Ktoret's Batmi Drasha

Shabbat shalom. Thank you all for coming from far and near, up and down, from around Australia and the world, from Barcelona and Jerusalem. Today is my batmitzvah, it’s the day I have been preparing for, for a long time and I am very excited. I have a few thoughts about my parashah that I want to share with you.

After all of creation, Hashem says it is good but after the creation of humans God says it is very good. Maybe Hashem was the happiest with people out of all of creation. Humans are going to be the beings that can be trusted because they are in the image of God.  Each human is completely different but all humans have a part of God inside them. Every human, from every county and every religion. This means that all humans can connect to each other from that little part that is the same. Whether they are enemies or not, we are still the same and belong to each other.

Allowing Adam to name the animals is a way of giving humans the opportunity to practise their leadership of the world as helpers of Hashem. Hashem also didn’t name all the creatures because humanity is going to have to interact with them. But maybe Hashem keeps a unique way of addressing the animals that humanity doesn’t understand.

It’s not fair that God gave humanity its name, but man gave the woman her name. When I started learning for my batmitzvah, a lot of kids in my grade started asking me why I was reading from the Torah, and that girls are not allowed to read from the Torah and that it is a zilzul, like to mess around with the Torah, and I kept on telling them, “In my shule, a lot of women read from the Torah, they participate in services. Just because you are not used to that in your tradition and your family, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in other traditions.” It was very hurtful. I learnt to stand up for my values, and that if people expect things from you that conflict with your values, you don’t have to do them and you don’t have to listen to them. I am very proud to be part of this community, this family, that is there to support me in so many ways. I have all these role models that encourage me to do the unexpected. Over the past years I have learnt that if someone has a big influence on you, and encourages you, you can change yourself, you can change anything if people believe in you. People believing in you is a very big thing in life. I may only be 12 but I have courage and if I believe I can do amazing things.

 After Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Hashem comes looking for them and asks “Where are you?” ?איכה Hashem used to be the only one who knew things and now humans also know things, maybe things that would be easier not to know. But that is part of being human.

Even though they have just done a huge sin, he says “?איכה” where are you? And I read it softly as I imagined Hashem’s voice- Hashem is angry but so powerful, there is no need to yell. Even just softly saying “Where are you?” will get the message across. It might even get your attention more when someone is talking seriously than when someone is screaming at you without a meaning.

Although Adam and Chava are holy and the first children of Hashem, they can behave immaturely by blaming one another. I personally think that what Adam says is the most hurtful and disloyal because he not only blames Chava for her sin, but for her being – and he also blames Hashem for creating her הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי, הִוא נָתְנָה-לִּי מִן-הָעֵץ וָאֹכֵל. He doesn’t only blame one but he has to blame two. He doesn’t only blame his wife he blames his” father” too.

After the sin of the forbidden eating, Adam, Chava and the snake all get cursed.

For those who noticed when it comes to the woman’s curse it says

אֶל-הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר, הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ--בְּעֶצֶב, תֵּלְדִי בָנִים; וְאֶל-אִישֵׁךְ, תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ, וְהוּא, יִמְשָׁל-בָּךְ. “To the woman he said: a lot of pain in your pregnancy, in sadness you will have children.  And your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you”

The first time I read this verse I said to myself “Not in my house. We live in a feminist age. This curse has been broken because we are living in a time now where some women are free from, and others are fighting for all women to be free.“

Also, about pain and suffering in childbirth. I know women who enjoy childbirth. Not every hard thing is a bad thing. You have to let life teach you and as long as you live the more you learn. Two years ago my great grandmother Nana Trude passed away on this day. From the stories I have heard and know, her death was quite magical. She was close with family and friends. Before she died a nurse said to her “Enjoy the journey, love” . That line has spoken to me in a lot of different ways. It’s made me think that death can be wonderful in its right way and at the right time. It also made me see that people can be important to you even if you have just met them- or heard about them- and that stories change the way you see the life you have.  I am sure that she is enjoying the journey and I want her to enjoy it forever as we should be blessed to enjoy ours in its right time.  

After Cain- Kayin kills Hevel- Abel, God asks Ayeh Hevel Achiha, Where is Hevel you brother? And Cain answers לֹא יָדַעְתִּי, הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי. I didn’t know, am I supposed to look after my brother?

And God says: “What did you do, your brother’s blood is screaming to me from the ground” מֶה עָשִׂיתָ; קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ, צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן-הָאֲדָמָה.

Cain killed his brother because of jealousy, since God accepted Hevel’s offering and not Cain’s. That made Cain angry, so angry to the point of killing his own brother. Jealousy always leads somewhere. On the one hand, jealousy means that you like something so much you also want it. But on the other hand, someone else has the thing that you want and you don’t have it. This second point leads to something bad because you are holding a grudge against the person. But on the first way of looking at it we can use the other person as an inspiration for us to help us understand what we want, as opposed to leading to a destructive result such as damage to people or things.

Everyone,  siblings or not, we all each other’s keepers. Even if you always fight, if one falls you will help him or her get up. If one cries, you will give him or her a shoulder to cry on. No matter what happens you always need to nurture the other. That’s what it is to be human. You always have care. It just depends how much you show you have care. Even when we fight, at the end of the day we’re family, and we care about each other and look after each other.  There’s still love between us.

To be my sibling’s keeper in the wider communal sense means that we extend our care and concern beyond our family for emotional and physical support for others.

