the Yamim Noraim, arguably the holiest period in the Jewish calendar, we contemplate the meaning and significance of the Shofar: Why do we sound the Shofar? What is the significance of the blasts that reverberate through our beings, awaken our souls and impress an interminable resonance on our consciousness? And finally, what is the definitive message of the Shofar and how can we embrace and perpetuate it into our lives?

The tekiah usually starts with a short, pickup note (a note before the leading beat) that quickly moves to the primary tone, which is medium length in duration. Additionally, the tekiah may end with a short higher burst above the primary tone. The teruah consists of a series of eight or more rapid and short (i.e., staccato) blasts on the primary tone, ending with an accented final tone (a total of nine primary tones) and may, like the tekiah, start with a lower pickup note that quickly moves to the primary tone. The shevarim consists of six low-to-high blasts sounded in triplet (three primary notes).

The requirement to incorporate the Shofar into the Rosh Hashanah observance is indeed a Divine one that originates in Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:23-24: ‘Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first of the month, there will be a Sabbath for you, (when you will recite verses that) recall (the binding of Yitzchak, and that mention the) blowing (of the Shofar), a holy celebration. You should not perform any manual work. You should offer up a fire-offering to Hashem.’

Renowned musicologist, Kay Kaufman Shelemay, maintains the following: “Music, through both its content and through the physical act of performance, can bring our past into the present even when we seemingly have long forgotten the events.”1 Indeed, when events recede into vague recollections music has the redeeming ability to marry the past with the present. Musical sketches can resurrect our past encounters, even over entire decades, that have been thrust into the annals of memory and the listener can confront the magnitude, complexity and depth that life over time presents. One could even argue that melodies are encoded with memories of the past and thus not only summon a sense of nostalgia, but also evoke recollections of shared cultural experiences.

Furthermore, the Torah portion for the second day of Rosh Hashanah describes one of the most pivotal moments in the Torah, the Akeidat Yitzchak, which provides a tangible connection between Rosh Hashanah and the Shofar. For when Avraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son, an angel of Hashem implored him to abandon his intention: ‘“Avraham! Avraham! I’m here… Do not stretch your hand to (slaughter) the boy, or do the slightest thing to him, for now I know (some evidence to answer the Satan) that you are a G-d-fearing man and that you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me.” Avraham looked around to see and – look! – there was a ram. (Avraham saw it) after (the angel spoke to him, noticing that) it was caught in a tree by its horns. Avraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son’ [Bereishit (Genesis) 22:10-13].

Noted Jewish scholar, Abraham Heschel, claimed that music’s sole function is to help us to live through a moment of confrontation with the Divine: “Whenever music is separated from spiritual insight, it cannot be fully understood.”2 Imbued in every Jewish soul is a yearning to once again convene at the source of all spirituality and salvage a spark of the Divine. Like the angel that reveals the Torah to us in the womb, hearing the blasts of the Shofar unites us in moments of collective reminiscence and compels us, through our prayers, to remember the Akeidah and to repent and beseech Hashem that His mercy will prevail.

Intriguingly, the Biblical allusions to the Shofar are permeated with themes of ‘memory’. In the quote from Vayikra, we are commanded to observe a ‘memorial of blowing’ (zichron teruah), whilst the Akeidat Yitzchak serves as a potent reminder of Abraham’s tremendous dedication to Hashem. Moreover, it is written in the Talmud that we sound the Shofar because Hashem said: “Blow me a ram’s horn that I may remember to your credit the binding of Isaac, the son of Abraham, and I shall account it to you as a binding of yourselves before Me.” Hence, the voice of the Shofar is a powerful stimulus that awakens both individual and collective memories and arouses within us an implicit desire to repent.

1 Shelemay, K.K. 2001. Soundscapes: Exploring Music in a Changing World. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 2 Heymel, M. 2000. ‘A Witness to the Existence of G’d: Music in the Work of Abraham J. Heschel’ in Judaism: A Quarterly Journal of Jewish Life and Thought, 49(4), 399-411.

Richard Amoils member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Great Park Synagogue

WHAT IS YOUR HEADLINE? Our quest for knowledge can never be quenched - but just how do we depict ourselves? How do newspapers make money? The headline on the front page - do you agree? Here is a thought on how we brand ourselves. When you walk into a room what do you show others? If you had words on your forehead describing you, what would they say? How would you headline yourself?

Make a goal, see the goal, then own the goal. Shoot and score.

So how do you “edit” yourself?

G-d told Moshe to count Israel and all the 12 tribes were counted. Great in number but 1 is where it all starts.

Who are you and why must people know who you are? Are you loud and want to be heard or are you a quiet person? Where do you feel most comfortable?

How do newspapers make money? Would you buy the paper if there wasn’t a headline? Would you be a friend of somebody if you couldn’t define what they stood for?

You may also give others headlines like a mother gives to her baby but you have to be careful about giving negative headlines.

Make yourself a headline so when you walk into a room you are not just another person - you show people who you are.

Deceptive headline - this is the evil side. When we gossip and speak lashon hara about someone, we give them false headlines that in many cases can destroy them. The listener is just as guilty as the speaker: where the speaker is already upset with the person, the listener is allowing the speaker to manipulate his thoughts.

It is up to you to determine how you are known.

As we enter Rosh Hashana of 5771 and begin a cleansing stage, it’s time to leave our faults behind. We must not forget them because we must try to ensure they don’t happen again, but we mustn’t dwell on them. Give yourself a new headline.

When you look into your heart as the new year starts, may you discover a new sense of possibility, a new belief in the gifts you have to share and a renewed commitment to your faith and your dreams. Wishing the Rabbi and Congregation a Happy and Healthy New Year and a Meaningful Fast.

With Love from

Addie, Mark & Jade Blumberg Taryn & Adon Solomon Crystal Kaplan& Jock Blumberg 43

Danny K member of the Great-Park Synagogue

SHOUT When I was 8 years old my Dad took me to see two concerts which made a considerable impression on me, and shaped my desire to become a musician. The first was at the Market Theatre, where I watched the amazing ‘Sipho Hotstix Mabuse’, and the other was at the Standard Bank Arena, where I was first introduced to a dreadlocked Reggae singer called LUCKY DUBE. I was immediately star struck, and even at that young age, realised I was watching two incredibly special artists. Lucky was an ambassador of hope, unity, patriotism, and compassion – way before it became politically correct. He sang for freedom and understanding, he sang for LOVE. But, on the 18th of October 2007 Lucky’s voice was silenced forever. He became yet another statistic, another innocent South African undeserving of a tragic and violent end. Lucky’s death was a landmark moment in my life. I sat and watched the world media reports of his hi-jacking, his murder. I had had enough!! Something needed to be done, and it was then that I vowed to do something about it the only way both Lucky and I knew how… through MUSIC! Fate then played its part. Friend and fellow musician, Kabelo Mabalane and producer David Campos were recording a version of SHOUT by Tears for Fears. I listened to the lyrics and immediately knew that it encompassed all of the fears, grievances, frustrations and concerns that so many of my South Africans shared. I had found my answer. No longer would we whisper, no longer would we be silent. SHOUT WAS BORN. SHOUT is far bigger than me. The real heroes of this project are the am azing artists, celebrities, creative minds, strategic thinkers, legal advisors, and volunteers who united to create SHOUT. I did not do this alone!! This was not an easy process. It took three long years and, I must admit, there were times that I feared SHOUT would never launch. But we persisted ! You can’t imagine what it’s like to assemble an unprecedented collection of the biggest stars in the country. We really had no idea about the mammoth task we were about to undertake. I think what surprised us the most about this entire process was the response of the celebrities and artists. Everyone was truly inspired to help and almost relieved that finally they could use their voices in protest of an issue that IS totally out of control! We asked for trust and faith from the record labels and managers – who gave us use of their artists when SHOUT was just an idea. What an inspiring act of devotion to this country. SHOUT is a movement by South Africans for South Africans, because crime effects us ALL, regardless of our colour, creed, religion, social or financial status. We are asking everyone to make a statement of their commitment to combating crime by downloading SHOUT and getting on board as we roll out the further phases of the SHOUT campaign. Our first objective was to break the digital download record with SHOUT, making it the largest selling track in the history of digital music and I am proud to report that due to South Africans overwhelming support we have managed to achieve this, selling in excess of 50 000 downloads. We also have one of the biggest South African Facebook pages with over 150 000 members offering their support to SHOUT.

