WELCOME TO THE

Northern Suburbs Hebrew Congregation
PERTH, AUSTRALIA

THE CONNECTION  Read this week's issue here

Have you visited our library lately? We have many sefarim and books on a wide range of Jewish topics. Congregants are encouraged to borrow and enjoy the facilities. There is only one thing that is asked. Please return the books. Recently we have counted 40 books missing, including some complete sets that have disappeared. If anyone has library books at home that they have finished with, please could they be returned so that others may enjoy….

Also consider sponsoring books for the library. Details from the office.

The first shiur in the Discovery Challenge is now available in CD format in the Shul library with course notes. This is a resource available to those who might have missed the shiur or would like to revise the topic. As there is one CD available and lending is strictly on an overnight basis only. Thanks to those 38 participants!

The topic of the shiur is an Introduction to Jewish Thought. What is Jewish Philosophy? The notes cover the 3 main periods of Jewish Philosophy as well as introducing us to some outstanding Jewish thinkers over time, including, Philo, Ibn Ezra, Rambam, Martin Buber, Spinoza, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, Rabbi J Solovechik, Abraham Heschel and others.

 Rabbi Y Brown

SIMCHAS AT NSHC

If you have any news and nachas to share with the NSHC community, please advise the office.

BATMITZVAH - Nicole Hirshowitz

Barmitzvah  Jarred Kristal

The 60th Wedding Anniversary of Abe and Charlotte Shulman.

Benji Swersky

here with his dad Jerome, zeida Percy Schwartz and brother Josh

Batmitzvah - Jordee Koblenz

Barmitzvah- Jordan Osrin

Barmitzvah     Shane Weiner

Year 2 Siddur Party at NSHC

NSHC / Rabbi Brown in the news

NORTHERN SUBURBS HEBREW CONGREGATION

R’ Larry Brown

Rabbi

Ivan Cohen

President

SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS

Shachrit:            8:00am   

DAILY

Shachrit: T,W,F  6:30am

               M,Th   6:25am

Ma’ariv:             7:00pm

For News from Bnei Akiva, click here

Yeshivah Experience in Study

Every Thursday night (from February 7 2008) Bachurim, students from Yeshivat Torah Mitzion in Perth, will join us at NSHC for a leil mishmar, a learning night for women, men, boys and girls.

The evening will start with chavrutah learning in groups, delving into a variety of topical subjects at 6pm. Mincha and Maariv will follow at 7pm.

To conclude the formal learning programme we will have a joint Shiur Klalli, general shiur from 7:30 – 8 pm.

Traditionally at the time of Yartziet, family members gather to say Tehillim, Psalms and learn Torah topics, in order to elevate the soul of their beloved. If there is anyone who would like to dedicate an evening session of learning in the memory of a beloved when all present will dedicate their learning in their memory, one please contact the Rabbi at the shule office.

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NEW  Transliterations

NEW  Sound bytes from Rabbi Larry Brown

Click on the links below.

To return to this shul page after hearing the clip, please close your Windows Media Player

and click on the "back" arrow on your toolbar.

New Torah Bytes Metzora

Torah Bytes Tzav

Torah Bytes Shmini

Torah Bytes Pekude & Shekalim

Torah Bytes Vayakhel

Torah Bytes Ki Tissa

Torah Bytes Tetzaveh

Torah Bytes Terumah

 Torah Bytes Mishpatim

 Torah Bytes Yitro

Torah Bytes Beshalach

Torah Bytes Bo

New Father's blessing at the Barmitzvah

New Children's blessing on Shabbat

Lamenatzeach

Friday Night Kiddush

Kaddish DeRabbanan

Kaddish Regular

Anim Zemirot

Brachot for the Torah

Bracha before Haftorah

Bracha after Haftorah

Shabbat afternoon is the perfect time to meet up with friends and family. And the perfect place is in the comfort of the Max and Sarah Goldman Library over a drink and a friendly informative discussion. At 6pm on Shabbat afternoon many of us meet with the Rabbi to discuss and explore the weekly parasha as well as contemporary issues. No prior knowledge of the parasha or of Hebrew reading is necessary. Come along and experience Shabbat Menucha, Shabbat delights. Followed by mincha and Seudah Shlishit, the third Shabbat meal……….