You may have noticed that in the sixth aliyah there is a long list of names. At first I wondered why read this long list year after year. But it is important to know where you are coming from in order to understand how you got here and where you are going. Family history is a very important thing in life. If your father had heart disease, then genetically chances are that you will too. Genetics are the main reasons why you look the way you do. I have red hair, that means that someone in my family must have had red hair even though I am not sure who that is. To understand your past it gives you a hint of the future. Now it’s the present, and I am inspired by my ancestors. From good and bad stories I learn about life, how it used to be, how my ancestors lived and that inspires me to live life. You have one chance at life and I have learnt to make the most of it and so far I have.

I want to thank my batmitzvah teacher Ronit Prawer, and Idan Deshowitz who helped with my haftorah, for helping me learn and discover my parsha and open the whole world of reading from the Torah for me with much patience and lots of chocolate.

My vision for the future is that I want to make a change. Spiderman once said “I was born normal, and decided to make a change in the world, now living a normal life isn’t an option anymore”. I want everyone in this room to live an abnormal life, to explore, to dream, to make a change.

Thank you for being here. Shabbat shalom.

Melanie Landau's Kol Nidrei Drasha, 5774

It is wonderful to be here, in my home community, with family and friends, nothing replaces this feeling of being together. We have made another year, decorated it with our good deeds. We need each other. Its a big blessing.  What’s real? We are hungry for what is real. As I’m standing here now I want to acknowledge and bless the memory of our friend Devorah bat Hannah aleha shalom, it was she who was giving the Kol Nidre drasha the last time I was @ Shira Hadasha Melbourne. I have heard her say that what is real is how we touch people and how we make a difference to each other that outlives us. We carry around that difference that someone has made to our life, and it affects how we are to other people, and what matters thus spreads and its what we exchange with each other. Its actually the sacred fibre of the world, our relationships with each other. That’s what creates the world. We see it literally with children born into the matrix of their parents and that matrix creates the world for the child,  the child sees the world as mediated through the vessel the parents create and reflect.  And it is this fabric, this sacred fibre, that we are mending and darning and weaving through Yom Kippur.

As we enter Yom Kippur, the Kol Nidre service, we’ll begin with a verse “or zarua letzadik uleyishrei lev simcha” light is sowed for the righteous and joy for the straighthearted...In Jerusalem 12 years ago, I went in to labour to this tune. 

Almost immediately after this mention of righteous people, we ask permission from the heavenly and earthly courts to pray with transgressors, avaryanim. It’s this dynamic I want to look at, our capacity to access the transgressor (avaryan) in ourselves, and also our capacity to access the righteous (tzaddik) aspect of ourselves.

As you may well be aware, the foundational rabbinic text, the Mishnah in Yoma says that Yom Kippur (etzem hayom) provides atonement for the transgressions between you and God, but for the issues between you and other people you actually need to go up to the person. This requires us to be as specific as possible, and ask for forgiveness, and more than once, even up to 3 times if necessary-  and people have been known to ask for more.

I want to focus on what’s going on between people but I’ll just make a few comments about what’s going on with God, so to speak. When it says Yom Kippur itself releases things between us and God,  Emanuel Levinas understands that to mean that the spiritual state that YK brings about- through fasting and prayer- leads us to the state of being forgiven beings. When we approach another person they can refuse our request for forgiveness but between us and God, we are forgiven. It is as if the instrument of forgiveness is in our own hands.  You may think it is easier or less significant but Levinas argues it actually demands a lot from us: the ritual transgressions I want to erase without resorting to the help of others would be precisely the ones that demand all my personality: it is the work of teshuva- for which no one can take my place.  It is something we have to do inside ourselves. We repeat ‘salachti kidvarecha’ again and again. As if God is saying ‘I have forgiven you as you asked’. But we need to internalise it. This internalisation of deep forgiveness is  an inner rebirth we are granted in a communal delivery room which is right here!  This sense of harmony can only take place within the privacy of my interiority, and in a certain sense it is within my power. The Talmud tells the story of R. Elazar ben Dordai who called on the mountains and the sun and moon, to help him do teshuva and they were all busy with their own existence. And he sat between two mountains and put his head between his knees and he cried. And he took the power to make amends on his own life. It is within each of our powers to make amends on our life. Ein hadavar talui elah bi. It depends me alone, on no one else. It is one of the precious gifts that Yom Kippur bestows upon us.  Great . Done. We’ll all be having a busy 24 hours.

But that’s not the whole story, although it is sounding very sweet. Now I would like to move to fixing things between each other. Last Shabbat, in Jerusalem, Idan Dershowitz was saying that he doesn’t like how the requirement to ask for forgiveness from others has become a rudimentary task that does not necessarily function to get people to take responsibility nor to right wrongs in their relationships. To the contrary, it can stay really general, not facilitate any more sharing but simultaneously feign a kind of working things out while many things pass under the bridge undealt with.

