October 17, 2019 (vol. , iss. 1) • Page Image 22
…, accompanied by singing, dancing and carrying on. That happened to Samuel Pepys (say it as “Peeps”) on Oct. 14, 1663. Pepys, a political leader and man-about-town in London, decided to visit the newly…
… forswear ever see- ing them more and, indeed, I never did see so much or could have imagined there had been any religion in the whole world so absurdly performed as this. ” Apparently, no one told him…
… been Oct. 24, not Oct. 14, when Pepys visited the syn- agogue. On what other day would Pepys see hakafot? The columnist who goes by the name Philologos solves that problem: England still used the…
… Julian calendar back then, so England stayed 10 days out of step with the rest of Europe. Simchat Torah indeed fell on Oct. 14 in England. When England finally switched to the Gregorian calendar in…
… September of 1752, it had to make 11 days disappear. But if Oct. 14 was Simchat Torah, how did Pepys see hakafot in the evening? Synagogues around the world do these circuits on the eve- ning as Simchat…
… Torah begins, and on the morning of Simchat Torah. Pepys arrived on the evening as Simchat Torah ended or after the end of the festival! Philologos solves that prob- lem, too. Since at least the…
… middle-1500s, some congre- gations had begun the practice of having hakofot sheniyot (second circuits) on the night after the end of Simchat Torah. Philologos knows of the prac- tice because Rabbi…
… practice of second circuits hardly exists outside of Israel anymore, it has become wide- spread in Israel, often accom- panied by musical instruments that would not be welcome on the festival itself…
… our members, staff and partners,” said Eric Adelman, executive director. “It has turned into a fun networking event and a way for many people to reconnect while focusing on the important work…
… BRANDON SCHWARTZ Kadima, a Southfield- based organization serving individuals with mental health challenges, will host its 4th Annual Community Awards Night event Monday, Oct. 28, at the Townsend…

















































