

Welcome to Em Habanim Sephardic Congregation!
We are an Orthodox Sephardic Congregation founded in '74 by Moroccan Jews. In 2000 we added a Sephardic Community Center to our facilities. We are dedicated to serving our community in the Sephardic tradition. Our services are held in the Moroccan Sephardi Nussah and Liturgy.
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YOM KIPPUR SCHEDULEEREV YOM KIPPUR
Sunday Sept. 24 Candle Lighting: 6:29 PM
Kol Nidre/Arvit: 6:30 PM YOM KIPPUR
Monday Sept. 25 Shahrit: 7:00 AM
Fast ends at: 7:31 PM
Our Website is currently under developement. We are working hard to get the new site up and running!
Welcome to Em Habanim Sephardic Congregation!
Parashat Haazinu 5784
Shabbat Shuva
8 Elul 5784 - 23 September '23
Shabbat Candle Lighting: 6:32 PM
Havdalah: 7:34 PM
This Week Shachrit Shabbat at 8:15 AM
TIZKU LESHANIM RABOT NEIMOT VETOVOT!
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Join us this Motzei Shabbat Shuva Saturday night September 23rd at 11:30 PM
For musical Community Selihot program at Em Habanim

YOM KIPPUR SCHEDULE
EREV YOM KIPPUR
Sunday Sept. 24
Candle Lighting: 6:29 PM
Kol Nidre/Arvit: 6:30 PM
YOM KIPPUR
Monday Sept. 25
Shahrit: 7:00 AM
Fast ends at: 7:31 PM
Gmar Hatima Tova
May You be sealed in the Book of Life
Yom Kippur Services
As we have done every year, we will be holding Yom Kippur Services both at the synagogue and at the hotel. Our year-around Hazzan Shimon Sibony will be leading the Yom Kippur services at the synagogue and Rabbi Joshua Bittan will be joined by Yaakov Malka and Guest Hazzan Rabbi Avraham Sultan at the SLS Hotel. We look forward to inspiring services and the participation of our community. We also thank Hanna Oiknine our Office Manager for taking care of the many administrative tasks of this period of the year as well as Albert Ifrah and other volunteers for their efforts.
Simchat Cohanim
The day after Yom Kippur is celebrated in some communities as a special day to commemorate the fact that the Cohen Gadol would make a "Yom Tov" after going successfully through the most meaningful service of Yom Kippur day in Bet Hamikdash.
This year Em Habanim will be hosting the Cohanim in the community on Tuesday September 26th for Shachrit at 6:00 AM followed by breakfast. Everyone is invited.
Rabbi's Message
Yom Kippur 5784
This year we are celebrating our 50th year as a congregation. Fifty is a significant number . In the Torah, the Yovel Jubilee was a meaningful year in that every fifty years the ancestral lands went back to their original owners and Jewish servants went free from bondage. The year was sanctified and on the day of Yom Kippur of the Jubilee year the shofar would be blown.
On Yom Kippur, when synagogues all over the world fill up to capacity, we realize the importance of community. A context to feel that we belong to a sanctified nation. In a sense we have built over the last fifty years at Em Habanim a place for families to feel that they belong to a congregation, a sort of extended family.
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The prayers of Yom Kippur and the melodies that we chant
together make us feel that sense of unity so natural and characteristic to the Jewish People.
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Yet Yom Kippur is also a very personal experience. As each person has his own individual prayers and wishes for himself and immediate family. His own very personal repentance. Asking Hashem for forgiveness for his missteps of the past. Each person seeking a personal connection with Hashem, the source of Goodness.
With the day of Yom Kippur, Hashem gave us a most important gift of forgiveness and, purity. The day of Yom Kippur in the Torah is referred to as Shabbat Shabbaton. On Shabbat, there is a cessation of work activity. Yom Kippur being called Shabbat Shabbaton emphasizes the idea of cessation of work and worldly activity. It is also referred as a day of refraining from bodily pleasures such as eating drinking washing or putting on ointments. We are to separate from the material and physical and dedicate the day to spirituality similar to angels.
