We celebrate from Rosh haShanah to Simchat Torah

Daugavpils Evangelical Christian Church «God's Covenant» together with the Daugavpils Jewish community celebrates all Jewish autumn holidays already several years in a row. Moreover, the council of «The centre of service to the Jewish people», where representatives of two communities enter, decided to carry out all five holidays: Rosh haShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

And so, on Sunday, October 21, this holiday took place in the Conference hall of hotel Latgola of the city of Daugavpils (Latvia). The hall was full. Certainly there was the Jewish population of the city in the majority in the hall, but also there were members of God's Covenant Church, citizens of Daugavpils of other nationalities and religions to whom the history and traditions of the Jewish people are interesting. As always, there were many guests in the hall: Christian pastors from the United States Erica and Scott Higgins, the conductor of wind and chamber orchestras from Israel Samuel Hagin, the native of Daugavpils, he was one of the first kleaders of the Jewish community of Daugavpils. There were guests from Vilnius, Kraslava and other cities of Latvia.

In the program of the holiday: a festive concert, then presentation of the disk of a new musical film shot on the performance "Purimspiel-2012", staged this year on the holiday of Purim and, in conclusion, presentation of New Year's gifts - 150 food packages.

And though the holidays passed, but they are still fresh in the memory and souls of all Jews. The pastor of Evangelical Christian Church «God's Covenant» Stanislav Zlobin, who gives energy and efforts to service to the Jewish people, and the board member of the Daugavpils Jewish community Raisa Abramovna Ustinskova, who acquainted those who were present at the hall with history and traditions of Jewish autumn holidays, the Higginses from the USA, and the guest from Israel Samuel Hagin congratulated and wished blessed New year to all Jewish people.

To live like Jews does not mean only history and the Jewish traditions, but also the Jewish culture and music. Music which flew from clarinets of klezmer-musicians and streamed from the fingers of violinists both in sad and joyful moments of life of the Jewish people. The concert program by Leonid Magnitskiy was opened by the unique klezmer chapel, the only one in the city, under the leadership of Grigory Kagan.

The person receives life not only from the parents, but, first of all, from God who plays a definite role in the destiny of every person. The children's vocal ensemble “Faerlech” - "Sparks" and the Jewish community performed the Prayer to God «Our father, our Tsar!» and the song, devoted to Rosh haShanah - «Next year». In a year, in a year the autumn will come and again cranes will fly… And in honour of the holiday Simchat Torah - «Pleasure about the Torah», the children's vocal ensemble “Faerlech” sang the song devoted to this holiday - «I have fun and rejoice!».

Alena Didenko, who is 12 years old, with the song «As the deer wishes to the waters that flow …» and her melodious voice bewitched the listeners. «Why do you grieve, my soul, and why are confused? Hope for God!» - Alena sang.

In the row of Jewish autumn holidays the holiday of Sukkot in the Torah is called «A harvesting holiday», during these days the Jewish people thank the Supreme God for the rich harvest. The composition «Thank God for the Harvest» was performed to the audience by the drama school of God's Covenant Church by Christina Nitisha, Alexey Filipov, Samanta Varakina, Lyuba Filipova, Ioanna Zlobina, David Zlobin and Natalia Tumashevich.

Vocal ensemble "Mazel Tov" (We wish you good luck), accompanied by a klezmer chapel and under the leadership of Grigory Kagan, performed the medley of popular Yiddish songs. The alarm and pride, despair and hope, both pain and happiness, and love are intertwined in them. Yiddish language won't die, while it lives in music, in songs and while there are people who love these songs and sing them.

The constant participant of our concerts, the singer and vocal teacher Inna Kralika, also performed Jewish song. In her performance sounded the song «The Jewish eyes» on verses of the Jewish poet Simeon Berenstein, who has unique personal destiny from the disabled child to the poet who is known to the whole world. Her song on Yiddish “Bei mir bist du schеjn” was warmly accepted by the audience.

For the first time the performer of bard songs Irena Cimbale took part in the concert. She sang, accompanying herself on a guitar, Alexander Rosenbaum's  song «Jewish tailor» in which it is told about home, about parents, about love, about endured, and about hope for the best future; the song and her performance were warmly met by the audience.

The Jewish dances executed by dance ensembles of the Jewish community "Holom" and "Aviva" undoubtedly became an ornament of the holiday. Dance for Jews - the musical chronicle which reflects people’s life. Also, what is characteristic for the Jewish people? First, they start to sing and then to speak, first to dance, and after that to walk...

In conclusion of the concert program, for the first time in such concert, a duet from God's Covenant Church Vilma Makrecka and Svetlana Rudakova performed in Russian and in Hebrew languages the Jewish prayer - «Creating the peace in heavens», and all the hall sang with them. 

Israel is not only the country of citizens living in it. Jews who live in other countries all around the world are a part of the great Jewish people, though they don't live in Israel. They, as the Israelis, turn their looks upon the Supreme God and ask Him for peace, good fortune and rescue.

Article by Alla Terekhova

Photo by Evgenia Melnikova