Here’s a look at our celebratory Torah Kick-Off Weekend: June 7–9, 2024
Our synagogue commissioned Rabbi Bec Richman to scribe a new Torah for us in honor of Rabbi Moshe & Nili Adler z”l. A soferet (scribe), Rabbi Bec is a also a member of our synagogue and she began writing the Torah at a celebratory event on June 9, 2024.
FRIDAY, JUNE 7 It was a shabbat of communal song, building a collective circle of sound as we welcome Shabbat with Nariya Cleveland, followed by a communal dinner.
Rabbi Bec gave a short drash (lesson) about the connection between music and Torah. After dinner, she’ll share how she found her way to sacred scribal arts—with a display of her personal artwork, integrating Hebrew letters, Torah, and pottery.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
Shabbat Services
Soferet Talk: Our soferet, Rabbi Bec Richman, shared with us words of Torah on Shabbat morning in her talk, Torah in Her Hands at the end of the Torah service.
Lunch & Learn
The Art of Torah
After kiddush, it was a guided exploration of the practical and spiritual laws and guidelines that govern and orient a scribe’s work. Rabbi Bec explained all about the practical bits of scribing and repairing sacred texts:
What is parchment made of? What can you write with? What do you have to do to prepare for writing? What are the rules of writing? What happens when you inevitably make a mistake? What is the relationship between the mind and the body in scribing an ancient, sacred, living text? We explored these questions and more with Rabbi Bec.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
Youth Program
Torah Exploration and Calligraphy Workshop
Geared toward our community’s youngest, this participatory workshop explored some of our own Torah scrolls, with a chance to hold scribing tools, witness Rabbi Bec cut and use a quill, and learn how to use a calligraphy pen. Youth participants will go home with a calligraphy marker and a Hebrew alphabet exemplar script. This program is designed for those aged 7 and up, although children ages 6 and under are welcome to attend with a parent or guardian.
Community Program: Writing the Beginning
Here’s where we started! The beginning of writing our new Sefer Torah together. We opened by hearing about this project, its significance, and the Adlers (z’’l) in whose memory we are commissioning this scroll.
Beginning with the children of our community, each of our members were invited to come to the Torah table and participate—by touching her hand or the quill—with Soferet Rabbi Bec Richman in scribing the opening words of the Torah. Members of the broader community attended, although participation was reserved for members of Beth El-The Heights.
Everyone was also invited to write short hopes for this project on note cards all hung together on a large board. Our writing and reflecting took place to the sounds of niggunim (wordless melodies) led by Rabbi Micah Shapiro.
Writing and witnessing the beginning of a new Sefer Torah was memorable, emotional and inspiring.
