Volume 26 Issue 29 20 Oct 2017 30 Tishri 5778

A Sukkah Dinner

Rabbi Daniel Siegel

A Sukkah Dinner

“Being Embraced”

On Chol HaMoed Sukkot, our students, parents and teachers enjoyed a wonderful welcoming of refugees as guests in our Emanuel sukkah.

Traditionally, the sukkah has been a place of refuge and a means of providing a sense of belonging for those who might feel marginal to our community. Through planned activities and in reflecting upon the import and meaning of sukkot, we reached out to our guests who soon felt at home. Our students were warm and inviting and with a dinner that facilitated the sharing of personal stories, challenges and journeys, with our students, they appreciated the fragility of life as represented by the sukkah in which they were sitting. Joining together in singing and the playing of instruments, led by Philip Feinstein of the Music for Refugees Project, we all fulfilled the mitsvah, distinct to Sukkot, of being “utterly happy”. Our teachers, parents, students and our new friends experienced a sense of fulfilment which is integral to this holiday of “Ingathering” (another name for Sukkot). In embracing others within our sukkah we felt embraced, as well.

Our Sukkah was truly representative of a global community with our participants coming from: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Chad, Chile, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Romania, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, South Africa, United States.

There were many languages represented as well: Arabic, Croation, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Hazaragi, Hebrew, Italian, Sinhala, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Thai, Urdu.

Please find below Tomer’s welcoming words, as well as excerpts of comments and reflections from our participants.

Tomer (Year 11 2017)

Let me start off by saying… happy Sukkot, chag sameach. For a quick little tid bit, Sukkot is one of the 3 pilgrimage festivals. Sitting in the sukkah, according to the biblical explanation, commemorates the 40 years the Israelites lived in sukkot in the desert (for the most part, during their travels, they probably lived in tents, but at oases, a sukkah would be a welcome resting place). It also signifies the end of the harvest season during which time Jews would live out in their fields, in booths/sukkot, to better harvest their field and reap its bounty.

One of the ideas behind Sukkot is the idea of impermanence. Staying in a sukkah for a week reminds us of the impermanence our ancestors felt in their desert wanderings. But it also reminds us of the moving we are constantly doing, physically and spiritually. This holiday serves to remind us of the importance of experiences, positive and negative, in our ultimate journeys. It reminds us that our material possessions, whilst to some extent important and necessary, are temporary.

We should take solace in the relationships we make, and the things we feel, because there will come a time when we may no longer have what we do now. I may, for example, never see this chair again, but I know that there will be another time when I will be happy, or sad, or scared, or confused. Throughout our lives, our physical placement in the world will change, so let’s enjoy the now, let’s enjoy this wonderful dinner, each other’s presence. Let’s laugh, think, connect and feel not as two groups of strangers, but as one, collective, group of people.

Hadi A. (Iranian)

It was great pleasure to be at Emanuel-Friendship, unity, multiculturalism, sharing and caring. Multi-faith sharing, hope and love was felt in a meaningful way. Being human as we are, we are different in many ways. I believe we can make the world a better place and live in peace and harmony with all our differences. Look forward to seeing you and the students, again. I wish you and all the kids the best. 

Sara Bortz (Year 11 2017)

Last week’s Refugee Sukkah Dinner was a huge success, and a very meaningful evening. We began welcoming our guests and getting to know each other by saying our names, where we are from, how long we have been in Australia, and why we felt it was important for us to participate in occasions like this. It was wonderful to hear that we all agreed that no matter where a person may come from, or what they believe in, we are all humans, and for this reason we are alike. And because of this common humanity that we share, there is nothing stopping us from learning more about each other, and befriending and embracing those who are new to our community. Last week’s Refugee Sukkah Dinner has broadened my awareness that difference is not something to be feared, but is rather something to be embraced.

