My Dad's Speech at the Kiddush

MY DAD'S SPEECH
(AT THE kIDDUSH)

Jeremy, you have done us all very proud, both today and last night in your singing, reciting from the Torah and commentaries. All your family and friends here today I’m sure are very proud of you. Both Sandra and I would like to thank everyone who came especially those who came from afar. Special mention for Ros and Neville Rubinstein who made a special effort to come from Queensland to be here, my cousins Max and Sarah from Melbourne and Dr Martin Adler who has had to make special arrangements for his sick father to be here, and all those people from the eastern suburbs who have made the trek to the green desert of St Ives today.

We would also like to thank Josephine Shroot and the ladies guild for organising this lovely kiddush. I would also like to thank very much Rabbi Zalman who has taught Jeremy for over a year and been a great inspiration for him. We are extremely lucky on the North Shore to have Chabad here and I don’t think enough can be said for the work you are doing not only with our young kids at Cheder but Adult Education and generally with the Kehillah that has developed and for that I would like to thank Rabbis Nochum and Fruma as well as Zalman and Eyal and the teachers and bochrim Jeremy has had over the years. Jeremy has been enthusiastic about Chabad for 5 years – keep up your enthusiasm Jeremy.

Also I would like to put in a plug for Lane Cove Shule as there are a lot of members here – Jeremy and I have been going to Lane Cove Shule since its inception and Jeremy has learnt the Friday night service from attending and has already had to be the 10^th man holding a chumash on many occasions.

It is very sad that my parents Jeremy Nono and Nona can’t be here and I’m sure they would be glowing with pride if they were here. However, we are very pleased that Sandra’s grandmother, Nana Felka, who is over 90 is here and it is a great day for her as well as Sandra’s parents, Poppy Michael and Nana Shirley. We did organise a kiddush here when you turned 90, but unfortunately you couldn’t come, but today you finally made it.

The parsha today is Bo and it is a very significant parsha as we have already heard – this describes some very significant mitzvot such as eating matza, the pascal lamb, laying tefillin, and the redemption of the first born. It reminds us of the power of Hashem in freeing the Children of Israel from Egypt and that we must never forget the events leading to the redemption from Egypt. And it is relevant that it does refer to several mitzvot because now you are Bar Mitzvah, Jeremy, it is your responsibility to keep Mitzvot.

We received one card from relatives overseas that simply said:- "At 13 for the fulfillment of mitzvot" from Pirkei Avot. This is an essential part of being barmitzvah and a member of the community and it shows that becoming Bar Mitzvah is really only the beginning of such a commitment. Jeremy you have worked very hard for your Bar Mitzvah but the serious stuff begins now. Good luck, Shabbat Shalom.

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