Celebrate your High Holy Days with Bet David
The Days of Awe are the time to stand at the precipice of our souls, encouraged by the beautiful music, prayers and poems of our ancient tradition and gaze with sincerity at how we can repair our relationships and repair our own souls in the process. Let us join together this year with the intention of stepping through the gates to our soul as the joyful and affirming community we wish to be.
The building programme for our new campus is continuing at a rapid pace but the new Shul will not be ready for the High Holy Day services. These services will be conducted in the Hall of Crawford College, Benmore, Sandton. Please refer to the schedule below for service times and venues.
To acknowledge both our diversity and the traditions that have been part of our community for years, we will be offering different services with specific focuses. We will be holding children’s services and activities parallel to the shul services. Parents can choose to either experience the holidays with their children or leave them in the capable hands of Kendyll Jacobson.
Our evening services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as well as the morning services for first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, will celebrate our Progressive tradition with congregational singing, exploration of the dynamic English readings of our Machzor, traditional melodies of the holidays sung by our wonderful choir, and deeper learning about the significance of the holidays. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we will include more lay leaders to join in leading the congregation in prayers. If you would like to participate, please contact me (rabbi.schell@betdavid.org.za). A Yoga meditation will be offered during the Yom Kippur afternoon schedule to give us the opportunity to calmly reflect and meditate.
An Admission Ticket will be emailed to members in good standing. Kindly bring your ticket with you to services. You may be asked to show it to security officers at the gate and at the entrance to the Crawford College Campus. Because security is particularly important, please have your ticket ready at the gate. Your friendly co-operation with the people in charge of access control will be appreciated.
Entry tickets for guests of Bet David members are available from the office for R350 each, while Visitors’ Tickets cost R600 each. Payment arrangements for these tickets can be made with Diane at the Bet David office. (011 783 7117/8/9 or email accounts@betdavid.org.za)
L’shanah tova tikateivu — I wish you a good and sweet new year, and I am looking forward to seeing you and your family soon.
Rabbi Adrian M Schell
High Holy Day Calendar October 2016 – Tishrei 5777
| Date | Time | Service | Venue |
| Rosh Hashanah | |||
| Sunday 02 October | 18.00 | Erev Rosh Hashanah Service | Crawford College |
| Monday 03 October | 10.00 | 1st Day Rosh Hashanah Service, followed by b’rachah |
Crawford College |
| 10.00 | Children and Youth Service and Activities * | Crawford College | |
| Monday 03 October | 13.30 | Tashlich Ceremony | ** |
| Monday 03 October | 18.00 | Erev 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah Service | Crawford College |
| Tuesday 04 October | 10.00 | 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah, followed by b’rachah |
Crawford College |
| Shabbat Shuvah | |||
| Friday 07 October | 18.00 | Kabbalat Shabbat for Shabbat Shuvah | Bet David, 3 Middle Rd |
| Saturday 08 October | 10.00 | Morning Service for Shabbat Shuvah | Bet David, 3 Middle Rd |
| Yom Kippur | |||
| Tuesday 11 October | 18.00 | Kol Nidrei – Erev Yom Kippur Service | Crawford College |
| Wednesday 12 October | 10.00 | Yom Kippur Morning Service | Crawford College |
| 11.00 | Children and Youth Service and Activities* | Crawford College | |
| 13.30 | Shiur – Study Session / Yoga Session | Crawford College | |
| 14.30 | Yom Kippur Afternoon/Mincha Service | Crawford College | |
| 17.00 | Yizkor Service | Crawford College | |
| 17.30 | Neilah Service | Crawford College | |
| 18.46 | Fast Ends / Havdalah | Crawford College | |
| 19.00 | Congregational Breaking of Fast | Crawford College | |
| Sukkot / Simchat Torah | |||
| Sunday 16 October | 18.00 | Erev Sukkot Service | Bet David, 3 Middle Rd |
| Monday 17 October | 09.30 | Sukkot Festival Morning Service | Beit Emanuel, 38 Oxford Road, Parktown |
| Sunday 23 October | 18.00 | Erev Simchat Torah Service | Bet David, 3 Middle Rd, |
| Monday 24 October | 10.00 | Shemini Atzeret Festival Morning Service | Bet David, 3 Middle Rd, |
*Please see separate schedule for all children and youth services and activities
**Those participating in the Tashlich Ceremony will leave from Crawford College following the Rosh Hashanah 1st Day Service or meet at the designated venue. Please bring bread for throwing.
BD Kids’ Club celebrates the High Holy Days
What’s happening:
| Friday 30 September | Family Service | 6 pm |
| Saturday 1 October | Regular Shabbat morning activities (Jessica Williams’ Bat Mitzvah) | 10 am |
| Sunday 2 October | Erev Rosh Hashanah with fun activities | 6 pm |
| Monday 3 October | Rosh Hashanah morning with fun activities | 10 am |
| Friday 7 October | No Kids’ Club | |
| Saturday 8 October | No Kids’ Club | |
| Tuesday 11 October | Kol Nidrei Service with activities | 6 pm |
| Wednesday 12 October | Yom Kippur morning with activities | 10am – 12pm |
| Friday 14 October | Regular Kids’ Club | 6 pm |
| Saturday 15 October | Sukkah decoration making | 10am – 12 pm |
| Sunday 16 October | Erev Sukkot with activities in the sukkah | 6 pm |
| Monday 17 October | Sukkot morning at Beit Emanuel | 9:30 am |
| Friday 21 October | Regular Kids’ Club | 6 pm |
| Saturday 22 October | Shabbat morning – SIMCHAT TORAH FLAG COMPETITION * | 10am – 12pm |
| Sunday 23 October | Erev Simchat Torah (all sitting in shul) | 6 pm |
| Monday 24 October | Simchat Torah morning | 10:00 |
* This year we are changing up the flag completion. On Saturday 22 Oct, we will all be making our flags together (from 10am – 12pm). The flags will be judged and the winners announced at the Brocha. Everyone will then use their beautiful flags on SUNDAY evening.
For more info please chat to Kendyll – youth@betdavid.org.za
VENUES
Regular Shabbat services and the Shabbat Shuvah services will continue in the existing Shul. Service will commence in the Temporary Synagogue in our new buildings by the end of September.
Bet David, 3 Middle Road / Corner of South Road, Morningside, Sandton
Services for the High Holy Days will take place at
Crawford College, Waterstone Drive, Benmore, Sandton
The Sukkot Morning service will take place at
Beit Emanuel, 38 Oxford Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