I’m calling on another mishnah in Yoma to help us think about how to be with one another and how to facilitate this process between people. Somewhere inside this process is our inner tzaddik, our righteous person. In the first chapter of Yoma, in the description of the preparation of the High Priest- Cohen Gadol-  he is made to swear that he is not going to change any of the rituals.  Basically he is not trusted automatically. He is going to be alone in the holy of holies and carrying out the crucial temple service on behalf of the whole community. The mishnah goes on to say that he cries (because he is suspected) and the Priestly elders all cry because they had to suspect him. Bingo! The Priestly elders need to work in the best interests of everyone and they need to do their due diligence but at the same time- they are connected to their righteousness- even if they well know the reasons- it devastates them that they have to suspect the high priest about to perform the service on behalf of all of Israel. Basically we all have that place inside us where it actually pains us to do wrong- it may be under more or less layers of rationalizations, arguments, constrictions, other pain, but deep deep down- and even more- no joy is achieved through our misdeeds, and the separations they reflect and further create.  But it’s tricky because the way a lot of our systems work when someone does something wrong we punish that person usually, and don’t see his or her wrong as a cry for help. If a child has been hit we usually comfort that child or castigate the one who hit. I’m not saying that we don’t need to protect society, or that people don’t have responsibility for their actions- they surely do, but we can expand our vision.

I had another stellar example of this principle. A dear friend was being provoked by another friend , someone around her age, and she slapped him on the face. After he went home she burst out crying and was in shock that she could do such a thing, “I hit him”, she knew it wasn’t how she wanted to act and she acknowledged that she lost control of herself for those moments. It was incredible to see the natural regret process in play. I know some people are so wounded that it is near impossible for them to access their remorse. Tremendous healings are also possible.

In fact, Rabbi Steinsaltz interprets Kol Nidre- the nullification of past and future vows to be an invitation to ourselves not to get stuck in past patterns, and ideas of who we think we are but to continually renew ourselves with no prejudice.

If we take on board this idea that we really don’t want to hurt another person- the Priestly elders cried when they had to suspect the High Priest- and conversely that other people did not really want to hurt us (they need to go together), then that means that by being available to offer forgiveness for those who offended us, we restore their basic sense of goodness and integrity to those who wronged us. We give them back their righteousness. As a victim we move from woundedness to generosity in being able to offer up to the offender his or her righteousness. 

The rabbis took this idea of restoring someone’s righteousness back to them very seriously. For the sake of the offender they were known to appear before the person who offended them so that person could ask for forgiveness. In a reversal of obligation the offended party worries about the foregiveness that the wrongdoer has not concerned him or herself with.  Sometimes from that place of wrongdoing we isolate ourselves and hole ourselves up as part of self-blame and castigation. When the offended party pursues the wrongdoer so he or she can ask for forgiveness the offended party actually takes power and shifts from being a victim to being the one that can bestow and return the wrongdoer to his or her real state of goodness and righteousness.

So next time someone does you wrong, or if you are holding on to something that someone has done to you, try that shift in your mind, in your being, and see how you can be present for that person to give them the opportunity to connect to their own integrity and their own goodness. To see the hurt from which they are acting from. The readiness to make that shift is not something we can impose on someone. Each person or community needs to come to that realization in his or her own process. Because it is not only an individual matter, whole communities are tied up in the bonds of their woundedness. It’s a big part of the maintenance of protracted conflicts. People are not to blame that they get stuck and confused in their woundedness and pain.

I work in conflict transformation through an educational organization called Encounter, bringing Jewish leaders to meet with Palestinians and incorporate Palestinian perspectives in their nuanced understanding of Israel and of the conflict. We also create space for Jews to be able to dialogue with each other reducing the polarization that usually accompanies discussion about Israel.

I can’t think about personal hurts and loss without thinking about Syria at the moment (100,000 people killed and 2 million refugees) , and of course without thinking about Israelis and Palestinians.

On Monday I visited Shu’fat refugee camp as a briefing by UNRWA.  Less than 5 minutes away from Hebrew University. It brought up a lot. Even to hear from UNRWA and not from Palestinians themselves raised a myriad of difficulties for me. Shu’fat is within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. Within 2 square kms live 25,000 people. Lawlessness abounds. As we drove around the perimeters of the camp, we passed drug dealers who wait in their cars in broad daylight. It has its own self-regulating power structures.  The primary school of 2000 students (with shifts for girls and boys) had no running water until a few months ago. Sewerage runs through the camp and into the valley nearby. The camp and adjacent neighbourhoods are now totally surrounded by the security barrier with one entry and access point. There’s a lot more to be said. And of course nothing is black and white or straightforward. But for now, I wanted to say that one of the most important things in protracted conflict- even before questions of apology and forgiveness- is the acknowledgement of hurt wherever it may lie, by the one who has been hurt and by the offender.  And often all parties are wrapped up in and wrenched by their own hurt. When we’re hurting it’s hard to see a big picture. One positive image from the camp was the student government of the school deciding to plan not just for one year but for three and taking the lead in planning for environmental health.

I’m also mentioning something beyond the personal because I want our circle of acknowledgement of hurt, of pain, of making things right, and ultimately of forgiveness to be widened, even if for now this vision remains what seems like far away.

At the end of the mishnah of Yoma, it says that the Jewish people are joyous because God, so to speak, cleanses them and they can be cleansed- of the breaches between them and God- when they do the inner work as we said- because God is their mikveh.

Being in God’s image is serious business.  Just like God, so to speak, we can actually be the mikveh for each other, the tzaddik, the righteous one in you can be the mikveh for the transgressor in me, and the tzaddik  in me can be the mikveh for the transgressor in you- bathing you in waters that offer you cleansing and rebirth, that remind you who you are and that allow you to let go and start again. 

