Friends of Israel gather in a sukkah

OWN CORRESPONDENT

Goldstein said that Sukkot teaches us the importance of “taking refuge in G-d, not in bricks in mortar”. He was addressing the community, rabbis, and Christian and cultural leaders at the event, which took place in the shul’s beautiful sukkah.

Rabbi Daniel Kaplan explained that the sukkah represented the “clouds of glory” that encamped the Jewish people while they travelled in the desert. These clouds protected the Israelites from attacks from dangerous animals and enemies, and by night, they turned into a cloud of fire, to light up their path. The sukkah, therefore, serves as a reminder that our well-being and livelihood comes from G-d, which is why we remove ourselves from the comforts of our home to live in the sukkah.

Vivienne Myburgh, the National Director of the South African Branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) that part sponsored the event, expressed the need for Christians to stand up and speak out about our shared biblical connection to the Holy Land. She said that “without knowledge of the Old Testament, Christians would not be able to understand their roots”.

Apostle Allan Mnene from the Blessed Bible Faith Church said, “We read about these holidays in our bible, but celebrating this day with the Jews has really brought our bible to life. Thank you for inviting us to this event.”

The event was serenaded by the Sydenham Shul Choir, led by Josie Stern, with a selection of beautiful traditional songs. Talented singer Mpho Mutula, from the Calvary Worship Centre in Soweto, added to the special ambience.

• The ICEJ educates Christians all over the world about Israel’s unique calling, political situation, and social challenges.