Asif H.(Afgahne)

 It was absolutely wonderful to share the sukkah dinner with you, your amazing students, your school staffs and friends.  Also it was very good to learn something new about your religion and culture. You defined sukkah as a place of refuge and protection and it was indeed a kind and beautiful gesture. We laughed, we sang and we shared your food under the sukkah. To see people from different cultural and religious background under one roof sharing such a beautiful moment is not something we see everyday, in a lot of countries, but we can make it possible. I wish one day all humankind will come together and live in peace. When I move to my new place and once we are settled, I will invite you and some of your students to come over to my place for dinner. Thank you very much for everything and also I would like to thank you on behalf of my partner Nui and baby Daniel, for welcoming them, as well.

Anna Buch (Supporting Asylum Seekers Sydney and former Emanuel parent)

Thank you for including all of us in the lovely Sukkot dinner under the sukkah at Emanuel School.

It was such a lovely opportunity to all be together from all walks of life and different cultural backgrounds. It is because of this diversity that I found the evening so warm and inclusive. I was particularly struck by the notion that the majority of our friends come from Muslim backgrounds and that for most of them the thought of being in a Jewish school surrounded by Jewish people is quite confronting and, according to their upbringings, frightening. However, as the night progressed, the babies were passed around, the singing continued along with such talented instrumentalists so that the differences between us just melted away and we were left with an interesting and genuine group of people happy to share stories and enjoying each other’s company.  It was an incredible accomplishment on the part of the school, the wonderful students and the outstanding teaching staff.  A special thanks to Emanuel which remains steadfast in its beliefs and consistent efforts to encourage diversity and the human element.  Well done everyone and may the Emanuel School continue on this path with their open minds and hearts.

Aziz Ali (Chadian) and Adriana Martinovic (Australian )

We had a really great night. We enjoyed meeting everyone and felt very welcomed. We felt like we were all a family and enjoyed learning about the Jewish culture and would like to learn more. We enjoyed watching how people from other cultures and religions were able to sit at the same table and get along well, respect and love each other. We would like to thank everyone who organised this lovely night and we hope to see everyone again soon.

Shira Sebban (Emanuel Parent)

How wonderful it was to be able to welcome refugees and asylum seekers from so many cultures and faiths to our School and to share our celebration of Sukkot with them. It certainly added great meaning and underlined the wisdom behind this Jewish festival, highlighting the fragility of life and the peace and joy that we all can share. As I entered the sukkah, so beautifully decorated by our students, I felt such pride in our Emanuel ethos as an inclusive, diverse community open to all and respectful of difference. It was very special to be able to share this with students, staff, parents and our special guests.

Hadi P. (Iranian)

It was a special night for me and my sister (Sareh)… we left our country because we wanted to live free with peace. It’s been around seven years since I left my country and I lost part of my family. But, I’m grateful because I have met so many great people from different countries and backgrounds. Last evening was special for me, meeting people after 30 years of hearing stories about how bad they are and that we are big enemies. Now we know the truth and it’s all about political reasons for our governments – to make us stay away from each other. We are all brothers and sisters and can live in peaceful places like here or anywhere in this world. I wish one day I can visit Israel and its people. I hope to see you all again and thanks again to all of you. Love you all ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Tomer Belkin (Year 11 2017)

The Sukkot Dinner to me was an incredibly fun and thought-provoking experience. Of course, it was a bit awkward at first, as both parties were hesitant to so much as interact with each other, but as the night wore on, I found myself surprised by how quickly conversations began taking place. I sat across from a man named Aziz and we discussed a range of subjects, from politics to just life in general. He was such an interesting person and his attitude was so friendly and inviting that I didn’t want to stand up to get food because I was scared of ending the conversation. We also played some music together, music being defined by a riot of sticks banging and tambourines clinging to the background of a piano. I really enjoyed that because there was no communication needed, we just bonded over our abilities to elicit music from a diet-coke can and a spoon. I thought the experience was truly incredible and I hope even more refugees can come join us next time.

Maria Knudson (Somalian)

Thank you so much for organising the dinner and having me. I enjoyed hanging out with the girls and everyone’s lovely company! Indeed, it was a great night, I came not knowing what to expect but what we have in common made us close beyond what my words can explain. I felt like I was home, so thank you again and may God bless you.

