Rabbi's Messages

on Monday, 30 September 2013.

RABBI'S MESSAGE FOR OCTOBER 2013

Have you ever written a letter in a Torah? Do you know how long it takes to write a scroll? Did you know that our congregation’s three Torahs are exceedingly old and each has its own amazing story?

Our Torahs are the heart of our identity as a Jewish community. We learn from them, chant from them, and utilize them during public worship, and it is our obligation to care for and preserve them.
As you have heard, our congregation is undertaking a project to restore our Torah scrolls. Why do Torahs need restoring? Does it mean we haven’t taken good care of them? Not at all. Since Torah scrolls are hand-made from organic materials, they require constant upkeep and renewal. Ink fades; seams loosen; materials become worn. It is the job of the Sofer – the Torah Scribe – to lovingly and painstakingly care for the scroll.
This will be an exciting project and we hope to involve the congregation in a number of ways. Here are ways you can get involved:
Attend our kickoff celebration at Shabbat morning services, October 26. Details below.
Come to one of the learning sessions with our Scribe, Neil Yerman, which will be held throughout the year.
Give to the campaign. Just $72 will give you the opportunity to actually write/restore a letter in a Torah scroll. Larger gifts will go a long way toward helping our community to accomplish this important obligation. Click for more information about supporting the Kol Kodesh campaign.

There are plenty of ways to get involved, and it all starts now! Please join us as we kick off this project at Shabbat morning services on Saturday, October 26, at 10:30 am. We are very excited that Sofer Neil Yerman, one of the best known Torah scribes in North America, will be here with us.
 
We look forward to an exciting year of learning as the Kol Kodesh Torah Restoration Project unfolds.
 
L’shalom,

Rabbi Micah Streiffer