Ten babies had their first taste of shule community at Sydney’s Great Synagogue’s Mazal Tot Shabbat.
Some gurgling, some crying and others overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of The Great Synagogue – the babies, all under one year old, were blessed by Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence during a special Mazal Tot Shabbat.
The blessing of babies and their parents by Rabbi Lawrence took place on the bimah under an outstretched tallit with proud grandparents and some great-grandparents taking great nachas from the event.
A project of The Great Synagogue’s Services committee, Mazal Tot Shabbat included a baby-oriented sermon and each tiny tot was given a bib incscribed “I’m a GREAT baby” with a logo designed by Ilana Wahnon based on The Great’s exterior with the towers replaced by baby bottles.
President Michael Gold said even our most conservative congregants responded warmly to the event