Events B'reishit What It Means Meet the Sofer

Shir Hadash Writes a Torah: Just What Does That Mean?

On January 22, 2005, we, as a congregation will begin to write a Torah. What will that look like? It will be celebrations, music, meditations, education, and yes - writing our very own sefer Torah. We will see one another take the quill in hand and scribe, with Sofer Druin's guidance and steadier and more practiced hand, a letter in the Torah.

More than a year ago, in July 2003, a handful of people met in the Oneg room on a summer evening to discuss writing a Torah, commissioning a Torah for our congregation. We looked at the logistics involved and, over a few months time, engaged a Sofer to work with us, determined a timeline for our project, and began in earnest to focus our energy on this special milestone for Shir Hadash.

We named our Torah Project "Shir Torah, For Ourselves and Our Children." We also selected a Torah script, the Klapf - or parchment for the Torah, and the Tikkun. We arranged to incorporate learning about Torah into the Religious School and Adult Education activities for the year.

The handful of people who met in July 2003 has now more than tripled in size - and we are inspired to bring to our congregation our very own "Year of Torah" through writing, celebration, and education. If you were to ask the group bringing you "Shir Torah" what it means to write a Torah, this is what you would hear:

"A Torah is the heart of the congregation; we need a Torah to be a congregation. It is our guiding light, our principle, our "burning bush."

"For me to be writing a Torah means we are mature enough as a congregation to take on this Mitzvah - we are stable enough to be creating a legacy for our children, our children's children. We are very close to retiring a Torah that has been repaired so very many times it cannot be repaired again. It is almost at the end of its lifecycle. It is from our past. We are now mature enough to do something for ourselves and for our future."

"Writing a Torah is a right of passage. It is something to share with our children, a passing of tradition. Hopefully, our grandchildren will use this Torah."

"It is a connectedness with our Temple. I feel greatly moved when the Torah is walked around the temple. I feel tears well up. So, to be part of creating a Torah, I feel very moved. It is a legacy."

"It is a right of passage. We are growing up as a congregation. It is time to have one of our own - one that we write!."

"We are the beneficiaries of the people who taught us, who gave us tradition. There is something potent about the connection to Torah - this is the physical symbol of our religion, of our beliefs. "

"It is the cornerstone of Judaism."

"It gives me chills - it is a physical thing - I get to write a Hebrew letter in the Torah - it is magical! It will be around for generations. A Torah is holy."

"In writing a Torah, we are transforming from the ordinary to the holy; we are investing the Torah with meaning through our human acts."

"At Sinai, they said, "If we do, they will hear and then do" - so, we are doing - writing aTorah"

"Having a Torah that matches our Tikkun is especially nice - this makes it nicer for those of us who read from the Torah."

"This is a fabulous educational opportunity - plus it brings us together around a central theme."

"By writing a Torah we are creating a sacred connection to future generations, L'dor v'dor - at least two more generations will be using this Torah. On the 50th and 75th anniversary of Shir Hadash, we will be reading from this Torah."

"The Torah is God's gift to the Jewish People."

Each of you will be invited to take place in the writing of our Torah. We invite your participation in this joyous activity.

We are delighted to be your Shir Hadash Torah Project Chairs.

Jean Bronstein
Debbie Coutant
Gretchen Preville