Watch out for this……In the next few weeks Rabbi Brown, himself a keen historian, will be commencing a series of Shiurim on Jewish History. These shiurim have been presented in Melbourne over many years and attracted a large audience. Details will be posted very soon.

Rabbi Brown has been the Rabbinic Administrator of the Conversion Programme for the Melbourne Beth Din since 2004. During that period he developed a world class curriculum for the teaching of candidates. In the near future Rabbi Brown would like to present aspects of this programme for congregants who wish to learn the basics of Judaism as well as for those who would like to revise the many different aspects of Jewish Laws and ritual. Topics include; our belief structure, practical Kashrut, Shabbat observance, life cycle events, festivals in depth, Taharat Hamispacha, etc.

NEW

 Members, their barmitzvah Parshiot and shuls where barmitzvah took place

(partial list only .... in order of parashas)

NEW 

Barmitzvahs at NSHC since inception

(partial list only  .... in order of parashas)

Please email the office your bar / batmitzvah details to add to this list

An example of a barmitzvah presentation certificate in a siddur (to Ivor Kosowitz from the Vredehoek Shul)

Let us know if you have any interesting barmitzvah or shul memorabilia

Find your previous rabbi or chazan in South Africa,

click here

A Tale of Two Shules …………by Ivor Kosowitz.

 

It was the best of times and the worst of times. This was South Africa in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Growing up in Cape Town was for the Jewish community, a Golden Age. For South Africa, it was the height of the Apartheid Era.

Yiddishkeit was all around us. It was like living in a shetl in Poland, in London, and Miami …… all at the same time.

Most Jewish families came from Latvia and Lithuania. My late dad was from Lomza in Poland, which had an important Yeshiva and was a centre of Jewish learning. However, Cape Town Jewry was founded by English Jews in the 1860’s. The main Shule was and still is, the Gardens Shule. This was based on the British services and liturgy. Many rabbis and cantors came from Britain. The choir was the best in the city. One of our most honoured rabbis, was Professor Israel Abrams.

Our summer holidays were spent at Muizenberg (Jewsenberg). Over Xmas, this seaside resort on the Indian Ocean, was invaded by many Jews from Jo’burg. We had Kosher hotels, and we had a “Snake Pit”. Probably, that is where the Scarbrough Beach Snake Pit got its name from! Alas both “pits” are no longer in existence.

 You can imagine the scene – 100’s of Jewish families squashed into a triangular  area of about one Km2, all eating Polony Rye bread sandwiches loaded with chicken shmaltz. A favourite cool drink was called “Canada Dry”. Vendors came onto the beach to sell chocolate covered ice cream popsicles as well as peanuts in little bags.

Most functions, weddings, Barmitzvahs etc were held at Rosecourt, or at the Zionist Hall. Later, the more modern Cranston Hall was preferred. Cy Sacks and his band entertained us all with songs of the day as well as klezmer.

We also had one of the best Jewish-Zionist schools in the world, Herzlia. The headmaster was Meir Katz who did so much for Jewish Education. As well, there were all the Youth Movements – Habonim, Bnei, Betar, Hashomer Hatzir.

 So with all this, situated in the city bowl, were 2 shules – The Vredehoek Shule, and the Round Shule also known as the Schoonder Street Shule. So this is the tale ………………

 Both were founded by Lithuanian Jewry, initially in an area known as District Six. This is similar to North Perth, close to the city. With time, Jewish families moved further up the slopes of Table Mountain, and lived around these shules in roads such as Mill Street, and Maynard Street. District Six became the area were the Cape Coloureds subsequently lived until the Apartheid government rezoned this area, and forced hundreds of families out as part of the “Group Areas” Act.

 The Vredehoek Shule was built in the 1930’s. It had an innovative Succah-Hall as the roof could be wound open during Succot. In my time the rabbi was Rabbi Marcus and the Chazan was Cantor Lichterman, a holocaust survivor.