We are a nation that is Arevim Ze Laze guarantors for each other. We all care for each other. We identify and care for any Jew, anywhere in the world. Yom Kippur brings us all together to experience that sense of belonging.
There is a story about a Chassid who dressed like all his Chasidic sect with Shtreimel and a long robe. After getting involved in business, he felt that his clothing was somewhat odd in the business circles he found himself in . He asked permission from his Rebbe to wear European clothes. His Rebbe granted him his request. As Yom Kippur approached, he had a dilemma. How should he come dressed to synagogue on Yom Kippur . Since all year round he wore European clothes, it may be hypocritical to come dressed in Chassidic garb. After much deliberation he decided he wanted to be "truthful" to what he wears all year round and not put the costume associated with Chasidim. When he walked into the synagogue, his Rebbe asked him why are you wearing these clothes . When he explains, he did not want to be a hypocrite, his Rebbe told him all year round you have been wearing a costume, today you can be yourself.
This is what we tell Yetzer Hara ( the evil inclination) on Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, our instincts of purity, our instincts of wanting to come close to Hashem, these are who we are intrinsically . When we separate from the mundane and focus on spirituality, we connect deep within ourselves to who really are. The aura of Yom Kippur helps us to achieve that very special feeling .
Gmar Hatima Tova!
President's Message
My Dear Friends, members of the Em Habanim community,
As we enter the New Year of 5784 I want to extend to each and everyone of you my most sincere wishes for a shanah tova umetuka. Above all, I hope you all will experience good health, contentment and satisfaction in the year ahead.
Gmar Hatima Tova.
May you all be sealed in the book of life.
Albert Ifrah
President
Matching Fundraising Campaign
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We thank everyone who helped to make our matching fundraising campaign a success. We thank Jason Rimokh and Paul Marciano for matching the donations raised May Hashem bless them for their generosity. Barukh Hashem, we reached our $200,000 goal and enjoyed an inspiring online event on Thursday night.
In preparation for the campaign, we made a video to describe the programs and activities of the synagogue,
Sukkot Schedule
EREV SUKKOT
Friday, Sept. 29
Minha / Arvit : 6:20 PM
Candle Lighting: 6:22 PM
SUKKOT FIRST DAY:
Saturday, Sept. 30
Shahrit: 8:30 AM
Minha / Arvit 6:00 PM
Candle Lighting: 7:24 PM
SUKKOT:
SECOND DAY
Sunday, Oct. 1
Shahrit: 8:30 AM
Minha / Arvit: 6:15 PM
Candle Lighting: 7:23 PM
HOL-HAMOED Oct. 2-6
Shachrit:7:00 AM
Minha: 6:15 PM
EREV HOSHAANA RABA
Thursday night, Oct. 5
Traditional study in the Sukkah: 10:45 PM
HOSHAANA RABA
Friday, Oct. 6
Shahrit: 6:30 AM
Minha/Arvit: 6:15 PM
Candle Lighting: 6:12 PM
SHEMINI ATZERET
Saturday, Oct. 7
Shahrit: 8:30AM
Minha /Seouda Shlishit /Arvit 6:00 PM
Dancing with Sifrei Torah
Candle Lighting: 7:15 PM
SIMHAT TORAH
Sunday Oct. 8
Shahrit: 8:30AM
Minha / Arvit: 6:00 PM
Havdalah: 7:13 PM
SHABBAT BERESHIT
Shabbat Oct. 14
Shahrit: 8:15 AM
Minha/Arvit : 5:30 PM
Havdalah: 7:06 PM
About Us
Em Habanim Sephardic Congregation is a vibrant and welcoming Sephardic community located in North Hollywood, CA. We strive to foster a strong sense of tradition and community through our religious services, educational programs, and cultural events. Our congregation is committed to upholding the values and traditions of our Sephardic heritage, and we welcome all members of the community to join us in prayer and celebration.
