Please find below the Kübler-Ross rundown of where we are in the Jewish calendar.
Denial: Chazzan Yoni Roth’s arrival from Israel to lead High Holiday services is imminent. The Japanese government will lift all visa restrictions in spite of the Olympics and record COVID numbers.
Anger: How dare MOFA and the MOJ not change their immigration rules! And now you’re telling me that Japan does not permit the importation of fruits and vegetables? Has the Japanese bureaucracy never heard of Sukkot/The Feast of Tabernacles?
Bargaining: Ok fine. How about Izaki-san leads Kol Nidre? She is by far the most knowledgeable person in Japan related to Judaism. Alright. She’s not Jewish. No big deal! Shearith Israel/The Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper West Side hires professional Broadway singers for their choir. Surely that is precedent, no?
Depression: The highs and lows of Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur took us on an emotional roller coaster. Sukkot is half over already. What will we look forward to? Sunday School? Thanksgivukkah Weekend?
Acceptance: We enjoyed a wild September. We even managed to get a lulav and etrog. Let’s dine and imbibe al fresco in the Sukkah and dance our hearts out on Simchat Torah.
Services
Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat will begin in-person at 6:00pm. Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat returns next week at 4:30pm.
Next Kiddush available for sponsorship is 10/25.
Events
Erev Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot
Friday, September 24th
Revised Family-Friendly Time Below
Services: 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Dinner in the Sukkah with Reservation: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot
Saturday, September 25th
Services: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Lunch in the Sukkah with Reservation: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Sake in the Sukkah sponsored by Tali, Asher Adi and Rabbi Andrew Scheer in honor of their 4th Wedding Anniversary. Attempted Sake sponsorship co-opted by Rabbi Binyamin and Efrat Edery who insisted on sending 6 Magnum Bottles to the JCC.
Erev Simchat Torah
Tuesday, September 28th
Services and Dancing with the Torah: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Pareve Pizza, Refreshments and Drinks to help elevate the ruach.
Simchat Torah
Wednesday, September 29th
Services: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Shabbat Parshat Noach in-person services
Saturday, October 9th
Kiddush sponsored anonymously in thanks to Reb David Tropp for beautifully leading services over Yom Kippur and Sukkot.
Services: 10:00am – 12:00pm
Kiddush: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Announcements
おかえりなさい (Okaerinasai) to a soon to be reunited Brownstein Family!
Welcome back to a special Sukkot-themed Sunday School this week from 9:30am – 12:15pm.
We wish our more seasoned, venerated, sagely members a belated 敬老の日.
It is not too late (read: never too late) to contribute to our Yom Kippur Appeal. Apropos of the reintroduction of Moshiv haRuach uMorid haGeshem, let’s make it rain!
In the following weeks and months, we will roll out several new features in the newsletter including a message from the board, featured members, a Japanese column and member recipes. If you would like to volunteer for any of the above, please reply to this e-mail.
Shabbat Chol HaMoed Sukkot
Candle Lighting: 5:17pm
Havdala: 6:12pm
Shmini Atzeret
Candle Lighting: 5:13pm
Simchat Torah
Candle Lighting: 6:08pm
Havdala: 6:06pm
Shabbat Shalom and Moadim l’Simcha,
Rabbi Andrew Scheer