By allowing someone to ask our forgiveness we allow him or her to connect to that place of goodness before the wrongdoing.  We also strengthen our connection to that place of goodness inside ourselves. We all have that place of deep acceptance, pre-conditional, before the eating of the forbidden fruit, before we covered ourselves, before  we were ashamed. There is no short cut.  The only way back to gan eden  is the way of the revolving sword. We need to evoke enough self-compassion to bear the pain of seeing where we have transgressed- and then from that place we can move to freedom. And we can return and live the full big lives that emerge once we come out from under the heavy shadows under which many of us have known. We need each other.

May it be Your will. Ken yehi ratzon ve’haya.

Parshat Bereshit

Just when you thought you couldn't eat any more challah, we are back for another round of yomtovs! But there's no more fasting or penitential prayer - this is where all the fun stuff happens!

Join us on Thursday morning 9.15am for Shmini Atzeret.Yizkor is said on this day.

If you are aged 1-5, get your parents to bring you to shul at4.30pm for a great Simchat Torah party followed by dinner.  For everyone else, come on down at 7.30pm for some singing and dancing with the Torah and cakes and goody bags.  Larrikins welcome!

Everyone is invited to have an aliya from the Torah on Friday, Simchat Torah day, beginning at 9.15am. We will be honouring Ittay Flescher and Carmella Rose as our Chatan Torah and Kallat Bereishit. We are also delighted to honour Max Denishensky and Aria Klein as our Kol Ha'nearim - representing the youth of our shul. A communal kiddush will be enjoyed over the course of the day! All welcome!

Kabbalat Shabbat will begin at 6pm with the delightfulKtoret Landau-Fagenblat leading us in the tefillah. Shul on Shabbat begins at 9.15am with a shiur followed by Shacharit. We are thrilled to honour Ktoret on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. We wish a warm mazal tov to Michael, Melanie, Ktoret and Ariel as well as your grandparents on this wonderful occasion. The Landau-Fagenblat family invite the community to a festive kiddush following the shul service. All welcome.

Jewish and Muslim Dinner at Shira Oct 18th - Join us for the 2nd annual interfaith dinner with the Muslim Leadership Program. If you would like to teach these young leaders about our faith and traditions, and learn about theirs as well, come along to this wonderful evening. Starts at 6.30pm, with catering by Falafel Omissi. Cost $15 . You can pay via paypal on our website http://www.shira.org.au/dinner

Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom!

Sukkot at Shira

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for the chaggim, it was great to have so many people singing and praying together. 

If anyone would still like to make a donation to the shul or take out membership, you can do so. The gates of heaven may have shut till next year, but Shira's doors stay open year round!

A copy of Ittay Flescher's Neila drasha can be found on our blog.

Kol Nidrei Appeal: We have chosen to support Jewish Aid for our Kol Nidrei appeal.   The appeal will support The Isaiah Fellowship's - Action Project Fund.  Donations (which are fully tax deductible) can be made on the link below. Please write that your donation is in honour of the Shira appeal. To donate, click here.

SUKKOT TIMES: 

Day 1 and Day 2: 9.15am. Thanks to Alex and Yaron for hosting the kiddush in your sukkah!

Friday night Kab Shab: 6pm 

Shabbat morning: shiur 9.15am and shul 9.45am. We are delighted to celebrate the engagement of Sarah Meyer and Ari Brochin. A kiddush will be held at the Tamir sukkah following the tefillah - all are invited!

Shmini Atzeret: 9.15am

Simchat Torah day: 9.15am

Kids program for Simchat Torah: Thursday 26th at 4.30pm including dinner (1-5 year olds)
Hakafot for Simchat Torah - Thursday 26th at 7.30pm

Chag Sameach!

Yom Kippur Neilah, 5774

By Ittay Flescher 

This is a drasha I shared with the shira community in the moments before Neila, 5774. It imagines what prayer would be like if it was a dialogue, rather than a monologue. The following letter imagines how I would like God to respond to our prayers.

Imagining God’s Letter to the Jewish People

My Dear Children of Israel,

Over the past 24 hours, you have praised me, cried out to me, begged for forgiveness and sought atonement from me and your neighbours. What an honour to share this day with you. To be the address for your teshuva, for your desire to be a better a person.

Intoning and enumerating your sins, you have beaten your right fist into our left breast no fewer than 860 times. Ashamnu, bagadnu, gazalnu…

But I say to you now, in the last hour of this shabbat shabtot, the holiest of holy days, enough.

No more guilt. For the last hour, abstain from guilt. True atonement has nothing to do with guilt, and everything to do with responsibility.

Please stop feeling guilty

For not being the parent you wanted to be,

For procrastinating too much before you achieved the things to you wanted to do

For criticising your friends and family without suggesting alternatives on how they could do better

For criticising your politicians with too many suggestions on how they could do better

And perhaps, for some of you, not taking the time to do teshuva seriously.

Instead of feeling guilty, please take this last hour on this most holy of days, to focus on responsibilities. Let the beautiful singing that pervades this room, be the backing track to your meditation and reflection on the responsibilities you’d like to take upon yourself in the coming year.

Will you take responsibility for being more generous in the way you give tzedakah?

Will you have more time for your family?

Will you speak less lashon hara?

Will you think more carefully about all of my 613 mitzvot before you accept or reject them?

Will you engage more honestly in your work?

Will you give more freely of your time to those who need it most?

These questions are for you to answer.

My Dear Children of Israel,

In the past year, far too many of my creations having been doing things in my name, which I am not happy about. In my name, people have advanced the cause of racism, intolerance, sexism, homophobia, war and xenophobia. Those who advance these causes in my name, forget that I have created all of you in my image. With equal rights, and equal dignity. Shaming your fellow human in my name, shames me. Loving your fellow creation, honours me. 