In four short months, SHOUT has donated over R50 000 to Matla a Bana, a non-profit organization which assists child victims of crime. The organization aims to minimize the secondary abuse children suffer when they report crimes against them. SHOUT also donated 40 GPS navigation devices for police vehicles which will be supplied to police officers in critical areas of KZN and the Western Cape. SHOUT also headed the call of the family of Sergeant De Bruin who tragically lost his life in the recently, highly publicized, police helicopter accident. The heartwrenching story of the De Bruins was brought to SHOUT by 94.7 Highveld Stereo and the family received a total of R24 000 over three months which will go towards food and basic living expenses until the pension is paid. This is the first in a series of donations in the fight against crime. Funding is raised through donations to the Foundation, the sale of SHOUT t-shirts and CD’s as well as SHOUT song downloads to cell phones. This can be done by sms-ing the word SHOUT TO 33335 at a cost of R20,00. SHOUT is not the property of celebrities. Far from it!! It belongs to YOU. We are merely its activators. We all have to pledge to create a safer South Africa. We appeal to all fellow SHOUT activists , and every citizen of our country to pledge that they will not do crime. “Evil will previl when good men do nothing” “A better ME for a greater WE”

Wishing the congregation a Shana Tova. Paul, Lisa, Jonathan, Ariella and Talia Werner 44

Cyril Goldstein

of blessed memory Great Park Synagogue

Past Chairman, Treasurer and Gabbai of The Great-Park Synagogue

Dear Edith and family, This year we entered into Rosh Hashana sadly aware that the world had lost an exceptional Jew and an extraordinary human-being.

Cyril was loved by all. His infectious smile embraced young and old. His concern for people knew no bounds or limitations. He cared.

Cyril Goldstein served our Great (Park) Synagogue with devotion and love. For over four decades, he committed himself to the overall needs of community and to the needs of each individual. He did so selflessly – never wanting to be acknowledged or honoured.

Our synagogue has replanted itself and is flourishing as he had dreamed it would many years ahead of his time. Our opportunities and successes rest on the shoulders of the passionate leaders who preceded us. A leader of leaders was Cyril Goldstein.

His duties varied from accountant to builder, chairman to fundraiser, Gabbai to kitchen-manager. No task was too big or too small. His was a labour of love and he exuded a joy in the privilege he felt in serving. Cyril was a rare combination of formality and warmth; tradition and innovation; macro and micro; courage and humility.

He will be sorely missed and his memory dearly cherished. May you and your family be comforted amongst the mourners of Tziyon and Yerushalayim. Yours sincerely, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan

22 - 29 January 2010

SA JEWISH REPORT

Johannesburg Jewish history revisited at Great Park ELI GOLDSTEIN ON SUNDAY January 17, after almost 122 years, the foundation stone of the first synagogue in Johannesburg, the President Street Shul, known as “Sha’ar Hashamayim” - (the Gateway to Heaven), was re-laid in the exterior wall of the Great Park Synagogue in Houghton, Johannesburg. It was originally laid on November 7, 1888 (3rd Kislev 5649), at the President Street Shul in town (which stood next to where Dawson’s Hotel is today). On July 10, 1887, a year after the establishment of Johannesburg, a meeting of 88 Jews took place at Mr B Wainstein’s store facing the Market Square. A unanimous resolution was passed to form the Witwatersrand Goldfields Jewish Association (WGJA), one of the main functions of which was to care for the first Jewish burial ground at Brickfields, (near where Kazerne goods yards

are today), granted two months previously by the government of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) to the Jewish community. On Rosh Hashanah 1887, the Association held its first High Holy Day services at the Rand Club, needing to accommodate 500 people. In January 1888 the WGJA acquired two stands in President Street for the erection of a synagogue and the foundation stone was laid in November that year. The President Street Shul was sold and demolished in 1926. The Park Synagogue, which was opened in September 1892, stood near what today is Park Station. The building was sold to the Railways in 1912 and eventually demolished in 1928. Prior to this, the Great Synagogue in Wolmarans Street, planning for which was started in 1912, was completed in 1914. The foundation stone of Sha’ar Hashamayim found its way to the vestibule of the Great Synagogue in

Dr Bobby Goldstein, brother of Cyril Goldstein, with the foundation stone.

Wolmarans Street. When the Wolmarans Street Shul closed, the late Cyril Goldstein, very involved with the United Hebrew Congregations for many years, carefully stored the stone in a storeroom in his building at No 1 Delvers Street in the Johannesburg CBD with the intention that it one day be placed in the walls of the Great Park Shul for posterity. Cyril passed away in Melbourne, Australia on Erev Rosh Hashanah last year. In a fitting tribute and true to his wish, the stone was carefully built into the wall and unveiled, with a stone in memory of Cyril, by Clive Blechman, the gabai of Great Park. The ceremony was attended by a number of rabbonim, including two dayanim of the Beth Din, Rabbi Moshe Kurtstag, the Av Beth Din and Rabbi Ziggy Suchard of Sandton; Rabbi-Emeritus of Oxford Shul Rabbi Norman Bernhard, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan the rav of the Great Park, committee members and community members of the Great Park. Cyril’s brother, Dr Bobby Goldstein as well as Cyril’s daughter, Dr Chyrisse Heine, her husband and two of her children, from Melbourne attended. After the stones were unveiled by Clive Blechman, Isaac Reznik of the UOS gave some background on the history of shuls in Johannesburg. He was followed by Rabbi Hazdan who read a message from Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, who was unable to attend due to a prior engagement. Rabbi Hazdan mentioned that

Chyrisse Heine, daughter of Cyril Goldstein, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan of the Great Park Shul and Clive Blechman, Hon Life Chairman of the Great Park Synagogue, at the foundation stone unveiling. (PHOTOGRAPHS: ILAN OSSENDRYVER) the Hebrew word for stone, “even” comes from two words av (father) and ben (son), illustrating the handing on of Jewish ethics and principles from generation to generation. He also pointed out that Cyril was visionary in wanting to move Wolmarans Street “brick-by-brick” to Houghton. While this did not happen, the Great Park was built as a smaller replica of the Great Synagogue and preserves much of its atmosphere. Chyrisse Heine gave a moving account of her memories of her late father’s involvement with the shul and how he would often attend three shuls daily to help with minyanim - Cyrildene, the Lions Shul and Wolmarans Street. Cyril, who was born in Bethal in 1922 devoted many hours of his life in selfless service to the Jewish community, starting as treasurer of the Bethal Shul and later joining the Lions Shul in Doornfontein when he moved to Johannesburg, where he was a regular congregant.

Subsequently, he joined the Great Synagogue in Wolmarans Street, on the fringes of Hillbrow, where he served as gabai (president), chairman and treasurer. He was actively involved with the United Hebrew Congregation, which consisted of five shuls, Wolmarans Street, Oxford, Yeoville, Randburg and Sandton. He oversaw the addition of the small shul next to the Great Synagogue in Wolmarans Street. When Hillbrow became less populated with Jews, it was decided to relocate the Great Synagogue and eventually the Great Park Synagogue was built in Houghton. Cyril was one of the tenacious proponents of its creation, against many naysayers, to preserve some of the grandeur of the old Great Synagogue in Wolmarans Street. So great was his dedication to his Jewish community work, that one of his dreams was to finish a book he started compiling on the history of the Jewish shuls and congregations in Johannesburg.

Dr Harold Serebro member of the Great-Park Synagogue

Great Park Synagogue

HOLLAND AND THE HOLOCAUST

The Dutch are a nation that have a sensitive conscience. They want the civilized world to respect them as they have strongly supported legislation to improve human rights since the end of the Second World War. For over six decades, the Netherlands have always been in the forefront when there is a demand for justice, fairplay and morality. Holland is proud that its citizens and Government covet these attributes – which are the essence of decency. Many events impinge on the conscience centre of a nation, which is pivotal in determining its behaviour. Pride in the achievement of moral milestones, can inspire a nation. In a similar vein, shafts of guilt, splinters of cruelty and slivers of shame can trouble the mind of a people – perhaps even of the Dutch? These thoughts of torment do not simply disappear in the abyss of memory or within the corridors of time. The pride stems from the fact that during the Second World War and the Nazi occupation of Holland the Dutch hid 25,000 Jews from the Nazi-Germans and 16,000 of them survived. Then again, Yad Vashem has honoured more Dutch people for saving Jews from the Germans, than any other European country. The guilt is felt by the Dutch citizens because the destruction of their Jewish fellow citizens was rapid, callous and ruthless. Dutch Jewry was decimated. Could the gentile Dutch citizens of Holland have done more to prevent this catastrophe of death which descended on the Dutch Jews from happening? This point has begun to worry some of them, especially University students and historians.

Dr Harold Serebro - Holocaust Historian Author of “Beyond Redemption?”

class group in a small country which was intensely religious, is not only massive, it is tragic and shameful and it overwhelms the mind. Out of 60,000 Jews sent from Holland to Auschwitz 1,150 survived. Out of 34,313 Dutch Jews deported to Sobibor, only 15 are known to have survived. 1,750 Dutch Jews were sent to Mauthausen and only ONE survived (See table).

