New Torah Celebrates 360 Years of Jews in America

There was communal joy and celebration, with a little dancing thrown in for good measure, at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library near Troy, NY Sunday with the completion of the hand-written American Jewish Heritage Torah scroll.

Around 125 members, old and young, from the Capital Region’s Jewish Community came to witness the special event. They were joined at the solemn yet festive occasion by local politicians and political candidates eager to recognize and celebrate the region’s diversity.

According to Rabbi Moshe Klein, the scribe who completed Sunday’s Torah, each scroll contains the teachings given by God to Moses. Each Torah is hand written, with a feather pen, and contains 304,805 letters, 248 columns and 62 sections. Each Torah costs around $25,000 to produce. Having a Torah dedicated in one’s name is a great honor.

“This is our life, our guidance,” Klein said. “A Torah tells us how to live our life.”

The American Jewish Heritage Torah was commissioned by Albany resident Bruce Lorence and dedicated to four of his in-law relations. The four are poetess Emma Lazarus whose poem graces the Statue of Liberty, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo, former television newsman Robert Goralski, and the late political columnist and humorist Art Buchwald.

“Each letter of a Torah represents a Jewish soul,” said Rabbi Yosi Rubin of the Clifton Park Chabad. “A completed Torah completes Jewish unity. It’s a mitzvah for each Jewish person to complete a Torah scroll. The American Jewish Heritage Torah is a Sefer Torah and honors and celebrates 360 years of Jewish life and experience in America. ”

As Klein neared the completion of the sacred document, he called for those in the audience to come up and join him in completing one of its letters. Many people, both young and old, took advantage his offer.

They hopped up on the community room’s riser, where Klein had spread out the scroll, a brass ink well, and his quills and placing their hand lightly on top of Klein’s he gently completed a letter or two. He stopped every so often during the work for photographs.

One of those taking part in completing the scroll was Adam Kramer, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C-Glenville). As Kramer, who is Jewish, helped complete the scroll, Tedisco stood behind him and took it all in.

“It feels incredible, very special,” Kramer said. “It’s significant, and an honor to have Assemblyman Tedisco join us as a witness and have him share this with me.”

Tedisco said he had never witnessed the completion of a Torah before and appreciated being invited to the ceremony. He added that he found it nice to be given the chance to witness an event that is so representative of the region’s diversity.

“We all have different religions and it’s good to see how one communicates their spiritual culture, and background, how they worship, and what their ceremonies mean to them.”

In addition to the four personalities to which the American Jewish Heritage Torah was dedicated, its completion, in 2014, also was culturally significant. It marked 360 years since the first Jewish settlers to the New World stepped off the ship in New Amsterdam. Three hundred and sixty degrees also completes a circle. It represents unity of the Jewish people.

That historical fact was not lost on Rep. Paul Tonko who also attended the event. Tonko, a history lover, was well aware that the Jewish presence in the United States went back to more than 300 years to what is now New York City.

“As we celebrate the 360 years of Jewish heritage in America, we speak to the long interaction with Israel,” Tonko said. “Jewish history has added significantly to the American quilt. The Torah helps develop lesson of learning. It’s the covenant of the Jewish people. There is no more sacred book to Jewish heritage than the Torah.”

Joining Tonko at the event was Democratic candidate for state Senate Madelyn Thorne. She is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Hugh Farley (R,C-Niskayuna).

“I’m here to reach out to the many communities represented in the 49th Senate district on this happy and welcoming occasion of 360 years of Jewish presence in America.”

When the text of the Torah was completed by Klein and the festivities had died down, it was carefully rolled up, given its religious covering, and handed to Lorence. Together, the members of the Chabad and Lorence left the library in a small but happy parade, and headed down the street to the Chabad center.