Chabad of Northwest CT Completes Torah Scroll
SOUTHBURY, CT [CHI] — Doing justice to a momentous occasion, Chabad of Northwest CT completed the Community Torah on Sunday December 2nd with a truly spectacular event. The event took place at the Heritage Hotel, in Southbury, where participants had a chance to experience the making of the most hallowed of Jewish articles, the Torah.
Up on the main stage, on a specially set up table, Sofer-Scribe Rabbi Gad Sebag of New York City, carefully supervised members of the Community as they inscribed the last few lines of the Torah. That ceremony was in accordance with Jewish custom that members of the community be honored with writing the final letters of a Torah.
The final letters of the Torah Scroll were written by the Torah Scroll’s sponsors the Halpern family. “I was taking this (dedication ceremony) pretty lightly,” Sam Halpern said. “Once I got up there and held the pen and ink, I really understood.”
Subsequent letters were inscribed by children from Chabad’s Hebrew schools, in Litchfield & Waterbury. The remaining letters were inscribed by other members of the community.
“This event is not just about the writing of the Torah, it signifies a much deeper connection prevalent within the Jewish People” stated Mr. Levy. “The most important element within the Torah is unity, and by writing a Torah specifically for the Northwest CT Community, we are celebrating unity and solidarity.”
Aside from viewing the actual process of the Torah writing, there were many other Jewish orientated projects present at the event.
Amidst lively music performed by the Chassidic-Jazz band, participants were offered unique souvenirs which commemorated the event. On either side of the event hall were two booths where certified scribes busily wrote names on little pieces of parchment in the very same lettering that a Torah Scroll is written in.
“This is so educational and so much fun for my children” stated Mrs. Bonnie Burger. “My children never really get to be involved in hands-on Judaic programs of this caliber, for them, this is a total eye-opener.”
Arts and Crafts was another popular activity for the children. The children were encouraged to make their very own little Torahs, albeit wooden ones.
“The idea that this is the word of God becoming real, when the pen hits the paper, it’s like heaven touching earth,” said Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach director of Chabad of NW CT. “We take a physical piece of parchment and make it divine.”
In honor of the new Torah, a new monthly service, on the third Friday Night & Saturday of every month, Chabad will host services in Southbury, CT. for the schedule please visit JewishSouthbury.org/calendar There will be a monthly Friday night Shabbat Dinner, the first taking place Friday night, January 19, 2208 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1284 Strongtown Road, Southbury CT
For more information you can visit the Chabad web site at: ChabadNW.org