--

The siddur you are all holding in your hands, please use it wisely in the next hour. From what I have heard so far, this holy book is filled with adjectives about me. How great, wonderful, mighty and powerful I am.  So many times, I have heard you describe my 13 attributes of mercy

That I am gracious, compassionate, patient, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, assuring love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and granting pardon.

These words about my nature are true. I am forgiving and want you to succeed in doing teshuva.

-

However, I also wanted to let you know something else which isn’t included in the siddur. I know that your teshuva will be incomplete.

I know that many of the promises you will make today, will be broken. After all, why else would so many of you come to shule last night to annul your vows during Kol Nidre?

I created you in an imperfect way, with free choice, to choose good and to choose evil. To choose to kill and to choose to heal. To weep and to laugh, To mourn and to dance.

To acquire and to lose, to be silent and speak.

I gave you the ability to gas people in Syria, to be blind to the suffering of the asylum seekers and strangers in your midst, to ignore the hungry and the homeless, and to use violence on far too many occasions when words would have sufficed. I gave you the ability to commit unimaginable crimes and also to stop them. I have given you all the ability, on each and every day, to be a perpetrator, victim, bystander and upstander.

Every day, I look at the world and I see what’s going on. I don’t need google to find out. Because I am the only one who knows more than google.

I am acutely aware of your cognitive dissonance. Of the many occasions when your actions don’t match your ideas and beliefs. On this day, I forgive you for that too. As long as you can promise me that after today, we have an agreement, that you want to be better.

Better parents, better children, better partners, better citizens and better humans.

Whatever happens in the coming year, irrespective of whether you create more obstacles or making the choices necessary to overcome them, please remember, that I will always love you.

We are created in the same image. Sometimes broken, sometimes while, but always deserving of love.

-

I understand that many of you in this shule are fans of the Canadian prophet I sent you many years ago. One Mr Leonard Cohen. He was one of my better creations, so I can understand why you like him.

There is a song of his which I have heard from the floor of this room, which no other congregation has shared. If it be your will. If I could sing one line back to you, it would sound like this.

Now it is my will, that I speak no more

My voice will now be still, as it was before

From this broken Hill, all my praises you did ring

Now it is my will, for you to sing.

Gmar Chatima Tova

Yom Kippur

Thanks so much to all who joined us on Rosh Hashana and made it such a special experience. We look forward to seeing you on Yom Kippur. We really appreciate everyone who took the time to renew membership or make a donation to support us over the coming year.  

Shira's doors are always open, and all are invited to daven with us. Remember to come to 222 Balaclava Rd, not the bowls club.

Friday:
Kol Nidrei: Doors open 6.15pm, for a 6.30pm start. Fast begins at 5.51pm

Shabbat:
Shacharit: 9am
Yizkor and Drasha (approximately) 11.15am but please come earlier to avoid missing it

Mincha: 4.30pm
Neilah: 5.15pm
Fast ends: 6.48pm

Membership renewal, or a donation in an amount of your choosing, can be done on our website.

Wishing you a Gmar V'Chatima Tova and a wonderful year ahead

Shira Melbourne

Parshat Nitzavim-Vayelech

Welcome to special Shabbat at Shira! We start at 6pm on Friday night with Kabbalat Shabbat, followed by a cameo appearance by Melbourne Ports candidate Melissa Star who is unable to make our panel on Shabbat.

On Shabbat morning we have a shiur at 9.15am followed by the barmitzvah of Bailey Levin. Bailey, we wish you and your parents Ariella and Mark, a really warm mazal tov on this wonderful occasion! The drasha will be given by Jeremy Stowe-Lindner.

After the kiddush, there will be a Melbourne Ports Candidates Q&A, moderated by Mark Baker. Three of the candidates - Michael Danby of the ALP, Ann Birrell of The Greens and Kevin Ekendahl from the Liberal party will be present to answer your questions. Feeling passionate about your politics is wonderful, but please keep all interactions respectful.

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are just around the corner! If you have not yet paid for your attendance at Shira over the Yom Tovs, please click here to do so. You'll be helping us to put on the amazing events that we do, and supporting a one of a kind minyan in Melbourne.

Shabbat Shalom!

Shul Times for Yom Tovs

There is just over a week to go until Rosh Hashana. We noticed that you have not paid your Shira membership for 2013. If you're planning on coming to Shira, we request that membership be paid. Whether you are with us every Shabbat, three times a year or just for the shofar blowing, we need everyone to contribute by becoming financial members so that we can keep providing such amazing High Holy days services, and keep running throughout the year.

You can pay online for your membership, or make a donation, though paypal or a credit card, or direct transfer. Details are here: www.shira.org.au/membership

Rosh Hashana
Both nights: 6pm
Both days: 8.15am

Yom Kippur:
Kol Nidrei: 6.30pm (doors open from 6.15pm)
Yom Kippur day: 9am
Mincha: 4.30pm
Neila: 5.15pm

Wishing you a shana tova umetukahfrom everyone at Shira!

Parshat Ki Tavo

If you've got the election spirit, the next two weeks at Shira are the place for you! Tonight we can have a democratic vote for the tunes for Lecha Dodi, starting at 6pm. Shul on Shabbat starts at 9.15am for the shiur, followed at 9.45am with Shacharit. Those who come on time will be rewarded with preferences. The person who wins all our votes is Alex Kats, who stepped in at the last minute to volunteer to give this week's drasha. Thank you to Sara Brott who is sponsoring this week's Kiddush, in honour of the 10th yahrzeit of her mother, Esther z'l.

