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4 HASHALOM October
2016
October
2016
HASHALOM
5
T
here is a note of universality to the
prayers of Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur that we do not find on other
festivals. According to Rabbi Lord Sacks
the key section on other festivals is the
emphasis on Jewish singularity. “You
chose us among all the nations”. On the
Yamin Noraim, the concentration is on
human solidarity. “And so place the fear
of the Lord our God, over all that you
have made …so that all of creation will
worship You…” And human solidarity is
what the world needs right now.
It is evident that the hate that starts with Jews, including hatred of Israel,
the democratic state of the Jewish people, never ends with the Jews. The
most significant enemies of the Jews today are the enemies of freedom
everywhere. Worldwide we are correct to feel anxious. However, there
are large parts of the Middle East where Christians are being butchered,
beheaded, driven from their homes and living in terror
As for the Muslims, one prominent academic recently estimated that of
the hundreds dying daily, more than 90 percent were being murdered by
their fellow Muslims. Bahais and Yazidis are at risk too. In other parts of
the world so are Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and for that matter atheists. No
historian looking back at our time will call it an age of tolerance.
But we are not back in the 1930’s. On the contrary, for the first time in the
more than three thousand years of Jewish history, we have simultaneous
independence and sovereignty in the land and state of Israel, and equality
and freedom in the Diaspora.
Through Israel, Hebrew the language of the Bible was reborn as a living
tongue. Jewish communities under threat have been rescued. Jews have
come to Israel from over a hundred countries. A desolate landscape has
bloomed again. Jerusalem has been rebuilt. Torah scholarship, devastated by
the Holocaust has been revived. Economically, politically, socially and culturally
Israel’s achievements are unmatched by any country of its age and size.
The past year’s events have reminded us that in a profound existential
sense we remain one people. As we face the Yamin Noraim, we stand
before God not just as individual Jews, but as the Jewish people. But the
past year has shown that it is not just Israel or Jews whose freedom is at
risk. It is the whole of the Middle East, large parts of Africa and Asia and
much of Europe. Therefore let us approach the New Year with a real sense
of human solidarity. May God write us, our families, the people and State
of Israel and Jews throughout the world in the book of life. And may the
day come when the righteouses of all nations work together for the sake of
freedom, peace and life.
ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGES
T
he practical formula characterising
the Yamim Noraim is contained
in the U’natanei Tokef prayer
recited on these days of Awe…
Tshuva, tefilah, tzedakahAt the Yom
Tov market held at Izinga on Sunday
17 September the hundreds who
attended testified to the fact that the
Durban Jewish community is still very
much alive and thriving. Ours is a close
knit community where differences
between diverse expressions of
Judaism are more accepted and tolerated than in either Johannesburg
or Cape Town. We are relatively few in number but very strong in our
allegiances to Judaism, to Israel and to the Jewish communities within
and beyond South Africa. Of course, so many of us have children,
grandchildren, siblings or cousins, living abroad so that we can boast of
links with other continents; with Asia (Israel), Europe, North America
and Australasia.
As we gather in our synagogues on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur let
us be conscious that we are part of a universal people bound to one
another by a common faith and history and subject to the universal rule
of the Holy One, blessed be He. May our prayers at the outset of 5777
be offered with sincerity so that we, our families, our community and our
people, be blessed with a year of peace and self fulfillment.
My wife Ruth joins me in wishing you all SHANAH TOVAH
Rabbi P Zekry
T
he practical formula characterising
the Yamim Noraim is contained in
the U’natanei Tokef prayer recited
on these days of Awe… Tshuva,
tefilah, tzedakah… penitence, prayer
and charity.
*Tshuvah
- Penitence refers to the
general process of self-improvement.
The Rambam gives three stages of
Tshuvah. Admission, regret, refraining
from repeating the mistake.
Admission is the hardest part because we tend to blame others. The story
is told of The Three Envelopes and Admitting Mistakes.
A fellow had just been hired as the new CEO of a large corporation. The
current CEO was stepping down and met with the new hire privately in
his office where he hand him three numbered envelopes.
“Open them if you run up against a problem you don’t think you can solve”
the first CEO said.
Things went along pretty smoothly for the first six months but then sales
took a downturn and the new CEO began catching a lot of heat. He went to
his drawer and took out the first envelope. The message read, “Blame your
predecessor.”
The new CEO called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the
feet of the previous CEO. Sales began to pick up and the problem was soon
behind him.
About a year later, the company was again experiencing a slight dip in
sales, combined with serious product malfunctions. Having learned from his
previous experiences, the CEO opened the second envelope. The message
read, “Reorganize” This he did, and the company quickly rebounded.
After several consecutive profitable quarters, the company once again fell
on hard times. The CEO went to his office, closed the door and opened the
third envelope.
The message said, “Prepare three envelopes”.
The moral of the story – rather than looking elsewhere to blame our
problems, sometimes we have to take responsibility for our actions
and admit we have made a mistake.
*Tefilah
(prayer) becomes especially important in a community such
as ours as the power of prayer both individual and communal, sustains
the congregation. The need for Shul attendance is the responsibility of
each member of the congregation in order to preserve the very core
of Judaism.
*Tzedakah
(charity) in all probability, one is flooded this time of the
year with appeals from numerous organisations, but one should look
at it as a seasonal spiritual taxation. Really speaking, charity along
with penitence and prayer are year-round obligations. The period
commencing with the 1st Elul and culminating with Yom Kippur, is
particularly receptive. Strengthened by these three pillars, we can look
forward to a good and prosperous year ahead.
I take this opportunity of wish all members of the Jewish community a
K’tivah va-chatimah Tovah. May you all be inscribed and sealed in the
Book of Life for a good and prosperous 5777.
THE THREE PILLARS OF THE HIGH HOLYDAYS
ROSH HASHANAH MESSAGES
Jeremy Droyman
A
s the incoming president of the
Durban Jewish community, I
am constantly reminded what
a special and vibrant community we
have.
There is no reason to be alone in
Durban because our community,
and its events, are constantly
happening at the Durban Jewish
Centre, which is the secular home
of our community.
Whether it is the constant buzz in Hashalom, the kids arriving at the
Holocaust Centre, the bridge ladies having their weekly events, the
KNZC movie nights, our SAJBD Events or Limmud, there is an endless
amount of activity that is driven by our affiliates.
One event that really touched me this month was CycAlive with Rabbi
Hazdan, who lead a group of young cyclists 750km from Johannesburg
to Durban. The 35 cyclists were from Torah Academy, Moletsane High
School and Pace College in Johannesburg, and 5 from Israel, who were
brought out by Partnership 2Gether. These boys prepared care packages,
including stationery and refreshments for schools and hospital patients
en route. (There is a full article on this event in this issue of Hashalom.)
What makes CycAlive so special, is that in one event we cover so many
aspects of our SAJBD KZN mission, namely Youth Education, Local
Outreach, Interfaith, our link to Israel and of course the finish line being
at the Durban Jewish Centre where our community can participate.
Please scan the QR code to see a short video of the
CycAlive finish, or type the following in your web browser
http://goo.gl/JQ2SkS
(We believe this is a technological
first for the Hashalom open since 1923!)
Another significant event this year is our name change from CKNJ to
SAJBD KZN Council, this change means that we are able to align ourselves
with the SAJBD national structure and its strong brand, making it easier to
engage with the community at large.
The SAJBD KZN Council wishes all readers L’Shana Tova Tikateivu
V’Teichateimu and a meaningful Fast. May the New year bring peace,
good health and happiness to all.
Prof Antony Arkin
Rabbi Hillel Avidan