The Stanmore Sefardi Kehilla hosted their traditional annual Sefardi Simchat Beit Hashoeva event on Chol Hamoed 9th October 2025 to honour our Chatanim. We were delighted to see so many of our regular attenders as well as so many of our Ashkenazi brethren joining us for this celebration.
Chachamim tell us that the completion of a cycle of reading of the Torah is a day of great Simchat and is considered just like a Yom Tov. It has become customary to make a Seuda for the Chatanim at the completion of the annual cycle of reading the Torah.
The Shul Sukka was filled with with beautiful Sefardic melodies led by our talented Chazanim Amram Mamane and David Hazan. Shelley Kelaty presented a fascinating whisky tasting session and enlightened us with the intricacies of whisky making as well as tasting some delectable whiskies. The Sefardic catering was of the usual high standard, with a wide ranging menu of salads, different kinds of rice, shawarma, meatballs and generous Sefardi portions.
Nissan Moradoff addressed the Chatanim and gave a brief summary of each one of them.
Our Chatan Torah, Rabbi Mashiach Kelaty is married to Shelley and has 5 children. Born to Persian and Israeli parents, he originally lived in Finchley & Hendon, spent time in Jerusalem & Bet Shemesh in Israel and currently lives in Edgware. He attended Hasmonean primary & secondary schools. He then studied at Dvar Yerushalayim and Ohr Somayach Yeshivot in Israel and Kollel Boston where he received his Rabbinic ordination. In London he has spent 15 years studying at the Edgware Kollel and still maintains his regime of half a day learning.
Rabbi Kelaty is also a musician, photographer and filmmaker and avid drone operator. He has been a regular contributor to the popular online Torah channel ‘Torah Anytime’, where he has posted almost 4,000 shiurim, as well as a YouTube channel. What many people don’t know is that he was also the founder of the Adath Sefardi Kehilla, which started out as services in his house around 20 years ago. He is an active wedding videographer, having been in the business for 21 years. He tells me he doesn’t do anything in his spare time, because he doesn’t have any spare time!
Our Chatan Bereshit is Yehuda Benouaiche. Born and bred in Stamford Hill. he and his family moved to Edgware in 2016. He is married to Rachel, who is from Strasbourg in France and of Algerian parents. Yehuda’s father is from Fez, Morocco and his mother from Mexico City. He attended Avigdor Primary School and Hasmonean High School and spent one year in Yeshivat Mikdash Melech in Yerushalayim. He is an active member of the Edgware Adath Kehilla where he is a Gabbai of the shul, Chazan and Baal Koreh. We are very grateful to Yehuda for assisting us with the Kriat Hatora and stand in Chazan throughout the year, sometimes with very little notice. Yehuda takes his communal responsibilities very seriously and spends countless hours preparing the readings of Parshiot and organising the needs of the kehilla. He joins our regular Chazan Amram Mamane during the Yamim Noraim and Chagim to delight us with their Chazanut.
Yehuda enjoys football, (Tottenham fan), listening to classical music and cooking. He is also an expert in wines and advisor to retail outlets such as kosher kingdom on wines and spirits.
The Chatanim addressed the Kahal.
We are very fortunate to have Rabbi Kelaty and Yehuda as part of our Sefardi kehilla.
As it says in psalm 119:1
אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי-דָרֶךְ–הַהֹלְכִים בְּתוֹרַת ה “Praiseworthy are those whose way is perfect, who walk with the Torah of Hashem.” (Tehilim 119:1)
Both of our Chatanim have made Torah an integral part of their lives. They exemplify those who inherit the Torah as a Yerusha, a full inheritance, which they actively pass on to the next generation.
Through their efforts of toiling in Torah and serving their community may Hashem bless them and their families. They should continue to grow in Torah and Mitzvot and carry on their amazing work and go Mechayil el Chayil.
May Hashem bless the Stanmore community with a happy, healthy and successful new year.
ניסן כהן מורדוף
Nissan Cohen Moradoff
9 October 2025