Next Shabbat: Come and hear three of the Melbourne Ports candidates in a Q&A with Mark Baker. Michael Danby (ALP), Kevin Ekendahl (Liberal) and Ann Birrell (The Greens) will be at shul from 12.30pm for a chat over the kiddush followed by the panel. Bring all your tough questions, but be on your best behaviour! All welcome!

Rosh Hashana is just 2 weeks away! Naturally your membership is up to date, but if there's someone else you want to invite - send them this link to pay for their shira membership over the yom tovs.

Mazal Tov to Ellyse Borghi and Adam Hyman on their surprise wedding!! Bon Voyage, have a wonderful trip!

Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Ki Tetze

Three weeks till Yom Tov! Got your membership sorted? Fantastic. Now meet your chazzanim: 

Avram Mlotek and Yael Kornfeld are leading our tefilla for the High Holy days.  Avram is a blogger for Shma - Journal of Jewish Ideas, and his writing has been published in The Huffington Post, The Forward, and Tablet. His Rosh Hashana drasha is sure to inspire you. Yael works as the synagogue outreach social worker at DOROT, an organization devoted to alleviating social isolation among seniors in New York City. She and Avram also host a Shira Hadasha minyan in their home.

Like to meet them? Book your place for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and you'll get to spend a whole lot of time together! 

This Shabbat: Kabbalat Shabbat starts at 6pm, and we welcome participants from the AZYC who will be enjoying a dinner in the big hall later that evening. On Shabbat we have a shiur at 9.15am and shacharit at 9.45am. Thanks to Yaron Gottlieb for giving us this week's drasha. We need a few more volunteers for drasha giving, so please be in touch if you can help out.

September 8th: Join us for a concert in Yiddish with our amazing chazzanim, who perform regularly in a Yiddish theatre group, as well as singing in Yiddish. It will be held at Shira, 222 Balaclava Road at 7.30pm, on the Sunday after Rosh Hashana. Cost $10 at the door.

Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Shoftim

Membership: Can't wait to see you at shul over the chaggim! If you haven't yet arranged your membership renewal — click here to do so. We request that everyone who attends shul over the chaggim please take out membership, whether they come for an hour or the whole time, so that we can continue to make shul the special experience it is for all.

Concert: Our amazing chazzanim Avram and Yael from the USA invite you to a concert in Yiddish on Sunday 8th September at 7.30pm. Cost $10 at the door.

Guests: This shabbat we are delighted to welcome Rabbi David Levin-Kruss, along with his wife Ayala, and in laws and children, all the way from Jerusalem. They will be joining us both for kabbalat shabbat at 6pm and also for our Shabbat service where the whole family are taking part in the tefilla. After shul, we are having a kiddush - lunch and then Rabbi Levin-Kruss will be speaking on the topic:

"God's Disco, Kept Women and the New York Telephone Directory: The Political and Religious Thoughts of Yeshayahu Leibowitz."

We would like to finalise our catering arrangements so if you plan to come, can you please book today $10 via our website.

Mazal Tov to Morry Dvash and Daniel Slonim on your barmitzvah anniversaries! May you have many more in good health.

Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Re'eh

So many great things are happening at Shira! We've started our membership drive for this year - thanks to everyone who has already renewed! If you would like to join us for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur - please click here.

Kabbalat Shabbat is at 6pm, and on Shabbat morning there's our regular shiur at 9.15am with shacharit to follow. This week's drasha is being given by Chooch Takac in honour of the recent yahrzeit of Debbie Masel, z'l. It is entitled "Parsahat Re'eh: The blessing and the curse".  A delicious kiddush is being sponsored by Mandi Katz and Ashley Browne - thank you!

Seudah Shlishit: On Shabbat afternoon, 4.30pm at the Moishe House, we are having a seudah shlishit - a 'third meal' of shabbat. Lionel and Rita Lubitz have kindly sponsored our meal, so no need to bring anything - just yourselves! Moishe House has a great  backyard for kids if you want to bring them along. Check us out on Facebook where you can find out the address via Brett Nathan (host). 

Next Shabbat - August 10th: Kiddush and Guest Speaker - Rabbi David Levin-Kruss from Shira Hadasha, Jerusalem, who is a teacher at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, is giving a talk after the kiddush on the topic:

"God's Disco, Kept Women and the New York Telephone Directory: The Political and Religious Thoughts of Yeshayahu Leibowitz."

We are requesting that people book for this event on our website with a $10 contribution towards the kiddush costs. Bookings can be made here.

Shabbat Shalom!

High Holidays at Shira

The Shira community warmly welcomes you to join us for the Chagim. If you've been with us before, you'll know that Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are true highlights of the year at Shira. If you're new to our community, we can't wait to have you with us!

By popular demand, we're bringing back the wonderful husband-wife duo, Avram Mlotek and Yael Kornfield! They'll be leading our Carlebach-inspired services, just as they did so beautifully in 2011. They will also be holding a concert in Yiddish while they are here - more details on that soon.

There are some exciting changes at Shira this year. We will hold our davening at our year-round premises, theTheodore Herzl Club, rather than the bowls club. This will afford us lots more space, so that we can have ample seats for all. Up on the secured rooftop we will have a marquee available for the children's services, and a place for you to go and relax during breaks.

It is time to renew your membership at Shira for the coming year. 

