All services and celebrations are held at Chabad House or in the Sukkah in front.
2101 Nueces
Austin, Texas
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Candle lighting Monday 10/8 2001 6:49 (Austin)
Holiday Service at 7:30 pm
Kiddush in the Sukkah.
HAKAFOT.
Tuesday am - 10 am Shacharit --Yizkor.
Tuesday night Candle lighting after 7:45 - Maariv at 7:45 pm
Services, Kiddush followed by Singing and Dancing at our...
GRAND HAKAFOT- DANCE WITH THE TORAH CELEBRATION
Wednesday am Shacharit at 10 am, Kiddush, Hakafot Torah reading...Everyone receives an Aliyah
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What is "Shemini Atzeret"?!
"The 15th of the seventh month shall be the festival of Sukkot to G-d,
lasting seven days....The eighth day is a sacred holiday... It is a time
of 'atzeret'(see below for explanation)when you may do no service work
" [Leviticus 23].
So, we have the first day (now two days) of no work and the eight day
(and now ninth too) of holiday. Shemini means eight. This is Monday night.
Tuesday night is Simchat Torah, we do "Hakafot' (literally "circles") we
dance with the Torahs, we also do Hakafot Monday night. On Simchat
Torah day we conclude the last part of the Torah and start over from "In
the beginning".
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From The Rebbe:
Of all the holidays of the month of Tishrei, it is perhaps the very last, Shemini Atzeret, which best expresses G-d's love for the Jewish people. The name itself, "Atzeret," comes from the Hebrew word "to stop" or "delay." G-d detains us, as it were, for one more day before we return to our regular lives.
The Midrash likens this to a king who holds a seven-day celebration for his sons. On the eighth day, when it comes time for them to leave, he is reluctant to see them go and asks them to remain for one more day of festivities.
A question is asked: How can one more day of celebration make the inevitable departure less painful? What is gained by pushing it off? We must therefore conclude that there is something about this special holiday, Shemini Atzeret, which actually prevents the departure from taking place at all.
This concept is reflected in the precise language of the Midrash. "Your departure is difficult," the king tells his sons, not "our departure." This alludes to the fact that G-d never abandons the Jewish people; His love for us is constant and eternal. "Your departure is difficult," G-d tells us. G-d doesn't want us to abandon Him; He therefore requests that we celebrate one more holiday together that will serve to strengthen our bond.
The key to maintaining a close connection with G-d is achdut--unity. When Jews are united with one another our relationship with G-d is strong. When, however, there is strife and division, it forms a wedge between the Jewish people and our Father in heaven.
The entire theme of Sukkot is Jewish unity; indeed, the mitzvah of the Four Species represents the four types of Jews coming together to be bound into one entity. Nonetheless, after Sukkot is over and its positive effect has dissipated, the possibility still exists that the individual elements will revert to their previous separateness and dissociation.
In order to prevent this from happening, G-d asks us to remain with Him a while longer, to celebrate a holiday that will secure our unity in an everlasting manner.
On Shemini Atzeret, a single sacrifice is brought in the Holy Temple, expressing the idea of the indivisible nature of the Jewish people. Furthermore, this concept is also reflected in the way the holiday is celebrated: great scholars and simple people alike dancing with the Torah scroll, without distinction between them.
The absolute unity with which we conclude the holidays of Tishrei thus guarantees that these feelings will carry over into the rest of the year, effectively preventing that we will ever "depart" from holiness, G-d forbid.
Have a Joyous Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah!