It’s almost here. Lag B’Omer is this coming Sunday (Sunday 2 May) and with Lag B’Omer comes Chabad's “Great Parade and Fair”.
This year’s parade has been endorsed by all major Jewish schools, and numerous Johannesburg Shuls. "It promises to be the biggest and best Lag B’Omer event to date," says Shmulie Weinbaum of Chabad House.
"Show off your Jewish pride and join the Johannesburg Jewish community as we march through the streets in true unity. Complete with Marching Bands, Floats, Clowns, Rides, Shows and so much more, this is one spectacular event that will long be remembered," says Shmulie.
The parade will begin at 10am with a Children’s Rally at Cheltondale Park. The fisrts 500 kids to arrive at Cheltondale Park to participte in the parade will receive a free Lag B’Omer T-shirt, visor and placard.
Marching bands and colourful floats will guide the parade along Cheltondale Road and Louis Botha Avenue and into the grounds of Torah Academy.
Once there, participants will be treated to a kaleidoscope of activity including an amusement park, (entrance free - charges for food and rides) plus music, fire shows, kiddie farm and parachutists.
"It promises to be a fun-filled day for young and old," says Shmulie. "From jumping castles and merry-go-rounds to ferris wheels, velcro walls, foofie slides, quad bikes and Aero Bots. The Amusement Park boasts something for all ages."
Why the parade and fair?
Lag B’Omer is an island of celebration in the midst of a mournful period in the Jewish calendar. The day commemorates the end of a plague that killed 24,000 of Judaism’s greatest scholars during the Talmudic era.
Tradition teaches that they were punished for their disunity, so on this day we have planned a mega-event to promote Jewish unity.
"So," says Shmulie, "ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, mummies and daddies, bobbies and zaydies make sure you are at this great event. When everyone is talking about it in the weeks to follow make sure you can say 'I was there'.”
For more information contact Shmulie on his cell 072 766-7478 or by e-mail at shmulie@chabad.org.za
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Will they sing Hatikvah, or
Will they sing Hatikvah, or wave the Israeli flag?
I doubt it!
Why should they?
Why should they?
Yom Ha'atzmaut already
Yom Ha'atzmaut already happened!
Since when do we ever sing Hatikva at all our Jewish celebrations?
In this case I'm not sure which Chochmah, Binah or Daas your trying to demonstrate, but since it's another bright idea...
Can't wait. Sounds amazing
Can't wait. Sounds amazing
My point is that EVERY
My point is that EVERY Jewish holy day is connected to the Land, so it would be a good idea to remind us of this fact by waving some Israeli flags or singing the anthem.
P.S. In the good old days we used to sing Hatikvah in Shul at the end of Nilah on Yom Kippur.
A custom I could never
A custom I could never understand.
A custom you can't
A custom you can't understand, because in those days the connection to Eretz Yisrael was much stronger.
The longer Jews remain in exile the weaker their connection and yearning for the Land becomes,especially when the exile is as comfortable as it is.
A custom which began only in
A custom which began only in 1948... I never understood how a song that was composed by anti-religious people with the term "am chofshi" referring to being free of Torah and Mitzvot, could be sung in a Shul. Most people are unaware of the utter contempt of Yiddishkeit that those composers had. Bu Choni, you are right,our connection to Eretz Yisrael is / was very strong, way before the secular Zionists came around. We should continue to pray for E.Y. and all those who live there, and a Parade of Achdus and unity is what directly impacts EY in a most positive way.