By renewing your membership, you are supporting the only inclusive Orthodox minyan in Melbourne where both women and men are active participants and song permeates the service. Your generosity is what makes our shul work. Donations to Shira are greatly needed and tremendously appreciated.

Please click here to renew your membership online.

Thanks very much!

Parshat Ekev

This week's parsha is almost as exciting as a Royal baby. It is called Ekev rather than George, but it is filled with a thorough rebuking from Moshe for all the Jews' failings as a people during their time in the desert. Let's hope Prince George does better for his parents and steers away from golden calves as much as he will from knitted kangaroos!

Please join us at 6pm for Kabbalat Shabbat and then on Shabbat at9.15am for a shiur followed by shacharit. This week we are delighted to wish Ronit Travers a MAZAL TOV for her batmitzvah anniversary. Ronit will be leyning as well as giving the drasha and sponsoring our delicious kiddush. Kol Hakavod to you Ronit, we wish you many more years of celebrating this milestone with us.

Upcoming Events:
August 3rd: Seudat Shlishit (Third Meal of Shabbat): Everyone is invited to sing and eat at the Moishe House with an afternoon facilitated by Lionel Lubitz. It will be at 4.30pm next shabbat. The Moishe House has an amazing backyard for kids with a cubby house and big yard, so bring along kids if the weather is good! Please bring something kosher to nush on and share if you can. We will have a musical havdala when shabbat goes out. All welcome! As this is a private home, the address will not be shared here, so please email to rsvp if you'd like the details.

August 10th: Kiddush and Guest Speaker - Rabbi David Levin-Kruss from Shira Hadasha, Jerusalem, who is a teacher at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, is giving a talk after the kiddush on the topic: 

"God's Disco, Kept Women and the New York Telephone Directory: The Political and Religious Thoughts of Yeshayahu Leibowitz."

We are requesting that people book for this event on our website with a $10 contribution towards the kiddush costs. Bookings can be made here: http://www.shira.org.au/lunch

Please note that membership renewal will be happening shortly for the upcoming chaggim. We really appreciate you renewing your membership and helping us provide a really special experience for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Some exciting changes are on the way so stay tuned!

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Va'etchanan

In Parshat Va'etchanan, Moses predicts that in future generations, the people will turn away from God, worship idols, and be exiled from their land and scattered amongst the nations. It's a shame he didn't include some tattslotto numbers, the outcome to the 2013 election and give us a solution for climate change while he was in the prophesying mood!

Please join us for Kabbalat Shabbat at 6pm Friday, then on Shabbat morning at 9.15am for the shiur and shacharit. The drasha will be given by Alex Kats. Mazal Tov to Mark Symons, Jesse Lubitz and Tali Prawer for their bar/bat mitzvah anniversaries. 

Kiddush and Guest Speaker: Rabbi David Levin-Kruss from Shira Hadasha, Jerusalem, who is a teacher at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, is giving a talk on August 10th after the Kiddush on the topic: 

"God's Disco, Kept Women and the New York Telephone Directory: The Political and Religious Thought of Yeshayahu Leibowitz."

We are requesting that people book for this event on our website with a $10 contribution towards the Kiddush costs. Bookings can be made here: http://www.shira.org.au/lunch

Seudat Shlishit (Third Meal of Shabbat) Change of Date - now August 3rd: Everyone is invited to sing and eat at the Moishe House with an afternoon facilitated by Lionel Lubitz. It will be at 4.30pm on August 3rd. This event date has changed to a week later then previously advertised. Please bring something kosher to nush on and share if you can. We will have a musical havdala when shabbat goes out. All welcome! As this is a private home, the address will not be shared here, so please email to rsvp if you'd like the details.

Shabbat Shalom
(and have a romantic Tu B'Av!)

Parshat Devarim

Please join us on Friday night for Kabbalat Shabbat at 6pm, and forShabbat morning shiur and Tefilla from 9.15am.  It is Parshat Devarim, where Moshe begins his repetition of the Torah, recounting the travels of the Jewish people over their time  in the desert.

The drasha this week is being given by Benji Prawer and Sefi Prawer, who warmly agreed to prepare some words despite Benji being off in the wilderness camping until Friday afternoon (not unlike the Jews that they will be discussing). We thank Benji and Sefi, and also request that more volunteers put their hands up to give drashot in coming weeks as we are in need of some new voices. The delicious Kiddush this week is being sponsored by Deborah Neufeld - thank you very much.  Thanks also to Sara Brott for kindly making this week's chulent, in honour of her birthday, and her grandmother's yahrzeit.

Erev Tisha Be'Av is on Monday night. The fast begins at 5.19pm. At 5.45pm we will be davening Ma'ariv and then at 6pm we will read Megillat Eicha. Following the Megilla, Ittay Flescher will facilitate a discussion about the stereotypes that many Jews still hold of other Jews, challenging us to confront the impact of these views. The session is entitled "Turning baseless hatred (sinat chinam) into mutual respect".

Seudat Shlishit at Melbourne Moishe House: Everyone is invited to sing and eat at the Moishe House at 4.30pm on July 27th. Mark the date in your diaries. Please bring something kosher to nush on and share if you can. We will have a musical havdala when shabbat goes out. All welcome! If you would like to come and need the address, please reply to this email.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Matot-Masei

In Parshat Masei, now in the Promised Land, the Jews set up cities of refuge as places of exile for inadvertent murderers being chased by people out for revenge. It seems Edward Snowden might also benefit from such an arrangement, if only he could sneak a copy of the parsha out to more world leaders!