TABLE : DEPORTATION OF THE JEWS OF HOLLAND

NUMBER DEPORTED

PLACE OF DEPORTATION

SURVIVORS

60,000

AUSCHWITZ

1,150

34,313

SOBIBOR

5,000

THEREISENSTADT

2,000

4,000

BERGEN BELSEN

2,000

1,750

MAUTHAUSEN

1.901

RAVENSBRÜCK

150

TOTAL : 106,964

TOTAL : 5,316

The Dutch honour the memory of Anne Frank. While in hiding for two years she wrote her famous diary – words which tug the heartstrings of decent people and which haunts one’s thoughts. They emphasize the cruelty of Man to his neighbour, the transient nature of the human existence, the supreme value of freedom and the tenuousness and frailty of human rights and dignity. The diary words express every feeling of man’s psyche – a love of fun, space, dancing, youth, vigour, energy, mobility, hope, tolerance and peace… as well as fear. She wrote, “I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I am free.” Fear hovers over her and her family. She also wrote in her diary about Jews caught by the Germans’ “The British radio speaks of their being gassed.” Anne Frank was one out of 1.5 million Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust. In Amsterdam the Dutch have established the Anne Frank House Museum which is now just over 50 years old. It attracts thousands of visitors annually. Like the rest of the thinking civilized world the Dutch consider Anne Frank to be an icon of history whose words have become a fiery pathway, warning humanity to revere the sanctity of life.Why then has anti-Semitism increased in the Netherlands over the past 10 years? Why is it not safe for Jews to walk in the streets wearing a Yarmulke? If they do so, they may be physically attacked, verbally insulted or continuously harassed. In Amsterdam alone, anti-Semitic incidents rose in 2009 from 17 in the prior year to a current 41. Are the perpetrators of these insults

Out of 106,964 Dutch Jews deported to the concentration camps (See table), there were only 5,316 survivors. Did this high co-efficient of destruction in Holland of its Jewish citizens occur because many Dutch people were members of the Dutch Nazi Party and they co-operated with the Nazi occupiers, working closely with them on many levels? First they served the Nazis by recording and guarding the Jews who were sent to the Vught, Westerbork and Amersfoort, Dutch concentration camps. The Dutch S.S. controlled the camp administration and they treated their Dutch/Jewish citizens with great brutality. In fact it is well documented, that even before the Nazi invasion of Holland, the Dutch Nationalist Socialist Party had over 100,000 members. After the Germans controlled Holland a further 30,000 Dutch joined the S.S. There were many Dutch informers who betrayed Jews to the German Gestapo. That is how Anne Frank and her family were found in the attic where they were hidden. There is no doubt whatsoever that during the war many Dutch were pro-German – in fact if Austria is excluded the Dutch had the largest pro-German indigenous Nazi Party. This is a dense stain on the conscience of a nation especially when an analysis of the Jewish death rate among Dutch Jews revealed that all Dutch Jews over the age of 50 years and those under the age of 16 years were murdered! The horrifying death toll among the Dutch Jews, a working 46

the heirs of the former members of the Dutch Nazi Party or are they offspring of the Dutch informers who betrayed their Jewish Dutch citizens to the Nazis? On the other hand perhaps the rise of Neo-Nazism and overt racism based on skin colour in Europe, has found a fertile soil in Holland. Why is it that when the very few surviving Dutch Jews returned to their homeland after the war, they found that many Dutch gentiles were hostile to them? Why is it that books have been written indicating that many Dutch gentiles tried to denigrate and trivialize the very important role that Jews had played in the resistance? Is it because the Jews who were formerly unarmed and defenseless now can repel force with force when they are rocketed from Gaza? This approach scares neo-Nazis who attack the defenseless and they react with violence or insults against women, children and the elderly, who can’t retaliate against them. The Dutch workers in the Civil Service co-operated fully with the Nazi-Germans in classifying the Dutch Jews and registering them. Thousands of Dutch personnel were involved. Full Jews were registered as J, half or bastard Jews as B, a bastard Jew with two Jewish grandparents as B1, and bastard Jews with one Jewish grandparent as B11. Registration and classification of Jews preceded their incarceration and deportation to the Death Camps. The Dutch S.S. who rounded up the Jews, those Dutch drivers who transported them to the Dutch Concentration Camps, those Dutch civil servants working with the Nazis who accepted and checked their registration forms and those Dutch administrators who classified the Dutch Jews as J, B, B1, or B11, and the Dutch S.S. who guarded them and then forced them with brutality to board trains to the East – to Auschwitz and Sobibor – to Death Camps, are as guilty of their murder as those Nazi German S.S. who gassed the Jews or who shot or starved them on their arrival in Poland.

Silber, who had arrested the family. In 1963, after studying a photocopy of the telephone directory of the Gestapo in Holland, Simon Wiesenthal saw under the heading “IV Special Squad Jews” or “IV B4Juden”, the name Silberbauer. The latter, after arresting the family, threw the diary on the floor where Otto Frank, Anne’s father found it after the war. Over 36 million copies of the diary have been sold! Silberbauer, a policeman in Vienna, was suspended pending an investigation. His police card was taken from him. A Dutch journalist who interviewed him asked him, “Are you sorry for what you did?” Silberbauer replied, “Of course I am sorry. I feel positively like an outcast. Each time I want to take a tram, I have to buy a ticket now, just like everybody else. I can no longer show my police card.” He never gave the little girl or her family that he consigned to Death another thought! The Nazi-Germans and their collaborators abandoned the concept of the reverence for life. They extinguished life. Their actions were fuelled by hate. Some try to continue to function behind a shield of amnesia, but it fails to hide past misdeeds. Others gloss over their guilt by denial. To collaborate in the destruction of human life and not to confess thereafter and thus achieve some form of redemption is a calamity. Not to even realize how one’s active participation resulted in murderous crimes on a vast scale is a catastrophe of immense proportions and constitutes a failure both of the individual’s moral conscience and of the fabric of the society in which he or she lives. Dark deeds may be hidden by clouding reality – but do they remain hidden forever?

The dark cloud of the Holocaust is the shroud of the conscience of Man. The Prayers state – “Cast yourself at the foot of God for Mercy, for Man has no mercy.” The genocidal perpetrators exhibited no remorse, regret or penitence. Their cruelty is beyond redemption. In the solitude of sparse surroundings, permeated by the fear of imminent betrayal and capture, the simple words of a little Jewish girl who cherished life, pointed the way to understanding the dignity and value of freedom. Her life and thoughts have become a rallying point for those who respect tolerance, human rights and peace and who believe in hope and faith. After studying details relating to Anne Frank’s arrest, Simon Wiesenthal learnt that Paul Kraler, who worked for Anne Frank’s father, went to the Gestapo Headquarters in Amsterdam, to try to help the family. He recalled that he had spoken to an Austrian S.S. Official from Vienna, whose name sounded like

WITH BEST WISHES FOR A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

PAT AND SAM ABRAHAMS

Ernest Leibowitz Chairman - Community Centre

IT NEARLY DIDN’T HAPPEN In September 2000, one week before our Shul opened for the first time, I received a phone call from Chief Rabbi Harris z”l. In a voice charged with emotion and in his beautiful, rich Scottish accent, he said to me “I’ve just sneaked into our new shul. It’s magnificent and deeply inspiring”. This from a man who certainly knew his way around shuls all over the world and who had originally been opposed to the building of the Great-Park Synagogue. That phone call seemed, at the time, to be the final chapter in a difficult journey. Little did we know that there were further trials and tribulations ahead. For years the Shul committee had debated the difficult decision of whether or not to go ahead with the building of the new shul, given the overwhelming opposition to the concept within the greater Johannesburg Jewish community. This opposition would also make the necessary fundraising an even more difficult task. The opposition was generated largely by the availability of accommodation in other existing shuls but it flew in the face of the legitimate ambition of a 90 year old congregation to perpetuate its existence. A congregation that had itself been instrumental in assisting with the establishment of other shuls. Eventually, a small band of congregants, together with Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, whose leadership and dedication had kept the dream of a new shul alive got together, and with the support of the committee, decided to undertake the tasks of raising the necessary funds and building the shul. With few exceptions the fundraising had to be limited to the congregation itself and there was a shortfall in funds collected of R3.5 million as against the target required for the construction of the shul. This shortfall

was bridged by mortgage bonds. The opposition of the Chief Rabbi had been overcome by the promise to build a muchneeded Community Centre. For two years the shul struggled with mounting financial problems. Eventually, in July 2002, our auditors wrote to the committee, in terms of the relevant regulations, informing it that we were operating under conditions of insolvency and giving the committee 30 days to submit a viable plan to rectify the situation, failing which a report would have to be made to the Public Accountants and Auditors Board. The fundraising effort began again. The congregation rose to the occasion magnificently and before the expiry of the 30 day deadline, nearly R5 million was pledged with more than half of that banked. As the saying goes, the rest is history and we have this magnificent, functioning precinct of which we are all justifiably proud. Today, as we begin the eleventh year in this venue, we have a Shul with full membership and a waiting list, with active and well attended allied functions and events, a successful nursery school and an active, vibrant and well attended Community Centre that is the envy of other shuls. Our precinct is a true Beit Knesset- house of assembly for which we must be truly thankful. May I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy Rosh Hashanah and an easy and meaningful Fast.

