NOVEMBER 7 • 2024 | 25
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or the first time on this scale, 
the Metro Detroit area hosted 
a grand outdoor Simchas Beis 
Hashoeva concert, uniting the Jewish 
community to celebrate Sukkot with 
music, dance and joy.
Families gathered for the festivities 
organized by Chabad Lubavitch of 
Michigan, enjoying arts and crafts, 
where children decorated flags to 
dance with, plus free cotton candy and 
tours of Sukkah Mobiles, and of Oak 
Park Police and Hatzalah ambulance 
vehicles. Dinner was available for pur-
chase, fueling an evening filled with 
lively dancing.
New York’s Chony Milecki and 
Israeli singer Oria Schiff provided 
energetic music, filling the night with 
vibrant tunes and sparking joyous 
dancing. 
The Simchas Beis Hashoeva cel-
ebrations originate from the joyous 
water-drawing festivities during 
Sukkot in the Beis Hamikdash (Holy 
Temple) in Jerusalem. In 1980, the 
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem M. 
Schneerson encouraged communities 
worldwide to revive these celebrations 
outdoors in the streets, for all to see 
and join. 

Since then, locales from New York 
and Chicago to Los Angeles, Paris and 
Israel have embraced this tradition, 
and now Detroit joins these vibrant 
communities with its own large-scale 
Simchas Beis Hashoeva celebration.
In a time of challenges, this cele-
bration was a reminder of the com-
munity’s strength and joy. More than 
just an event, it was a testament to the 
unbreakable spirit of Detroit’s Jewish 
community. 

Outdoor Simchas Beis Hashoeva Concert unites 
Detroit’s Jewish community in song and dance.

STORY AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SHUL

 A 
Joyous 
 First

Yisroel Scheiner 
dances with his 
son in the center 
of a large circle of 
joyous celebrants.

The Beliak 
family had fun 
at the event.

Shaya Klyne of Southfield, Mendel 
Galperin of Windsor and Eza Cohen 
of Oak Park

The Rudin family enjoys the celebration.
Ellie Drissman recited one of the 12 selected Torah passages for all to 
repeat after her.