the cost....

[Judith R Cohen <judithc...>]

The Bene Israel (Bombay) congregation here in Toronto has always
welcomed everyone from inside and outside the community to their High
Holiday services. One has the OPTION,. very gently presented, of
contributing to their education fund, which is used to keep their
traditions alive in optional classes for youth. They also seem to keep
the service costs down. They also have no rabbi or cantor as just about
any man in the community is capable of leading services, so they share
this, and usually pool resources to bring one older community member
over from Israel, whose knowledge of the liturgy and its melodies is
even stronger. It's a rented hall because they are a small group (500 or
so) and haven't their own synagogue, just rent space for the High
Holidays. Folding chairs, no carpets, no stained glass, nothing fancy -
juse the people and the service. If kids act up, whoever is closest
quietly deals with it. Those who want to sit in unmoxed gender seating
do so in unmarked, tacitly observed sections; those men and women who
prefer to sit together do so (compromise worked out years ago).Women
happier in their saris (white on Kippur) wear saris, women happier in
western clothes wear them. 

Basically, they just get on with it.
Great melodies, too.
Oh, and no one fusses about whether women's voices are part of the
sound. I haven't seen any men looking uncomfortable =  they seem to be
too busy actually being an active part of the service to worry about
whether they are being tempted to whatever it is the voice of women is
supposed to be tempting them to.

On the very rare occasion I go to any services, that's where I go. I'm
happy to give something to their well-used education fund, and happy not
to have to go begging to some synagogue for a reduction in unaffordable
ticket prices.

Ah - and breaking the fast with the vegetarian samosas and pakoras they
bring in from Toronto's Indian neighbourhood and distribute to
everyone.....
Judith

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