Great Park Synagogue

Stained glass windows Rabbi Hazdan- September 1990 We are inspired by a sense of joy and awe as the majestic beauty of our Great-Park Synagogue is further enhanced by the magnificent stained glass windows that now adorn its dome.

self, as it illuminates and elevates the cosmic forces of creation. The house of prayer addresses all the seasons of life – the sun of day and the moon of night.

We are grateful to Melanie Meyersfeld who conceived the project and brought it to fruition. We are appreciative to all those, whose contributions made it possible. We are delighted that Judith Mason has given of her insight, depth and acclaimed creativity and artistic talent to design these windows.

The windows of our lives are our portholes to the world beyond ourselves. They allow us to receive and exude light. I am reminded of the words of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, “people are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.”

The themes depicted reflect the power of prayer. The human being is a composite of heaven and earth, soul and body, spiritual and physical, inspiration and desire. The ladder of Jacob’s dream symbolizes our ability to stretch beyond the earth in which we feel entrenched, and to aspire heavenwards. The journey of prayer is one of systematic growth through attainable rungs that allows us to reach towards the infinite.

May the opportunities and inspirations of our Great-Park Synagogue and Chief Rabbi Harris Community Center ignite and stoke our inner flame. May we reach for the heavens and become a dynamic force of living Judaism, committed to the positive future of our community and all of South Africa.

The elements of fire, water, air and earth reflect the construct of the entire universe of G-d, as well as the character traits of our inner being. The power of prayer permeates the privacy of

May Hashem speedily rebuild our holy temple in Jerusalem and bring redemption and peace to all mankind with the coming of Moshiach.

ORT JET OVERVIEW 2010 During the past 5 years, ORT JET has had the privilege of assisting 376 Jewish businesses in need. Over 75% of these businesses have shown positive results from this interaction. This has been achieved with the assistance of our 400 registered volunteer consultants who give of their time to help add value to each unique business scenario. By empowering Jewish business people, ORT JET significantly contributes to a healthier business environment. In line with ORT’s philosophy of ’Educating for Life’, ORT JET works towards educating entrepreneurs and business people to become secure in their ability to provide for themselves and their families in the future while retaining their pride and dignity. According to Judaism, the sincerest form of charity is to aid a person in need by offering them a gift or a loan; by entering into a partnership with them; or by providing work for them so that they may become selfsupporting. With the support of the Office of the Chief Rabbi and other community organisations, ORT JET has extended this project to include various other mediums of skills transfer and growth through business lectures and networking forums. These have all been well attended in Johannesburg as well as Cape Town this year. 2010 has been a year of growth and consolidation sprouting new partnerships formed with other outreach organisations such as Project Natan (Chabad) and the Chevra Kadisha. We have launched new, exciting Campaigns encouraging the Jewish business community to keep striving for success while offering opportunities to those hungry for growth. In response to a pressing demand, we have added to our mentor process – The “C Team” (Crisis Team) which has been tasked with giving enhanced hands on assistance and guidance to those business people who come to ORT JET in “dire” personal and financial circumstances for the process of their recovery. We will be taking our recruitment division, JET Jobs to a new level by launching an online job platform, offering Jewish employees and potential employers a place to network directly. TO Contact ORT JET for business assistance or for any other information, on 011 728 7154, cindy@ortjet.org.za or www.ortjet.org .

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Great Park Synagogue

Business Day: WARREN GOLDSTEIN: Give Israel a chance to be heard Published: 2010/08/06 07:07:21 AM

FOR many years it has been unfashionable to support the justice of the cause of the state of Israel. Times have changed. It is no longer merely unfashionable; it has become, for many, morally unacceptable too. Now, the view that Israel is guilty of heinous crimes against humanity is regarded as incontrovertible and obvious. These conventional wisdoms, created by a worldwide campaign to delegitimise Israel, have led to a form of intellectual tyranny. Just as political tyranny crushes dissent and imposes its views through intimidation, so does intellectual tyranny. Political tyranny uses elaborate networks of secret police, prisons and kangaroo courts, and intellectual tyranny uses international activists, institutions and media, which seek to intellectually and morally delegitimise all opposition. The defining feature of this thuggery is that ideas, rational arguments and facts are not important, and anyone who dares challenge its narrative of Israel as the villain is dismissed as a racist apartheid supporter. For example, Allister Sparks wrote an article in which he appears to accuse me of suggesting that Judge Richard Goldstone ought to have recused himself from the United Nations Gaza Inquiry because he is Jewish, and of requiring him to prefer his ethnic identity to his moral and professional duty. This is not true. I wrote a lengthy article on the Goldstone Report, which was published locally and internationally, in which I not once mentioned Goldstone’s Jewishness. I pointed out five fundamental legal flaws in the Goldstone Report, one of which was that all four commissioners, including Goldstone, had, before their appointments, publicly expressed their disapproval of Israel’s conduct in the Gaza War. In any civilised legal system, a judge who has so acted is obliged to recuse himself. My point had nothing to do with ethnicity and everything to do with basic procedural justice. All my arguments challenging the legal foundations of the Goldstone Report have been on record since October last year. Significantly, neither Goldstone nor Sparks, as far as I am aware, have responded to these arguments. The Israeli military report upon which Sparks relies does not vindicate Goldstone’s findings, and is a credit to Israel’s open and critical democracy.

As a religious leader, I feel duty- bound to speak out because of the moral injustice being perpetrated against Israel and its supporters, who are not being given a fair opportunity to defend themselves because of the intellectual thuggery of the international delegitimisation campaign. I also feel a duty to speak out because there is so much at stake, since without truth there can be no justice nor peace. As the Talmud says, “The world stands on three things: truth, justice and peace.” These three values are linked. Without truth there can be no justice, and ultimately there can be no peace. World peace and stability are in jeopardy because, in the court of public opinion, only one side of this conflict is being heard. What if the conventional wisdom is wrong? What if Israel is not an apartheid state, but rather the only truly free, democratic state in the Middle East that has, at great loss of life for its own citizens, relentlessly pursued peace? What if the real obstacle to peace is not the establishment of a Palestinian state, which could have been achieved but for repeated Arab rejection? What if the real obstacle is the deep-rooted racist opposition to a Jewish state in the region? What if we take the democratically elected Hamas government seriously when it says in its founding charter that its aim is the murder of Jews? What if we take Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at his word, when he says that he intends to wipe out Israel’s almost 6- million Jews ? What if Israel is on the front lines of the war between freedom, democracy and human rights on the one hand, and a fascist, religious oppression on the other? The answers to these questions are relevant to us all. The forces that seek Israel’s destruction could be the same forces that threaten the civilised world. If they are, we need to know that. The cause of freedom and human rights depends on it. We must stand up to the intellectual tyranny, and give Israel a chance to be heard. Our future depends on it. - Goldstein is Chief Rabbi.

Wishing one and all a very peaceful, fulfilling and healthy sweet New Year and well over the Fast. Felicity & Hymie Berger, Dorian & Lara, Myron & Melissa and Families. 51

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2010/08/19 04:32 PM

Jewish Medical Ethics JLI Fall 2010 Course Overview

Jewish Learning Institute

As medicine advances and life expectancy increases, almost all of us will at some point encounter an ethical dilemma in dealing with our own health or the health of a loved one. How is Jewishness determined in the case of surrogate motherhood? Is it permissible, or perhaps even obligatory, to donate a kidney to save the life of a loved one? May one pursue a dangerous experimental treatment that has the risk of shortening life? Should children and teens have the autonomy to refuse potentially lifesaving treatment because of its arduous side effects, even when their parents disagree with their decision? Modern medicine creates many new quandaries as it continually pushes the boundaries of what is possible. But Jewish law creatively draws analogies with ancient paradigms to provide guidance through the maze of medical decision making. In this engaging course, we will examine some contemporary case studies, comparing secular and Jewish approaches as a means of developing ethical understanding. This course will be available for CME credit (and possibly CLE credit, depending on the state and its particular guidelines). Students pursuing continuing education credit may have to fulfill additional requirements.

Syllabus Lesson 1

Choices, Choices: The Ethics of Patient Autonomy

The modern medical age offers hope for many dire medical situations, but does so at a price. As medical intervention increases, quality of life often decreases. This lesson examines Jewish perspectives on pursuing medical care, as well as declining it. Is it ever acceptable, or even preferable, to simply rely on faith, prayer, and one’s own resources? How does Judaism justify medical intervention? And is it an obligation or a choice? May other family members force us to seek treatment that we do not want? Do our personal preferences and values hold any weight? And does the same hold true for children? This lesson examines the ethics of issues involving patient autonomy within the modern health care system. Lesson 2

Becoming a Parent: The Ethics of Assisted Reproduction

Many couples struggle with infertility. In their efforts to bear a child, they are often cast into the complicated ethical web of the new reproductive technologies, many of which call into question the very definition of parent. In the age of sperm donation, egg donation, and surrogacy, can a child have more than two parents? How is Jewishness determined? How does Judaism look at “designer babies?” Can we pre-select the gender of the child to match parent preferences or to prevent genetic illnesses? How far must one go in the quest for biological children, and what recourse is there for those who are unable to bear children of their own? Lesson 3

I Have a Secret: The Ethics of Confidentiality

A basic presumption of modern medical practice is that patients have a right for their medical history to be kept confidential unless they explicitly waive those rights (such as in allowing records to be reviewed by an insurance company). What happens, however, when those records contain information that might impact other family members? May a man hosting an incurable communicable disease withhold that information from his wife? Does a woman willing to donate a kidney to a man she presumes to be her father have the right to know that in fact, he is not related to her at all? Do children have the right to know they are carriers of a particular disease, or may the parent keep that information private? This lesson looks at some ways of balancing the harm to the individual whose privacy is invaded against the need to provide family members with vital health information. Lesson 4

All Kinds of Minds: Mental Diﬀerence in Jewish Tradition

The mentally ill have often been viewed in society as possessed by the devil, or otherwise evil. Jewish law, however, has long recognized this as a disease, and acknowledges both the limitations of responsibility that this state imposes, as well as the essential humanity of the mentally ill. Jewish law recognizes that there may well be islands of ability at the same time that limitations exist. It encourages the maximum participation possible of those with mental illnesses, while outlining the role the community must play in protecting their interests. The lesson also considers the integration of individuals who may suffer from mental retardation, and the value of engaging them actively in Jewish life. Lesson 5

The Gift of Life: The Ethics of Organ Donation

Hundreds of thousands of people find their lives hanging in the balance as they hope for the gift of life in the form of a vital organ such as a heart, lung, or kidney. By receiving an organ, they are literally given a new leaf on life. Yet there is a tremendous shortage of available organs. Does Jewish law allow the donation of organs, either from a live donor or one who is recently deceased? Might it go further, actively encouraging or even morally compelling one to donate under certain circumstances? Conversely, if our bodies are not our own, do we even have the authority to give a body part away? This lesson provides a nuanced and compassionate look at the sensitive ethical issues governing organ donation. Lesson 6

Rolling the Dice: The Ethics of Medical Experimentation

Often, people with rare or incurable illnesses consider untested experimental treatment, gambling that they will be cured. May one participate in an experimental treatment with no guarantee of success that also has the danger of shortening life? Can we define the allowable odds? Does it matter that participating in this experimental treatment will provide important knowledge that will be helpful in curing others? The lesson considers other ethical issues related to experimentation such as the ethics of stem cell research. 54

02 - 09 July 2010

Selwyn Segal spend a glorious day at Loftus LIONEL STEIN PHOTOGRAPH: IVOR GINSBERG

Rabbi Dovid Hazdan appointed to MaAfrika Tikkun Board Rabbi Hazdan was recently appointed to the MaAfrika Tikkun Board where he is playing an active and influential role in helping the NGO achieve its mission: to help children at risk in some of the country’s most deprived communities to develop into well-adjusted, productive members of society. This appointment marks a deepening of the warm and close relationship that has been established between the GreatPark Synagogue community and MaAfrika Tikkun over several years. This year, Great-Park was once again the scene of the Mandela Day celebrations which saw the community donating blankets and clothing to MaAfrika Tikkun for distribution to vulnerable children and other destitute individuals in Alexandra Township, Diepsloot, Orange Farm and Hillbrow.

In addition, MaAfrika Tikkun’s communities reap the benefits of the annual Lag B’omer celebration held at the Great-Park Synagogue with blankets, jackets and coats collected at the event donated to the organisation. Founded by the late Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris and businessman Bertie Lubner, MaAfrika Tikkun, MaAfrika Tikkun is different from most other NGO in that it takes a holistic approach to empowering South Africa’s most vulnerable children. While addressing the child’s most pressing and critical needs – from feeding and shelter to education and healthcare – MaAfrika Tikkun’s goal is a long-term one: the transformation of the child and the community from a situation of dependency to one of empowerment.

THE GREAT Park Shul opened their heart and arranged for the Selwyn Segal to watch one of the World Cup games, Algeria versus the USA at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The day came - Wednesday June 23 - an exciting day in the life of those residents from the Selwyn Segal who were going to the soccer. The excitement was electric. Everyone was provided with a Fifa shirt, a cap, a beanie, a scarf, a back pack with refreshments and of course a vuvezela. Brenda Solarsh, Mike Baum, residents and staff, were there to say goodbye to those residents going to the soccer by bus. It was a sendoff equal to the Bafana Bafana sendoff to their match against Mexico. First stop was for lunch sponsored by Kosher Nando’s in Bramley. There the Selwyn Segal residents met up with their hosts from the Great Park Shul; Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, the organisers - Ivor Ginsberg and Benjy de Groen - and Ronel Duchen. The bus ride to Pretoria was a pleasure. The new highway made the months of inconvenience very worthwhile. Between a bit of chutzpah on Ivor Ginsberg’s part, coupled with co-operation from the Tshwane traffic department and the Fifa officials, the Selwyn Segal

bus was allowed to park right at the entrance to the stadium. Fifa officials accompanied everyone to their seats. It was no easy task keeping a Selwyn Segal party of 30 excited spectators together without anyone getting lost inside a packed Loftus stadium. But everyone got to their seats safely without anyone going missing. All the Selwyn Segal residents enjoyed the match very much. The last-minute goal by the USA for victory, made the day for the Selwyn Segal contingent as they were supporting the USA. After the match everyone stayed behind, where Ginsberg photographed the group. Walking back to the bus was quite hazardous as the group passed thousands of USA fans celebrating in the grounds. These celebrations added to a wonderful atmosphere that overwhelmed everyone. Back on the bus we had a prepared supper together with refreshments. During the ride home, the bubbling excitement permeated throughout the bus. Among the comments from the residents was those of Norman Cohen, stating emphatically that it was a “great day” and Josepha Kahn expressed the wish that “it was so nice, I would like to go again”. It was a great day in the life of the Selwyn Segal and in unison they said: “Thank you Rabbi Hazdan, thank you the Great Park Shul.”

Soccer fever swept into the Selwyn Segal.

Submitted by Amanda Blankfield, Marketing Manager of MaAfrika Tikkun.

Great-Park Shul’s Rabbi Dovid Hazdan with young recipients of Lag B’ Omer warmth.

The team at MaAfrika Tikkun would like to wish the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, their families and all within the community a blessed New Year and a meaningful Fast. Thank you for all your magnificent support! 56

I have been very privileged to be a part of the Great-Park teen discussions sessions. We, a group of girls my age, meet with Goldie Simpson approximately one Shabbos a month, and discuss various topics such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;our role on this earthâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;do miracles still happen?â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;why is there suffering in the world?â&#x20AC;? These sessions are fun, informative and exciting, with games, prizes, activities and raffles. Sitting in the shade of the beautiful pine trees, we are in the perfect setting to focus on the oneness of Hashem. We all feel that this is an opportunity to really open up and learn important Torah lessons. The discussions have intensified our love and interest in Judaism, and we feel comfortable to share our own thoughts and insights. We look forward to growing the group and exploring new topics and themes in the new year. If you are a girl of about 14-15 years of age please come join in !

by Nikki Silverman BSâ&#x20AC;?D

Hey Girls! Join us for a

GREAT PARK TEEN DISCUSSION Why did G-d create the world? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Shabbat (Saturday) 21 August 2010 10:45 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:45 @ Great Park Synagogue Age 14 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15 Interactive insightful discussion Exciting raffle prize Surprise gifts

Many thanks to Nikki Silverman and to Glen and Sue Silverman for their efforts in driving this project!