Erika Ktalav and Becky Goldberg (Emanuel Teachers)

As the festival of Sukkot approached, we worked with our students in learning about the chag and in preparing with them sukkah decorations. On Tuesday afternoon we started to get the sukkah ready for our ‘Ushpezin’ (guests), a group of interesting refugees and their families. Both of us got really excited and a bit nervous. We were wondering how we might get to know them, listen to their stories and learn from their experiences.

As they started to arrive we mingled with them. Some were as young as 4 months old. Once we sat at the table we introduced each other and then ate delicious food. Together, we sang songs accompanied by piano and drums. The refugees shared their stories with us. Some of the stories made us shed some tears and some were just amazing. One Afghane refugee, shared with us that since he was a child, he had been taught, “that the Jews are our enemies and they are cruel”. They taught him to hate us. He was so overwhelmed to feel so welcome, with warmth, honesty and happiness. He was so surprised to be sitting amongst us and seeing how interested our students were in hearing the stories he and his fellow refugees had to tell. We shared with them our own stories, singing together, eating together, laughing together. He finally realised and shared with us “if we can sit together like this in the night of Sukkot, why not around the world? There is still hope for peace and our learning to respect and understand each other, and one day…to love each other”……..We are looking forward to next year, hoping to witness more incredible experience like this one in our school sukkah.

Philip Feinstein (www.musicforrefugees.org)  

Thank you again for inviting me to be a part such a fabulous sukkah evening. For me it was an extra special night as I was able to catch up with many people I have not seen since their release from Villawood Detention Centre. The atmosphere of the event really evoked a special feeling of togetherness which is really what it is all about. Meanwhile, the singing was great too!

Sonia Redman (Year 11 2017)

The sukkah dinner that I and fellow students, and staff, shared with refugees last week, was one of the most eye-opening experiences I feel so privileged to have participated in. From sharing our stories, eating good food, laughing and singing with voices raised in unison, the atmosphere within the sukkah was one of unconditional love and respect. One of the refugees, Hadi, spoke about the concept of enemies. How his country, Iran, posed the Jewish people as the enemies. He then went on to say how foolish he thought this was, because we are all humans, and this was a beautiful revelation. I was born and have lived in Australia my whole life, and have only recently begun to truly respect the plight of those who have not grown up so fortunately. But to see the constantly smiling faces of those who have experienced what many of us will never understand, was inspiring. I will forever cherish the conversations I had, the friendships I made, the embraces of those who opened themselves up so bravely to me. Thank you to everyone who made the night possible, I am truly grateful. 

Emma Fredman (Former Emanuel Parent)

Thank you for a wonderful evening in the sukkah with so many beautiful people. Such a lovely feeling sharing the evening with so many different people. I do cherish my time with many of the refugees as they have started making families of their own and that is so special to be part of. A wonderful and fun night. Thank you.

Hannah Shteinman (Year 11 2017)

Meeting and talking with such interesting people (and very cute babies) from literally all around the world, was an opportunity I’m so grateful to have had. Hearing the stories of people who have left their homes, and how they were then treated in coming to our country, was powerful and deeply moving. Sitting under the sukkah we were able to share our Jewish tradition and spiritual meaning of Sukkot and, in turn, our own Jewish history and experience of being refugees. So often in our sheltered eastern suburbs community, there seems to be this gap or even fear between our culture and the cultures of others, and that is why a night like this, where we all could learn about each other and enjoy food together is so important. 

Gabriel Sebban (Year 11 2017)

My experience last Tuesday evening far surpassed every other Sukkot meal in which I have taken part. Sitting down for a meal in the safety of the sukkah, with people who had come from all around the world, was amazing for me. It was extremely enriching and fulfilling to be able to celebrate the festival of Sukkot with these refugees, due to the symbolism that this festival holds to us, the Jewish people. Just as the sukkah represents shelter, safety and peace, so did my interactions with our guests. Furthermore, just as we invite our ancestors as guests (ushpizin), into the sukkah, it was very special to also invite refugees from across the globe to find shelter and safety in our midst. This merging of cultures and religions was summed up by a man from Iran, Hadi, who discussed the way in which his government told his people of the horrible nature of Jews and Israel, and how we should be his ‘enemies’. He went on to say that though he sat with the “enemies” of his country, he was in fact, seated amongst friends.