Yom Sayvah (Elder’s Day) 2015
The month of November played gracious host to “Yom Sayvah” or Elders Day, the annual week-long celebration of the Hebrew Israelite Community to honor our elder members.
Each year, the Elders are feted to a range of special activities including gift giving ceremonies, special banquets, fun and games, pampering and excursions.
“Yom Sayvah is another, tangible communal expression of how to follow the laws of Yah to ‘honor thy father and thy mother so that thy days may be prolonged upon the earth,” explained Nahgelah E. Avram, a coordinator of the festivities.
The event regularly connects the seniors with young children through activities centered at Ahkvah School, of the Hebrew Israelites. Among the main events is a special gathering called the “Wisdom Hut,” where the Elders share their personal stories and words of advice with the young people. Each year this is most memorable. The students are captivated by the true life stories which chronicle the diverse paths the seniors have taken to arrive in Israel and lifes many lessons.
They are also presented with gifts as a sign of appreciation.
A brain-child of the Chosen First Fruit (CFF) youth organization of the Hebrew Israelites, Yom Sayvah was initially celebrated only within the Hebrew community. Then about 7 years ago, as other ethnic groups within the diverse Dimona population heard about it, they began to join in.
The entire week is dedicated to showing gratitude, showering attention, praise and sometimes, just making the Elders comfortable. Among other featured activities were a movie night, an evening of relaxation with massage and meditation sessions for all, hair-braiding and foot baths, and fun and games night. This year’s excursion was a 2-day trip to Mitzpe Ramon where the travelers enjoyed a visit to the local museum, a banquet and a music and dance presentations.
But that’s not all. With the growing popularity of Yom Sayvah, the Dimona Municipality sponsored an additional day of festivities. More than 200 seniors turned out for the rally and parade from City Hall to the local community center where the day was filled with workshops and health screenings, music, dance and exercise performances and more. The theme of the day, “In the Midst of Life,” emphasized that Dimona’s elders have a lot to share with younger generation – and a lot to look forward to, as valued members of the citizenry.
The expansion of the celebration is a noteworthy example of the growing influence that the Hebrew Israelite Community wields within the City of Dimona and the country of Israel. The positive focus on heathy, active living is infectious and more communities are taking part.
“We know we have a lot of activities in our community that the wider Israeli community will appreciate and take part in,” said Nahgelah. “And that is what we look forward to doing more of in the future.”
Selah