G R E A T - P A R K

W O M E N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S

F O R U M

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every week I see women in the community and wish them a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;helloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Good Shabbosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;Ś but I know that every one of these women has a story and thought and experiences to shareâ&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? With this in mind, a Great-Park Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Forum has been formed, initiated and driven by Travice Rabinowitz, Maxine Jaffit and Goldie Simpson. It provides an informal opportunity for women in the community to meet once a month to share words of wisdom, strength and hope, based on their personal life experiences. The current series of talks is called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lives: Lessons we learn from each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Members of Great-Park who have recently shared their stories are: Maxine Jaffit (about completing the NY marathon with a disabled man), Raelene Tradonsky (about participating in The March of the Living), Anne Janks (about her extraordinary experiences in Patagonia and Chile), Travice Rabinowitz (about her life so far as illustrated through her art), Susan Epstein (about â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My scars and stripes), and Jenny Greenblatt (about the lessons she learned on her journey with her 5 year old son who has cerebral palsy). Our beautiful logo is an element from a painting by Susan Fox Blumberg. We invite you to join us and get to know those familiar faces that greet you at shul. Please contact Goldie Simpson at goldiesimpson@gmail. com or 072 832 2001. Clare Shaff and Freda Gordon wish all their friends a Shana Tova Umetukah 58

Message from Rabbi Hazdan

Message from the Chairman:

A Mikvah is a vital & fundamental foundation of Jewish life. Throughout our history & increasingly in our modern Jewish experience, the Mikvah has made an invaluable contribution to marriage and the relationship between husand and wife and Jewish Family life in general.

We are thrilled to add a vital new dimension to the growth and developments at Great-Park.

So important is the institution of Mikvah, that it supercedes even the requirement to build a shul.

The Mikvah will be built with funds donated specifically to this project. A separate Mikvah bank account has been opened. The building will only commence when all required funds have been banked and no shul funds will be utilized for this project.

Over the past decade, our community has B”H developed and grown in numerous and diverse areas. Our Mikvah project will add a dimension of spirituality and holiness to our community. It will Please G-d become a catalyst that will enhance the sacredness of Jewish marriage. It will oﬀer our young brides and grooms, as well as our married couples, the opportunity to explore the opportunities of Mikvah in an environment that will meet exceptional standards of esthetic beauty and comfort. I am most grateful to our convenors for their vision, commitment and eﬀort. May Hashem bless their endeavours with success. Sincerely, Rabbi Dovid Hazdan.

We are progressing tremendously well with the Mikvah. We have had an outstanding response from our congregants as well as the larger community. We hope to have two thirds of our required funds committed for the Mikvah. Julian Michaels has very kindly drawn up plans. The outer building will be a small replica of the main Synagogue buildings. We believe we will have the most beautiful Mikvah in the country, if not the world. These plans have been approved by Johnnic. We are now submitting them to council once the halachic expert, Rabbi Posen, has approved. We are putting the building out to tender and should start very soon.

The Great-Park Mikvah project will meet a growing spiritual need in our community.

We wish the convenors and organizers much success in their endeavours. Sincerely Clive Blechman

We are delighted to embark on an exciting new journey at our Great-Park Synagogue. A growing group of dynamic women are passionate about building a Mikvah on our Great-Park campus. The Mikvah will be built to specifications that will ensure a modern spa environment that will encourage and inspire many more women from our community & beyond to embrace the experience of Mikvah. If you would like to participate in making our dream a reality, or if you would like further information about this project please contact: Wendy Zinman 082 851 6062 Feige Hazdan 083 283 5256 Goldie Simpson 083 456 8588 Carmela Lishansky 082 551 2001 Aviva Krost 082 374 3437 Sponsorship Available: Brick R1, 800 Bronze R9,000 Silver R18,000 Gold R36,000 Platinum R54,000 Double Platinum R108,000

Many thanks to all of you for your wonderful support in

Room Sponsorship P.O.A

this most important Mitzvah.

All donations will be graciously accepted

May you and your families all be inscribed and sealed for a Shana Tovah and Metukah. Warm regards Tyrone Zinman

Mikvah account details: Great-Park Synagogue Mikvah Account Nedbank, Norwood Branch code: 191905 Account number: 1919576274 Tyrone Zinman Honorary Treasurer Mikvah Fund

Honorary Treasurer Mikvah Fund

With best wishes to all the congregation for a happy and healthy New Year and a meaningful Fast. Annetta and Morris Bilchik 60

Shavuot Dinner 28 May - 4 June 2010

Friday Night Dinners

There is an ongoing need in the Jewish community for family support. With this in mind, Dr. Ronel Duchen, together with Shmuel and Goldie Simpson, has initiated and organized Family Workshops, aiming to support Jewish men and women in various areas of family life. Ronel Duchen is a counselling psychologist and founder of the Familyzone Mediation Centre (www.familyzone.co.za) and a member of our community. The program targets individuals and couples who value the importance of facilitating healthy relationships within the family and the home. The workshops are practical in nature and assist in expanding knowledge and skills. The program currently includes Parenting Workshops for expecting parents and parents with young children. Feedback from participants in the course has been extremely positive, and we look forward to continued growth. Our Great-Park Synagogue recognizes the importance that Judaism gives to the family and the home and is committed to reaching out to the wider Jewish community in this regard. For more information about this project, please contact Shmuel or Goldie Simpson.

There has been a growing request from women in the community for an opportunity to review Torah laws that pertain to the home & family purity. Please let me know if you would like to participate in a refresher-course or just schedule a time to talk about these halachot. Goldie Simpson goldiesimpson@gmail.com; or 072 832 2001

Some Past Shiurim And Programs Great Park Synagogue

)HHOLQJ ORVW LQ WKH )ULGD\ QLJKW VHUYLFHV" We invite you to a two-part lecture series in which you can familiarize yourself with the prayer book, explore the meaning of the prayers, and understand their significance. Join us for a

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE FRIDAY NIGHT PRAYER SERVICES presented by Rabbi Shmuel Simpson Wednesday October 21st & 28th at 8:00 PM @ Great Park Synagogue Donation: R20 RSVP: Goldie â&#x20AC;&#x201C; goldiehazdan@gmail.com; 083 456 8588

KE'K/E' ^,/hZ/D ^, d DKZE/E' W W / Z z D ^ ^ E t ^, d DKZE/E' > Z ^ ^ E t ^, d DKZE/E' & ' d ' ^ ^hE z DKZE/E' D Z , ^ ^ d DKE z s E/E' D D ^ ^

dh ^ z s E/E' : d / > Z , ^ ^ E t t E ^ z DKZE/E' & d Z ^ ^ > t E ^ z s E/E' / Z ^ t d ^ ^ ^ d E t t E ^ z s E/E' t K & d ^ Z ^ ^ ^ K d,hZ^ z s E/E' Z Z d ^ ^ d

Great-Park Synagogue

ONGOING SHIURIM: Friday evening:

SHABBAT MORNING Parsha Perspectives – In depth studies with Rabbi Yosef Medalie 8:15 – 8:45 am in the Small Shul

Kabalat Shabbat 6:00 pm Children Service 6:15 pm Shabbat day:

SHABBAT MORNING Weekly shiur after Kiddush with Rabbi Shmuel Simpson

Shacharit Mincha Maariv

SHABBAT MORNING For Girls, age 14 – 16, once a month Teen Discussion with Goldie Simpson

8:45am 1½ hours before the end of Shabbat when Shabbat ends

Morning Services Sunday and Public Holidays 7:45 am Monday & Thursday 6:45 am Tuesday , Wednesday & Friday 7:00 am Daily Afternoon/Evening Services 1 October – 31 March 6:00 pm 1 April – 15 April 5:45 pm 16 April – 30 April 5:30 pm May 5:20 pm June 5:15 pm July 5:20 pm August 5:30 pm September 5:45 pm

DAILY BETWEEN MINCHA AND MARIV The Mitzvot – Their meaning and application The Study of Rambam’s Book of Mitzvot with Rabbi Shmuel Simpson SUNDAY MORNING Mishna shiur with Rabbi Hazdan 8:45 – 9:15 am in the Small Shul Current Tractate: Beitza MONDAY EVENING Talmud Shiur with Rabbi Shmuel Simpson 6:30 – 7:15 pm in the Small Shul Current Tractate: Megilla TUESDAY EVENING Lecture series on Jewish Thought and Interest with Rabbi Hazdan 7:45—8:45 pm in the Small Shul WEDNESDAY MORNING Living with the Times – Shiur for women With Goldie Simpson 9:15 am at 10a Currie Street, Oaklands

YOUR KIDDUSH AT GREAT-PARK

WEDNESDAY EVENING The Siddur Inspired with Rabbi Shaun Wingrin 6:15—6:45 pm in the Small Shul Current Theme: Daily blessings

We are grateful to the many members who have shared their personal important events with our community by sponsoring a Shabbat morning Kiddush.

