“It isn’t the length of the whole service, obviously, because of [the dogs’] attention spans,” said Tamara Wolfson, the synagogue’s cantor.
Tamara with dogs Maisie (left), who attended the service, and Milo (right), who passed away this year (photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]
This year’s event, which Tamara was responsible for organising, featured a prayer to show gratitude for the pets’ creation, a space for people to talk about their pets’ names, and a rendition of Rabbi Joshua Showski’s song Ma Rabu, which talks about “how wonderful and numerous G-d’s creations are”.
“Names carry significance in Judaism – we celebrate the names that we give our babies, so I thought, ‘Why not do the same for our pets?’” Tamara said.
During the singing, “a lot of the dogs ended up just kind of joining in a chorus of barking, which was hilarious,” said another attendee, Tash Kaye, who came with her husband, Ben, and their one-year-old cocker spaniel, Freddie.
“He was definitely the youngest dog there, and he absolutely loved it,” Tash continued. “He loves the attention, he’s full of energy, and he loves dogs and humans, so he was in this element.”
Despite the auditory chaos, the dogs were “surprisingly well-behaved”, said Sammy Muller, communications and marketing manager at EHRS, who brought Bertie, her six-year-old Cavapoo, to the synagogue.
“I think [the dogs] genuinely enjoyed being able to come along with their owners to somewhere they wouldn’t normally go, meeting other dogs, and taking part in a service especially for them,” she said.
Left: Sammy with Bertie. Right: Bertie wearing a kippah (not at the service) (photos: courtesy)[Missing Credit]
Tamara – who brought her dog Maisie, a seven-year-old maltipoo – produced a special prayer booklet for the event, dubbed “Bark Mitzvah”.
Next year, EHRS may be able to use a special siddur for pets, which the JC reported on in January and is due to be published in November.
In all, the event had around 50 attendees, roughly 15 of them dogs. It took place inside the shul due to the inclement weather, rather than in its usual spot in the courtyard. “The dogs are all house trained, and the shul has wooden floors,” Tamara assured.
For many congregants, the most meaningful part was a memorial for pets who had died, during which everyone had the chance to say their names before a prayer was recited in their honour.
“That’s a really special moment because you do forget that they really are part of the family, and I think with dogs you never really are allowed to grieve for them,” Donna said.
Donna's boxer, Aero (left), and her daughter's pug, Roxy (right) (photos: courtesy)[Missing Credit]
“I thought it was a really nice touch,” Tash added. “I think it's such a lovely way to show your love and appreciation and gratitude – because they are family.”
Another poignant segment involved a short presentation about the Israel Guide Dog Centre, a charity headquartered in central Israel which provides dogs to those who have impaired vision – such as Erez Barkai, who the JC interviewed in March – as well as those who suffer with PTSD or require them for emotional support.
“It gave additional weight to the gathering,” Tamara said. “It was a reminder that dogs are also saving lives all the time, and as dog owners I think we have a particular appreciation for that work.”
Erez Barkai with his guide dog, Venus, in a bomb shelter[Missing Credit]
Tamara – who married Tash and Ben at EHRS last summer – said the community-building element of the event is important as well.
“It was so lovely to kind of see them back in the building with Freddie – a nice next chapter,” she said. “It’s another example of how we walk a path from the beginning of a family’s life to the end of it.”
Donna also mentioned the benefit for the elderly members of the congregation who aren’t allowed to keep dogs in their assisted living facilities, giving them a special opportunity to “enjoy [the dogs] as well”.
And Tash commented that simply being able to bring Freddie to shul and “not have to think about leaving him at home” was heartwarming, “as, you know, we consider Freddie very much a family member”.
Ultimately, the day was all about the dogs and giving their owners a chance to show their appreciation for them – and that affection was palpable throughout, said Sammy.
“Seeing how happy they were made it even more special for us too,” she smiled.