 The Round shule was built in the early 1950’s. It was a very modern design, and was completely round. The Chazan there was Simcha Koussevitsky, one of the three famous brothers. This is the shule we belonged to. In time, I joined the choir there, and sang with our famous cantor for 10 years. I counted recently, and about seven of us from that choir live in Australia, three of us sing in Noranda Shule! One of the rabbis there in my time was Rabbi Dushinsky.

 The funny thing was that one of my best friends was Joel Lichterman, the son of the Cantor. In fact his dad taught me my barmitvah, and we ended up having my barmy in the Vredehoek shule. My mother’s family were members there. Cantor Litchterman used to dig his elbow into your ribs, and exclaim the word “Grobakop” if you sang the wrong trop! Joel is now Cantor in a Shule in Denver, USA, with Selwyn Franklin as Rabbi.

 In the late 60’s and early 70’s, the shules amalgamated but that did not last long. So for a while, we sang in a mega choir, one Shabbat at one shul, and the next at the other. When we were little, we would get our box of chocolates on Simchat Torah, from the Round shule, and run as fast as we could to Vredehoek shule. Once there we slipped a side door to join the line to get our slab of chocolate. The box from the Round shule was carefully packed into our tallis bags!

 1976 Saw the start of the decline and exodus of South African Jewry. In time the Vredehoek Shule was sold. It still stands today, painted purple. It houses an antique furniture shop.

 Only about 4 years ago, the Round Shule was sadly demolished to make way for a Town House complex.

 Nearby, in Maynard Street, was a small shtbel known as the Ponavitch Shule. This was the shule we did not go to.

Herzlia School has thrived with about 90% of Cape Town’s Jewish youth being educated there today. There still is another Shule, known as the Sea Point or Marais Road Shule. At its peak, this was one of the largest communities in the world. In fact, the road we later lived in, London Road, had one of the highest Jewish population in any one street, in the world. Arieh Rand was cantor at this shule, before coming to Perth.

 So this was Cape Town of my youth. I am so thankful to have grown up in such a rich Jewish environment. It was a Golden Age!

   15/11/2007

 

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A Tale of Two Shules - Revisited…………………………………… by Ivor Kosowitz.

 

 

I have been reminded by other ex-Cape Townians that there was much more to write down about the Vredehoek and Schoonder Street Shules. As we were members of the later, my recollections relate mostly to that, although I am sure that it applied to the former as well.

 

At Pesach time, many of us kids went to shul, mainly because our parents said we had to. Once there I doubt that many of us actually went inside. So the big event, outside of course, was to play “marbles” with hazel and walnuts. Who said we were supposed to eat them! The walnuts were the “goonies” and the hazel nuts were the “marbles”. I recall that this was really big at the Vredehoek Shule as it had an enclosed courtyard at the front.

 

Succot was another special Chag. A large curved succah was built at the back of the “Round” Shule. After every service, large trays of delicious sponge cake was brought out. You could have wine and salty herring in addition to the cake. Some of us kids thought the cake was great, so we stuffed our tallis bags full of the stuff, to take home!

 

As we became barmitvah, we were invited to attend Gemorah classes after service on Shabbat mornings. The teacher was a Mr. Kooperman. As he mainly spoke Yiddish, and as the Gemorah is mainly in Aramaic and Hebrew, we kids never actually learned much. However we were introduced to “Bob”. No not a person, but a Jewish dish made from broad beans.

 

Other mainly delicious foods which we grew up with were Taigelach, Imberlach, Pretzelah, Petcha (made from calf’s hooves), Perogen, Kreplach, Henzel, Herring and Chopped Herring, Chopped Liver, Gefilte Fish, Kneidelach – boiled and baked, Bagels, Babkes, Bulkas, Hammantashen and Kichel. Some of these we still enjoy today. Only in South Africa, Challah is called Kitke. No one seems to know the origin and why this unique to SA.

