Grapevine: Joyful gathering

• Author: GREER FAY CASHMAN
• Published date: 30 September 2021
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Families could be seen sukkah-hopping or going to some of the many events that help to make Sukkot the happy festival that it is. To get into the spirit of Sukkot, other than to participate in nature tours, the best events to attend were those organized by Chabad.

All hassidic movements exude an aura of joy during Sukkot, but with or without alcohol to fuel their spirits, participants in a typical Chabad farbrengen – a gathering of joy – are truly ecstatic, as they sing and dance and display some very fancy footwork. Of all the hassidic movements, Chabad, when they get going, create an infectious cycle of joyful togetherness.

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That was the evening scene on the intermediate Wednesday of Sukkot, when Rabbi Yisroel Goldberg, the incredibly energetic and inventive director of Chabad of Rehavia, organized a grand Sukkot celebration in the courtyard of the Great Synagogue, with the blessing of the Great Synagogue Board, the Ginot Ha'ir Community Council, Mayor Moshe Lion and Deputy Mayor Hagit Moshe. The main attraction was celebrated hassidic singer Mendy Jerufi, who contributed to keeping people on their toes both literally and vocally, but credit also goes to versatile darbuka exponent Avihu, who not only plays the drum, but sings, dances and blows shofar. Avihu brought scores of small darbukas, which were distributed to the dozens of young children – most of whom were around eight-years-old and younger, and taught them how to play the drums.

It was remarkable how quickly they caught on to the darbuka rhythms. When it seemed as though he had finished his act, all the drums were returned to the huge sacks in which he had brought them. But then when Jerufi began to sing to the accompaniment of an electronic keyboard that sounded like a full band, the youngsters, of their own accord, retrieved the darbukas to enhance the musical background – and it worked beautifully. What was also nice to see was the pleasure on the faces of fathers as they danced with their children in circles large and small, or just on their own with their children. There were also some exhibition dancers who danced alone. Goldberg, who is quite a talented dancer himself, with a great ability for high leaps, danced with the youngest of his sons, then went from circle to circle, joining in, then moving on. He also danced with children who had come with...