SA
Lag B’Omer: Building bon(d)fires
Lag B’ Omer in Johannesburg once again brought together the broad spectrum of Jewish organisations and communities at the biggest yet “Lag B’Omer Shmooza” celebration last week Wednesday.
RABBI DOVID HAZDAN
GREAT PARK SYNANOGUE
“Lag B’Omer Shmooza” is hosted annually by The Great Park Synagogue. Over 3 500 attended this year’s event which was taken to new heights through the professional co-ordination and expertise of Lisa Zimmerman.
Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein delivered a message regarding the vital importance of Jewish unity.
Entertainment included extravagant rides for children of all ages, the Yeshiva College School Choir, the King David Marimba Band and a Shoobi Doob Shloimy children’s concert with Mark Samowitz. Jonathan Birin was the DJ and the MC for the evening was Kevin Fine.
Psukim – verses of Torah – were recited by Torah Academy learners and were responded to, word by word, by many hundreds of enthusiastic young voices.
Food and drinks were on sale and families sat and warmed themselves around numerous bonfires listening to and experiencing the joys of Jewish music.
A mitzvah table signed up hundreds of commitments which were placed in balloons and released into the night sky. The booth of The Torah Institute of Johannesburg signed up men and women for ongoing Torah classes and for individual learning opportunities.
Hundreds of blankets were on sale to be donated for distribution to the homeless in the townships. It is wonderful to see one mitzvah leading to another – the celebration of the festival of Lag B’Omer has the spill-over effect of bringing blankets and warmth to the needy.
Great Park bar- and batmitzvah boys and girls, together with the King David Foundation and Afrika Tikkun, will distribute the blankets to Afrika Tikkun’s centres in Orange Farm, Alexandra Township, Soweto and Diepsloot.