 

Many maid servants became Kosher Cooking experts, and this was very desirable if they wanted to work in a Jewish home. 

 

The Saturday night Slichot Service was the highlight of the year especially if you were in the choir. We arrived at about 8pm. A 16mm black and white movie was shown, usually a B-rate western “flick”. We had to hire a projector in those days, and the movie was on large reels of celluloid. After that, a large spread was put on for us by the Ladies Guild.

 

As Shlichot is at midnight it was an effort to keep the sopranos (boys under 12) awake, and in any event they were tanked up with sugar so it was extremely difficult for the choir master, Jeff Koussevitsky, to keep them under control.

 

One Slichot service, my friend and I smuggled a cassette tape recorder into shul and put it under the bimah. This way we recorded the service which was full of amazing choral pieces. My friend, in Sydney, and I still have this recording today, about 43 years later. So the only two copies in existence, are in Australia!

 

When Rosh Hashana came around, the shules were full to overflowing with standing room only. I remember that every year, the Shamash, Mr Rivkin, blew the Shofar. Except for once, when our Rabbi decided to try. Well, he should have thought otherwise.

He could not get one note out properly. We, in the choir loft, above him could not contain ourselves, and just cracked up laughing ….. actually rolling on the floor! What an embarrassment.

 

The choir was great, not the best though. The best choir was at the Gardens Shul.

We had the best chazzan, Cantor Simcha Koussevitzky. Anyway, we used to get paid for rehearsals and services. Two long serving tenors were Jackie Shwartz and Les Wexler. Mr. Herrison sang bass.

 

One person I almost forgot to mention, was Cantor Immerman also known as the “Blind Chazan”. He held the position of Chazan Sheini. Sadly, he was blind from a very early age but had an incredible gift. He was able to retain the whole Torah and Siddur in his memory. He also taught many their barmitzvah portions, and could tell your name just by listening to your voice. He truly had a long life having lived to the age of about 95.

 

It was interesting that in the 50’s, the “Gabbis” all wore top hats. This was a “hangover” from the English roots of Cape Town Jewry. Apparently, such hats are still worn in some of London’s oldest shules, even today. 

 

Those were the wonderful days that we were privileged to have experienced.

 

 

 

11/04/2008

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For the Hebcal Interactive Jewish Calendar

click here

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Rabbi Larry & Reeva Brown......arriving January 2008

From the Maccabean 5 Oct 2007

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NORTHERN SUBURBS HEBREW CONGREGATION PERTH INC

CHOL HAMOED in the Succah

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New stained glass feature above Aron Kodesh

donated by Lara & Sean Slotar

Aron Kodesh donated by Sylvia & Harry Hoffman

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you know of anyone in the Kehillah who has suffered a bereavement or of anyone who is unwell and/or in hospital, please contact the Shul Office in order that visits and prayers may be arranged.

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Special hard cover Siddurim for Friday Evening Services are available to be inscribed perhaps in honour of a loved one, or for that special occasion. Only $18. The Artscroll siddur is also available for $50. Please contact the office:  92753500 email shul@iinet.net.au

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The NSHC Choir

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DO YOU KNOW  anyone who is sick or is in hospital? Please call Sharon at the Shul office call: 92753500 with the details

CHILDREN'S SERVICES every Friday night at 6.30pm   Join us for a fun Shabbat experience

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View the Guestbook	Sign the Guestbook

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Links To:

Jewish Australia Dot Com

Carmel School, Perth

Perth Hebrew Congregation

Perth Hebrew Congregation Bookshop

K.A.W.A. Kashrut Authority of WA

Orthodox Synagogue Network

J.O.I.N. Homepage

N.S.H.C. Snail Mail: P O Box 1159 Morley Western Australia 6943  Tel: 61 8 92753500 Fax: 61 8 92753424 email: rabbibrown@iinet.net.au Mobile: 043 3301328

 

We hope you enjoyed your cyber-visit to our shul. When next in Perth, come spend a shabbat with us

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This page is edited and maintained by Eli Rabinowitz
Last updated  7 May 2008