WEDNESDAY EVENING “On Souls, Struggle and Purpose” - Tanya Shiur for young adults with Rabbi Shmuel Simpson 8:00—9:00 pm at 10a Currie Street, Oaklands

If you are celebrating an important milestone such as a birthday or an anniversary or commemorating a Yartzeit, why not share it in your spiritual home with the Great-Park family?

THURSDAY EVENING Talmud shiur with Rabbi Berel Rodal 6:30—7:30 pm in the Small Shul Current Tractate: Berachot A number of personal study-sessions have been initiated. Should you wish to pursue a Torah subject or text of your choice, or organize a small group session, please contact Rabbi Shmuel or Goldie Simpson.

Please phone the oﬃce to make a reservation. 64

Community News

WHATS BEEN HAPPENING THROUGH THE YEAR

CONDOLENCES NEW MEMBERS Edith Goldstein, Bobby Goldstein, Chyrisse, Eric, Michelle, Walter, Stanley, Coleen Jeff Bortz and grandchildren on the loss of their husband, brother, father and grandfather, Cyril Coreen and Harold Crown Janine and Stephen Danziger Valda Norwitz, Kevin and Pam Norwitz, Sean and Glynda Kramer, Grant and Justine Norwitz Micha and Michelle Lanzer, and grandchildren on the loss of their husband, father and grandfather, Ronnie Lior and Alon Lanzer Arnold and Tessa Forman and Reuben on the loss of their mother, mother-in-law and husband Danya and Robin Magid Lou and Arlene, Russel and Avrona Rottanburg, on the loss of mother, mother-in-law. Condolences to Freda and Cookie Dorothy Milner Gabi and Michael Nahon Sheila Kemp, Dennis and Roy Raeburn and Sheila O'Nay, on the loss of their mother and sister, Joan Raeburn Joel Rosen George and Barbara Mendelsohn, Lionel and Michael and families on the loss of their mother, Andrea and Loren Shapiro grandmother and great grandmother, Lucy Cohen Carol Steinberg Harold Serebro, Alan and Michelle Serebro, Howard and Lauren Phillips, Bradley and Amy Serebro, Marcia Valkin Lionel Vilensky and their respective families on the loss of their brother and uncle, Dr Arnold Serebro in Israel Ashley Wachenheimer Shirley Sulman and family on the loss of her daughter Louise Ayala and Trevor Wasserman Trevor Wasserman and family on the loss of his father Vanessa and Adam Weltman Rob and Sharon Meyer and family on the loss of their father and father-in-law, Harry Berger Clive and Liora Weil Rayne Labe and families, on the loss of her husband, Justice Max Labe Jeff Sapire, Avis and Shirley and family, on the loss of their sister, Beverley Michael Judin and family, on the loss of his mother OPSHERNISH Gavriel Jakov Zinman -son of Tyrone and Wendy Zinman, The family of Mona Bolnick on their loss grandparents, Morris and Shirley Zinman Leah Schneider, Beverley Schneider and children on the loss of their son, husband and father, Brian and Richard and Lorraine Goldberg Greta Soggot, Thea, Paula and Katia, Mungo and families on the loss of their husband and father, David Pam Krein and family on the loss of her sister, Vanessa Palestine David Kotzen and family, on the loss of his mother Marlene Amy Serebro and her family on the loss of their mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and wife, Sharon Boner Felicia and Andrea Rosengarten and families on the loss of their mother CONGRATULATIONS Hymie and Tzippy Bloom, Denise and children, on the loss of their son, husband and father, Ivor Marc Lubner -presented with Global Philanthropic award Helen and David Metter on the loss of their son, Anthony. Prof Ralph and Dr Mary Bernstein -60th wedding anniversary. Harry and Amelia Kaplan -Golden wedding anniversary Lara Berger and Marc Furman and families, on the loss of their father, Les Furman Mina Sable -Appointed Vice-President of International Rhona Beck and Anthony, on the loss of her husband and father, Graham Joshua Council of Jewish Women as representative for South Africa Hans Loewenberg -90th birthday in May

BIRTHS Mrs Rose Kotler -a great-granddaughter born in New Zealand, parents Candice and Jonathan Mervis Samantha and Paul Behrman -a son Larry and Bianca Shakinovsky -a son Mona Elkin -a great-granddaughter, parents James and Debbie Jacobson-Maisels ENGAGEMENTS Lolly Lotzoff -a grandson born in Melbourne, parents Andy and Alan Lotzoff Michelle Savitz and David Freedman Laurence Lotzoff -a nephew born in Melbourne, parents Andy and Alan Lotzoff Yael Geffen and Kevin Fine Bassie and Yossie Medalie -a grandaughter, parents Chani and Moishe Pinson Alan and Loren Nossel -a daughter Gaby and Michael Nahon -a son, grandparents Rene Sidley, Clive Sidley, Nicci and Leon Nahon WEDDINGS Brett and Romy Levy -a daughter Luizet and Jonathan Ruzow -a son, grandparents Zelda Palombo, Manfred and Esther Ruzow Tamar Blieden and Dale Resnik Doron and Nicki Barnes -a daughter, granddaughter to Rami Barnes, Hazel Barnes Tilly Gass and Emmanuel Kagan Devorah Barnes -a niece Taryn Gecelter and Jarred Winer Jonathan and Tanya Waksman -a niece Stasia Goott and Nicholas Behr Jackie and Jared Grusin -a daughter, grandparents Gayle and Alec Zaidel and Shareen and Harry Grusin Lee Neifeld and Gavi Friedland James and Amanda Teeger -a daughter, grandparents Beryl Kark, and Isa and Joe Teeger Pamela O'Reilly and Daniel Orelowitz Jodi Hepker -a son, grandparents Shirley, Ronnie and Beverley Hepker Jenny Richamond and David Charney Tammy and Colin Levin -a son, grandparents Roland and Eva Sassoon, Joyce and Neville Levin Michaela Slinger and Michael Horvitch Janet and Howard Zev -a son, grandparents Jill Frankel, Jonny Frankel, Fern and Alan Zev Abby Spitz and Benjamin Robbins Larry and Lana Mallach -a son Nicole Solarsh and Avri Glickman Steven and jackie Fish -a son, grandparents Victor and Francis Fish Lara and Choni Gavin -a son Natalie Benjamin -a grandson, parents Deborah and Lance Richard Please inform the Shul office Ann and Andrew Levy -a granddaughter, in London, parents Sarah and Bernard Berger Michal and Daniel Vorobiof -grandson born in Los Angeles, parents Gabriel and Alisa Vorobiof important occasions

BARMITZVAHS

BATMITZVAHS

Benjamin Barnes Alexa Blechman Oren Blass Natalie Batiya and Sophia Yakera Hyman Gabriel Brenner Brittany Joffe Bradley Max Charney Amy-Lee Modlin Ryan Jonathan Clingman Coral Schneider Terrance Jonathan Glick Jamie Fallon Smith Daniel Lazarus Amy Hannah Stoch Max Matuson Adam Jay Midzuk Taiman Milner Bret Rosengarten Jonathan Serebro (Syndey, Australia) Michael Stuart Matan Traube

of all

Data on this page was compiled by the office and reflects information available to us as of our going to print. Please inform us of all relevant community and family news to ensure that it appears in our publication. We will welcome additional new members and acknowledge family events in our forthcoming publication.

If you know of anybody who is not well, please contact the office at 011 728 8152 so that a visit can be arranged.

Jewish Proverbs Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. Albert Einstein

If the rich could hire other people to die for them, the poor could make a wonderful living. Yiddish Proverb The wise man, even when he holds his tongue, says more than the fool when he speaks. Yiddish Proverb

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. Albert Einstein

What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t invent with your mouth. Yiddish Proverb

Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them. Albert Einstein

A hero is someone who can keep his mouth shut when he is right. Yiddish Proverb

You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails. Yiddish proverb

One old friend is better than two new ones. Yiddish Proverb

I don’t want to become immortal through my work. I want to become Immortal through not dying. Woody Allen

One of life’s greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn’t good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world. Jewish Proverb

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Sign hanging in Einstein’s office at Princeton.

