Simchat Torah
Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022
7:00-9:00 p.m.
For Temple Beth Shalom members; no RSVP required.
Temple Beth Shalom members, come celebrate Simchat Torah at the temple! Join us for an evening of prayer, singing, dancing, and sweet treats as we celebrate the completion of one cycle of Torah readings and the beginning of another.
Simchat Torah is also a meaningful time to donate to our Tree of Life at Temple Beth Shalom.The Tree of Life hangs on the wall of our lobby, where it honors s'machot, joyous sacred moments, and relationships within our temple family. As we move forward with optimism to another year of Torah reading, financial support of our Tree of Life is one way to support and nourish our community.
Sh'mini Atzeret: Yizkor Service and Study Session
Monday, Oct. 17, 2022 on Zoom
8:00 a.m. study, 8:30 a.m. service
For Temple Beth Shalom members
Access the link on the Zoom Links for Members webpage (log in required)
Our Yizkor service for members on Sh'mini Atzeret includes not only prayers of remembrance but also reminders of other themes of this day. The service will include prayers for rain, since rain gives life and provides sustenance. We also will include references to Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), which is traditionally read during this season. We encourage you to have your Mishkan T’filah Shabbat and Festivals version (on Kindle) or a physical copy of Mishkan T’filah on hand.
About Simchat Torah
Immediately following Sukkot, we celebrate Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, a fun-filled day during which we celebrate the completion of the annual reading of the Torah and affirm Torah as one of the pillars on which we build our lives.
As part of the celebration, it is customary for the Torah scrolls to be taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times.
During the Torah service, the concluding section of the fifth book of the Torah, D'varim (Deuteronomy), is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis, or B'reishit as it is called in Hebrew, is read. This practice represents the cyclical nature of the relationship between the Jewish people and the reading of the Torah.