This evening we welcome in the Holiday of Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah, one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish Calendar. It is a holiday marked by joyous dancing and celebrations as we conclude the Torah and celebrate our heritage.
This year, the pain of what happened on October 7th on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah is still very much in the air. More than 1,200 victims will be remembered tomorrow on their first Hebrew Yahrziet, date of passing, and their thousands of immediate family members and close friends, will certainly be thinking of them throughout the day.
There are also still 101 hostages still suffering and languishing in the tunnels of Gaza in the cruel hands of the Hamas terrorists.
Soldiers and people are still being killed every day in this terrible war.
All this begs the question, how are we meant to celebrate and dance on Simchat Torah this year?
Indeed no one said it is going to be easy, and it is going to be a hard act to balance. However the attack of Oct 7th wasn't a random date, it was designed to not only harm Jewish people, but to break and cripple the Jewish spirit by taking one of the most joyous Jewish days on the calendar and turning it into a day of mourning.
This year our dancing in honor of all those who can dance and be joyful no longer, or in honor of all of those who are still suffering, or in honor of all the heroes who won't dance this year, since they are crawling through fields and rocks to protect our people and bring home the hostages, is appropriate and in a certain way, more important than ever.
The battle is over the Jewish spirit and resilience and this year Simchat Torah is a day that we will most certainly remember what happened last year, the hostages, the victims and everyone else, but we will also strengthen ourselves with the joys of our heritage, faith and optimism for the future, as doing so will help bring the blessings that we all need, and indeed it will hopefully trigger the blessings and miracles that we need as a people and for the world.
Tomorrow evening at the main Simchat Torah Celebration we will dedicate each Hakkafa Dance to the heroes of Israel today, to the hostages, to the brave people of the villages near Gaza, to the children, and to others who represent the hope and future of our people.
In addition, we will be using a special Torah Cover for Simchat Torah which was generously donated by Rick & Gabrielle Henken to honor the memory of the victims of Oct 7th and beyond. It is one of many hundreds of Torah Covers which are being used by congregations around the world, which are also each dedicated to another victim. The Torah cover that we have been gifted with is dedicated in honor of a young officer Uriel Cohen, who gave his life defending Am Yisrael, and left a bereaved wife and two daughters behind.
The celebration tomorrow night will be joyous, meaningful and powerful and also special for children and all ages.
Please join us from 6:30pm on Thursday evening and on.... and together let us dance for all those who won't be able to this year, and as we do, we will lift up the spirits of our people, so that Am Yisrael Chai!
In addition, tomorrow on Shemini Atzeret, we will hold a Yizkor Memorial Service on the 1st anniversary of the murder of Oct 7th, at 11:30am following the morning service.
This evening Wednesday, we will have a mini Hakkafot service at Chabad at 6:15pm.
Chag Sameach & best wishes to all of you for a joyous, empowering and uplifting holiday of Simchat Torah on this difficult anniversary.
Yisroel
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES & HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
Wednesday Evening Oct 23rd 6:15pm Mini Hakkafot
Thursday Morning Oct 24th Service 10am - 12pm & Yizkor Memorial & Yizkor for the Victims of Oct 7th at 11:30am
Thursday Evening Oct 24th 6:30pm main Simchat Torah Celebration
Friday Morning Oct 25th Service 10am - 12pm Conclusion of Torah & Luncheon
Saturday Services 10am - 12:30pm followed by Kiddush Luncheon
Sunday 8am Service