Join us at 6pm for Kab Shab, and then at 9.15am on Shabbat for a shiur followed by Shacharit at 9.45am. Thanks to Mandi Katz for giving this week's drasha. Stick around for the Kiddush following the Tefilla.

Tisha Be'av: Please join us on Monday July 15th at our regular premises for Ma'ariv at 5.45pm, followed by Megillat Eicha at 6pmand a talk by Ittay Flescher to follow, on the topic "Turning baseless hatred into mutual respect". Ittay will facilitate a discussion about the stereotypes that many Jews still hold of other Jews, challenging us to confront the impact of these views and try to rectify them. See the facebook event here. Please note that the fast starts at 5.19pm. 

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Pinchas

In Parshat Pinchas, Moses empowers Joshua to succeed him and lead the people into the Land of Israel. Now that's how a leadership handover is supposed to happen! 

We also learn about Tzelafchad's daughters who petition Moses to inherit their father's portion of land. This inclusion and recognition of women has been a source of many feminist interpretations of the Torah and ties in nicely to the topic of our Kiddush lunch discussion this week:

"Making Women Count, the Halachot of Minyan."

Friday's Kab Shab Tefilla begins at 6pm, and Shabbat morning at9.15am for a shiur and then Tefilla at 9.45am. The shul is sponsoring the Kiddush lunch, and we thank Annette, Mandi and Ari for volunteering to make salads for the meal. After a good fress, we will hear from Ellyse Borghi as our guest speaker.

Ellyse has spent the past few years of her life studying all types of law: Australian, international, Ghanaian, Israeli and lots of Jewish law. Ellyse has studied and worked at finding halachic solutions to issues regarding egalitarianism and communal inclusion. She has recently completed her Arts/Law degrees and will be promptly moving overseas. We will really miss her input to the shul community, and have really enjoyed all her great talks and stories over the past year. Wishing you and Adam lots of Mazal!

New JMA course: Joel Lazar, Community Education Coordinator at Jewish Aid Australia, is running a 7-week adult short course as part of the Jewish Museum of Australia's short course Winter Series. "Jews Pursuing Justice in a Broken World" runs July 23 - Sep 3, every Tuesday night. Sign up here: http://www.jewishmuseum.com.au/education/short-courses

Shabbat shalom!

Parshat Balak

In this week's Parshah, Balaam the prophet is summoned to curse the Jews, and on each of his three attempts, blessing flow from his mouth instead.  If only our politicians had the same verbal affliction, perhaps our news headlines would be a lot more palatable!

Please join us at 6pm on Friday night for a lovely Kabbalat Shabbat, and at 9.15am for a shiur on shabbat, followed by Shacharit at9.45am.  This week's Drasha will be given by Felicity Johns in honour of her birthday! We wish you a wonderful year ahead. 

Next Shabbat, on June 29th, we will be having a Kiddush-lunch and a talk by Ellyse Borghi on the topic:

"Making Women Count; the halachot of minyan"

Ellyse Borghi and Adam Hyman have just announced their engagement this week and we wish them a warm Mazal Tov. Please join us for the talk and Kiddush so we can raise a le'chayim or a soda water in their honour. 

Free Film Tickets: Following sell out sessions at the 2012 Jewish International Film Festival, God's Neighbours -  a raw and provocative drama-cum-thriller is screening exclusively at Classic Cinemas. We have been given a double pass to give away to a Shira member. The first person to wish me (Carm Rose) good shabbes this week at shul gets the tickets!! 

Gift of Life Australia: An urgent testing session is taking place on Tuesday 30 July from 4-7.30pm to save the lives of 4 dying Leukaemia patients from our community. Gift of Life Australia request for 18-45 year olds in good health to be tested with a small blood sample. Testing location is Red Cross Blood Donor Centre in Caulfield, 322 Hawthorn Road. Appointments essential, call Yehuda on 0425 724 314 or info@giftoflifeaustralia.org.au

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Chukat

This week's Parsha is the stuff of Hollywood films, with the dramatic scene of Moshe hitting the rock, the deaths of Miriam and Aharon, and the finale where the Jews are attacked by venomous snakes, only to be healed by gazing upon a big brass snake on a pole - the  symbol for modern medicine. We are thrilled to have a distinguished guest offer us some interpretations of the complex storyline. Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo is in town for Yom Limmud this Sunday and will be joining us to give this week's Dvar Torah.

Kabbalat Shabbat is at 6pm on Friday, and the shiur on Shabbat is at9.15am followed by Shacharit at 9.45am. The Dvar Torah will be given just before Mussaf. Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo is a prominent lecturer, thinker and author who is world renowned for his original insights into Judaism and his ability to communicate the relevance of Jewish values and practice in today’s complicated world. Please join us in welcoming him.

Our Kiddush is being sponsored by Bill Klinger, to commemorate the 42nd yahrtzeit of his late father, Moishe Klinger z’’l. He invites the community to share the Kiddush and a Le'chayim in his father's memory.

Condolence: We wish a long and healthy life to John Zeleznikow and family on the loss of his father, Avram Zeleznikow. Wishing you only Simchas from here on.

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Salad Roster: We are in need of more volunteers to help us make our salads on Shabbat. Shira will pay for the ingredients, we just need you to volunteer to bring the ingredients and prepare it in our kitchen. Please reply to this email if you can help out. 

Shabbat Shalom