A wise man hears one word and understands two. Yiddish Proverb

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein

Don’t be so humble - you are not that great. Golda Meir (1898-1978) to a visiting diplomat Pessimism is a luxury that a Jew can never allow himself. Golda Meir

Launching our new Great-Park Website Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quick and easy to make your payments and donations here Stay tuned for upcoming events

Rabbi Shmuel Simpson posts items of interest here

Watch this space for current Great-Park news and events Subscribe to receive the weekly In-Touch newsletter

This site-map contains a comprehensive outline of the website

Visit www.greatpark.co.za 67

s xc

Tishrei Calendar 5771 / 2010 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

5 Sept.

6 Sept.

7 Sept.

Selichot/Shacharit 6:30 a.m.

Selichot/Shacharit 6:15 a.m. Selichot/Shacharit 7:30 a.m.

Visit the graves of parents/ grandparents and pray at the graveside of the righteous

Resolve a conflict before Rosh Hashana

Mincha /Maariv 5:45 p.m.

Greet one's friend with “Ketiva Vechatima Tova” “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good Year”

Wednesday Thursday 8 Sept.

9 Sept.

Shacharit: 7:30 a.m. Minyan Leib Dovid:8:30a.m. Shoffar: 10:45 a.m. Mincha 5:45 p.m. Maariv 6:00 p.m. Light candles after 6:30 p.m. (from a pre-existing flame). (blessing 2&5) Partake of a 1st fruit of the season

Shacharit: 7:30 a.m. Minyan Leib Dovid: 8:30 a.m. Shoffar: 10:45 a.m. Tashlich: following the Service

First night Rosh Hashana

2nd night Rosh Hashana

Mincha /Maariv 5:45 p.m.

29 Elul

1 Tishrei

12 Sept.

13 Sept.

14 Sept.

15 Sept.

16 Sept.

Days of repentance Days of repentance Mincha / Maariv: 5:30 p.m. Mincha / Maariv: 6:10 p.m. Fast ends at 6.21pm

5 Tishrei

4 Tishrei

20 Sept.

19 Sept. Shacharit 7:45 a.m.

Shacharit 6:45 a.m.

12 Tishrei

11 Tishrei

27 Sept.

26 Sept.

21 Sept. Shacharit 7:00 a.m.

22 Sept. Shacharit 7:00 a.m.

8 Tishrei 23 Sept.

First day Sukkot

Sukkah Building Mincha / Maariv: 5:45 p.m.

13 Tishrei 28 Sept.

Shacharit 6:30 a.m.

Chol Hamoed Lulav & Etrog Our home is our Sukkah

Mincha /Maariv 5:45 p.m.

18 Tishrei

19 Tishrei

Mincha /Maariv 5:45 p.m.

20 Tishrei

Light candles 5:46 p.m. (blessing 2&5) Mincha 5:45 p.m. Maariv 6:00 p.m.

First night Sukkot

14 Tishrei 29 Sept. Shacharit 6:00 a.m. Hoshana Raba Last Lulav & Etrog Our home is our Sukkah Eiruv Tavshilin Mincha 5:45 p.m. Light candles 5:49 p.m. (blessing 2&5) Maariv 6:00 p.m.

Lulav & Etrog Our home is our Sukkah Mincha 5:45 p.m.

30 Sept.

ShminiAtzeret Shacharit: 8:45 a.m. Leib Dovid: 9.00am Yizkor 10:45am Take leave of Sukkah Light candles after 6:39p.m. (pre-existing flame). (blessing 2&5) Mincha 5:45 p.m. Maariv 6:00 p.m. Hakafot Simchat Torah Dinner

ShminiAtzeret eve

Simchat Torah eve

21 Tishrei

22 Tishrei

18 Sept.

Yom Kippur

9 Tishrei

10 Tishrei

24 Sept.

25 Sept.

Mikva Days of repentance Mincha 1:00 p.m.

Second Day Sukkot Shabbat Chol Hamoed Shacharit 8:45 a.m.

Public Holiday

Lulav & Etrog Our home is our Sukkah Mincha 5:45 p.m. Light candles Maariv 6:00 p.m. before 5:47 p.m. Light candles after 6:35 p.m. (pre-existing flame). (pre-existing flame). (blessing 1) (blessing 2&5) Second night Sukkot Kabbalat Shabbat 6.00p.m.

15 Tishrei

3 Tishrei

Yom Kippur Night

Days of repentance Mincha/Maariv Fast begins and Light candles 5:45 p.m. 5:44 p.m. (blessing 1,4&5) Talmud Shiur in the Kol Nidrei 6:00 p.m. Small Shul 6:15-7:15 p.m.

7 Tishrei

Mincha 5:15 p.m. End of Shabbat 6:31p.m.

Shacharit: 8:00 a.m. Leib Dovid: 8:30 a.m. Yizkor: 12:00 p.m. Sermon: 12:30 p.m. Musaf: 12:45 p.m. Mincha: 3.30 p.m. Sermon: 4:55 p.m. Neilah: 5:10 p.m. Fast ends: 6:33 p.m. Start Thinking about building the Sukka

Days of repentance Mincha / Maariv: 5:45 p.m.

Shacharit 7:45 a.m.

Mincha /Maariv 5:45 p.m.

17 Sept.

Kaporot early in the morning Shacharit 6:45 a.m.

Days of repentance Mincha / Maariv: 6:25 a.m.

Consider purchasing your own Lulav and Etrog set.

Mincha / Maariv: 5:45 p.m. Mincha / Maariv: 5:45 p.m.

2 Tishrei

Selichot/ Shacharit 6:10 a.m.

Shacharit: 8:45 a.m.

Sukkah Building

Mincha 5:45 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00p.m.

Selichot/ Shacharit 6:15 a.m.

6 Tishrei

Shacharit: 8:45 a.m. Parshat Ha'azinu Shabbat Shuva

Light candles before 5:41 p.m. (from a pre-existing flame). (blessing 1)

Selichot/ Shacharit 6:15 a.m.

Complete the Sukkah Eiruv Tavshilin

Sukkah Building

11 Sept.

Second day Rosh Hashana

28 Elul

Selichot/ Shacharit 6:15 a.m.

10 Sept.

First day Rosh Hashana

27 Elul

Fast Begins: 5:01 a.m. Fast ends: 6:18 p.m. Shacharit 7:30 a.m.

Shabbat

Selichot/Shacharit 6:00 a.m. Hatarat Nedarim Annulment of vows Make New Year's resolution Eiruv Tavshilin Light candles before 5:41 p.m. (blessing 2&5) Mincha 5:45 p.m. Maariv 6:00 p.m. Apples dipped in honey

26 Elul

Fast of Gedalia

Friday

16 Tishrei

Shacharit 8:45 a.m. Chol Hamoed No Lulav & Etrog Our home is our Sukkah Mincha 5:25 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:36 p.m.

17 Tishrei

1 Oct.

2 Oct.

Simchat Torah

Shabbat Bereishit

Shacharit: 8:45 a.m. Hakafot 10:00 a.m. Mincha 5:50 p.m. Light candles before 5:51 p.m. (pre-existing flame). (blessing 1)

Shacharit: 8:45 a.m.

Bless the new month

Kabbalat Shabbat 6:00 p.m.

Mincha: 5:25 p.m. Shabbat ends 6:39 p.m.

23 Tishrei

24 Tishrei

Blessings for Eiruv Tavshilin can be found in the Artscroll Siddur on page 654 and in the Singer Siddur on page 615

Blessings for Candle Lighting 1. SHABBAT

Baruch-Ata Ado-Nai Elo-HeiNu Melech Ha-Olam Asher Kid-Isha-Nu Be-Mitz-Vo-Tav Vi-Tzi-Vanu Le-Had-Lik Ner Shel Shabbat.

2. YOM TOV

Baruch-Ata Ado-Nai Elo-HeiNu Melech Ha-Olam Asher Kid-Isha-Nu Be-Mitz-Vo-Tav Vi-Tzi-Vanu Le-Had-Lik Ner Shel Yom Tov.

3. SHABBAT & YOM TOV

Baruch-Ata Ado-Nai Elo-HeiNu Melech Ha-Olam Asher Kid-Isha-Nu Be-Mitz-Vo-Tav Vi-Tzi-Vanu Le-Had-Lik Ner Shel Shabbat Ve Shel Yom Tov.

4. YOM KIPPUR

Baruch-Ata Ado-Nai Elo-HeiNu Melech Ha-Olam Asher Kid-Isha-Nu Be-Mitz-Vo-Tav Vi-Tzi-Vanu Le-Had-Lik Ner Shel Yom Hakipurim. (N.B. NOT Shel Yom Tov)

5. SHEHECHEYONU

Baruch-Ata Ado-Nai Elo-HeiNu Melech Ha-Olam She-Heh-Che Yah-Nu Vi-Kiye-Mo-Nu Ve-He-Ge-O-Nu La-Zman Ha-Zeh.

6756\E\GP INSIGNIA