Simchat Torah 2008
at the Shabbos House Chabad
Jewish Student Center serving UAlbany
After a great week of
Sukkot Holiday together...
Culminating the week-long Sukkot holiday with festive meals and
celebrations, Lulav Shakes and hot-cider in the Sukkah is the annual Simchat
Torah celebration with dancing, singing, L'chaim and festivity. This is a
once-a-year, one of a kind event, not to be missed.
The Warm-Up Hakafot
On Monday Night, 10/20, the 8th day of Sukkot - called Shmini-Atzeret, we do
some mini-Hakafot dancing following the 7pm prayers and before the 8pm meal.
This is a Chassidic and Sephardic custom, done mostly in solidarity with the
Jews of Israel who do the Hakafot dancing and Simchat Torah celebration a
day earlier than Diaspora Jews. And besides, why not dance a little more?
Tues 10/21: Basic Schedule:
7:30pm Holiday Prayers
7:50pm Ata-Horaysa Auction (probably in white tent)
8:30pm Kiddush and Hakafot Dancing
8:30pm-11pm guys and girls dancing circles alternate between the hot house
and the cold Sukkah, just before 11pm we move all dancing indoors to
minimize disturbance to our neighbors
until Midnight? who knows.. depends on the participants and level of
involvement..
The Last Simchat Torah at
the old Shabbos House...
after more than 30 years of Simchat Torah celebrations at the old Shabbos
House at 316 Fuller Road, this will hopefully be the very last one, as we
look forward to moving into (by then) newly constructed bigger and better
Shabbos House at 320 Fuller Road at the start of Fall 2009. So let's make
this a most memorable Simchat Torah celebration!
Four reasons "why this night is different than all other nights at Shabbos House"
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The $$ Atoh-Horaysa Auction: Ata-Horaysa are a series of verses traditionally recited and repeated before the "opening of the ark" and start of the dancing festivities. It is a long student-initiated tradition, since before our time, to bid out these honors as a fundraiser to keep Shabbos House going. These funds go toward the Operating Fund, mostly for food purchases for Shabbat dinners, Torah-Tuesdays and all the other events. Pledges only, as it's a Jewish holiday. Please do not feel pressured to bid/pledge, all are always welcome at Shabbos House, no matter what.
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Shotglass Souvenir: Since 2001, each year's version has become a collector's item. All have the Dancing-Torah-Man, and are dated by that year. Don't forget yours. Please don't take this as incentive to drink! They can be decorative mementos, and people use it for all kinds of things, including holding change or jewelry.
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Buffet Food: Because of all the dancing and the late-night celebration, we don't do the usual sit-down festive dinner like on all Shabbat and Holidays. Instead, Raizy makes a big spread of finger-foods, breads and cold-cuts, drinks and nosh. Once we make Kiddush, go ahead and nibble all night.
Some Shabbos House Specials - our own traditions..
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Between each Hakafah circuit we honor a student to read "one of the 7 reasons why we dance around in circles."
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Later in the night - after some dancing-time, we have some song favorites like: Mipi-Kayl, the sad Torah song, Eric Himy's Yisrael!, and many others.
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We keep the circle going! No need to rush through a Simchat Torah! More songs, more dancing, more good times... it's only once a year!
Simchas Torah, The Day After - 10/22
On Simchat Torah morning, this year on Wednesday 10/22, it's customary for all men to get called up to the Torah, which makes for extended services, plus we do a little extra dancing. All this leads to a late lunch, usually starting around 2pm. We start services at 10am.
Sukkah Take-Down
This is important. If anyone is free to help with this, please let us know. We aren't sure yet of the exact time, but it might be as early as Wednesday night 10/22 or as late as the following Sunday. Either way, there's lots of putting away to do after such a huge week-long holiday and any and all help is much appreciated.
Links to High-Holidays and Sukkot 2008 Pages at UAlbany and Shabbos House