1968 Dedication of the Chapel, Junior Congregation

Transcript

Junior Congregation Member: Would the congregation kindly rise for the opening prayer.

[Bustling, people standing]

Junior Congregation Member: Almighty God, in thy name the members of Shaar Hashomayim founded this synagogue for prayer, for instruction, and for joyful Jewish living. To thee they have expressed their loyalty and devotion, year after year, until they have now reached their 122^nd year. We turn to thee in humble prayer that thou mayst sanctify with thy spirit this ceremony in which we now share. As we are about to consecrate this new chapel for prayer, we the members of the youth community resolve to dedicate this beautiful sanctuary to the highest purposes of God and Man. We resolve to make every effort to be regular in our participation, wholehearted in our planning, patient in the face of trials, and persistent in the face of difficulties. We shall make every effort by example and precept to promote unity and harmony in the youth community of our congregation. Hear us, O Lord, as we recall thine ancient promise: As for this House for thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my commandments, then will I establish my word with thee. And that I will dwell therein among the Children of Israel, and I will not forsake my people, Israel. Amen.

Please remain standing as we now proceed with the Maariv service, which may be found on page 95.

Female Junior Congregation Member: Psalm 118. [Speaks in Hebrew]. Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will enter into them. I will give thanks unto the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord. The righteous shall enter into it. This stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, this is the Lord’s doing. It is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

[Youth choir sings Psalm 118 in Hebrew]

Male member speaks: [Speaks in Hebrew]. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel.

[Youth Choir Sings Mah Tovu]

Rabbi Wilfred Shuchat: Mr. President, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Mr. President of the Junior Congregation, Rabbi Gellman, Chazzan Mendelson, Reverend Fromm, Dr. Solomon, Mr. Glustein and the members of our teaching faculty, Mr. Dalfin, distinguished officers of the Congregation and of the youth community, ladies, and gentlemen.

I cannot begin without expressing my delight, the manner in which this service was conducted. The beauty of the psalms that we just heard and the participation of all the members of our youth has made this a remarkable afternoon. I don’t think any of us are going to forget it. And all who are participating merit our congratulations. We have had many events in this very eventful year in connection with the building extension of the Congregation, but no event has turned out to be as exciting as this ceremony this afternoon and the reason is that this is the only one of the important events of dedication this year that has involved the leadership of our youth. And has brought them to the forefront. And for this reason, we are all engaged in an historic experience.

Now my dear friends, this is the purpose for which we are met. The dedication of the beit hamidrash. Yet I ask myself why was such a dedication ceremony necessary? This beautiful chapel has been in use from the very moment that the architects informed us that it was in usable condition. And what could be more dedicatory than the fact that for the past 3 months, shacharis, mincha, and maariv, the morning service, the afternoon service, the evening service, has taken place in this very room. So why therefore was it necessary to dedicate this chapel? And the answer dear friends is that we are not met to dedicate the chapel, we are met to dedicate the youth of Shaar Hashomayim. Because we are acknowledging the fact that this beit hamidrash, this chapel, has been earmarked and designed among other things for the use of the youth community of our congregation. So that in honouring them in this way, they are responding as we are responding with them in a spirit of dedication to the glory of God and to the values of the Torah and to the particular role and destiny of the Jewish people.

So, my word to the Junior Congregation and to all the members of our youth community is that this weekend of revitalization must not be the end. And every effort should be made to see to it, that this beautiful chapel is filled to capacity, from one Sabbath to the other, that this should become an affirmation of the spirit of the Jewish people, of the spirit of our revival, and of the spirit of the new age in which we live.

Dear friends, the experience of this afternoon and this weekend should be a great symbol to all of us. The future of the Jewish people begins with our youth. [Hebrew]. Let us go forward, youthfully! With our youth! Amen. (11:03)

[Bustling, noises]

Junior Congregation Members: We will continue with the formal dedication of the chapel, which will proceed with a procession of torah scrolls, followed by the placing of the scrolls in the Ark. We shall then join together in the singing of u’venochai o’mar which may be found in the middle of page 170. The congregation please rise.

[Organ music plays, bells jingling]

[Torahs are placed in the ark]

Junior Congregation Member: I’d like now to call upon Ms. [indistinct] to give this afternoon’s benediction.

Female speaks: Our God and God of our Fathers, we ask that thy blessing rest upon us this sacred and significant hour. As we have now concluded the dedication of our new chapel, we pray that the spirit of God lodge here, so that the Torah may never depart from our mouths, nor from the mouths of our children. That thy graciousness, Lord our God, be upon us. Establish thou also the work of our hands, yea the work of our hands do thou firmly establish. Amen.