Shabbat Sukkot (October 3)
Mazel Tov on the aufruf of Noam Hamovitch (son of our members Greg and Pam Hamovitch) and Emily Weizel who are celebrating their marriage later this month.
Every year as part of the Simchat Torah celebrations, Darchei Noam names a Chatan Torah and a Kallat Bereshit to honour two of our outstanding members. This year our Chatan Torah will be Mark Matchen and the Kallat Bereishit will be Esther Enkin. On Shabbat Sukkot, both Esther and Mark will be speaking on their respective spiritual journeys and their time at Darchei Noam. The celebration will continue on Simchat Torah.
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (October 10)
A week after Shabbat Sukkot, we invite you to join us for our Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret service, which will include the Yizkor memorial prayers.
Our Simchat Torah celebration this year will be different from past years but no less inspirational and engaging for all of us including our young families.
There will be opportunities for learning and celebrating. Attendees will be able to choose from 3 breakout sessions following services:
1) From Confusion to Hope: A Journey of our People through the Pages of our Sacred Text
Facilitated by Rabbi Tina Grimberg
Join Rabbi Tina for this engaging Simchat Torah Learning Session!
2) Uncertainty About Doing The Right Thing: A discussion about Bernard Malamud’s short story The Silver Crown.
Facilitated by Fredelle Brief
We will briefly discuss the author and his times before opening a discussion of the story, which participants are encouraged to read beforehand. If you don't have time to read the whole story, take a quick look at a summary of the story.
3) ShabbaTOT with Bryna
With a special start time of 11:30, families are invited to join us for musical fun! Click here for more information.
The Foods of Sukkot and Simchat Torah
Its time to celebrate the final harvests of the year with joy. The grapes, figs, and pomegranates have been picked and the olive harvest has begun.
We wondered if there are foods special for Sukkot and Simchat Torah? Yes, there are. Bakers become creative and shape their challah as a lulav or etrog for Sukkot, and a Torah scroll for Simchat Torah. As in Rosh Hashanah, the challah is dipped in honey for a sweet New Year.
On the first night of Sukkot, one custom is to eat at least 1 or 2 ounces of grain. Dishes with the grain species, wheat, barley, spelt, rye or oats can be served.
Like Purim, a variety of stuffed foods are served. They are given several meanings; with the fresh produce of the season, they represent a cornucopia overflowing with the land’s abundance. They can symbolize the temporary and fragile shelter of the sukkah, and the meals served within. At Simchat Torah, a filled vegetable would exemplify the covered and rolled Torah with its precious and delicious teachings. Stuffed vegetables and fish, along with kreplach, sweet and savoury strudels, and knishes are all to be enjoyed.
It is customary to kreplach on the seventh day of Sukkot, on Hoshana Rabba. Purim has kreplach to signify the lots that contained the Jews’ dire fate. On Hoshana Rabba, the seventh day of Sukkot, they are eaten for a better fate. We are given another chance after Yom Kippur for our fate is not finally sealed for the year until this day. In reality, our actions always have an influence for good and bad.
One lovely meaning given to the lulav and estrog waved during Sukkot is the importance of a diversity of ability, knowledge and views in creating a strong community.
We offer a collection of recipes for you to prepare and enjoy for this joyous holiday. They are made with the local fruit and vegetables available at this time of year.
If you have recipes suitable for future kiddushes, ones that are dairy, vegetarian, vegan, or fish based, please send them to Joel and Gloria. We hope to put together a larger collection for everyone’s use. More details about the project to come.
Be’tey-avon! Bon Apetit!
Please enjoy the following list of Sukkot recipes, collected by Shomrei Adamah in lieu of doing a harvest kiddish: