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June 4, 2004/Sivan 15 5764, Vol. 56, No. 37
Chai welcomes new Torah
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
On the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Torah, members of Temple Chai of Phoenix celebrated the arrival of their new Torah.
The May 25 ceremony started with Scribe Neil Yerman playing a clarinet and leading "Torah for Now, Torah for Life" steering committee members - all dressed in white and off-white and wearing tallitot - down the sanctuary aisles. The choir sang and everyone present had a chance to kiss the Torah.
"It was sensational, it was so moving," said committee member Barbara Mark-Dreyfuss.
During the ceremony, Temple Chai clergy - Rabbi William Berk, Cantor Sharona Feller, Rabbi Lisa Tzur, Rabbi Peter Levi and Rabbi Mari Chernow - and Education Director Ava Keenan scribed the letters of the last word of the Torah.
After the ink dried, the Torah scroll was unrolled and wrapped around more than half of the sanctuary, sur-rounding the congregation, said chairwoman Sharon Briskman.
The ceremony was followed by a dessert reception and dancing. "It was truly joyous," Briskman said. Temple Chai artists displayed their artwork, inspired by the Torah project, at the reception.
The writing of the synagogue's new Torah began at a September 2003 ceremony at the synagogue. About 400 Chai members - adults and children age 10 and older - participated in the scribing of Bereshit, Briskman said. Each wrote one letter, guided by Yerman, who then completed Genesis. Artist Ruth Levi, Rabbi Peter Levi's wife who studied with Yermin, scribed the portion Chaye Sarah and a scribe in Israel scribed the rest.
The Torah is "going to be used and touched and kissed for generations following us," Briskman said. "We're just at the very beginning and countless others will follow."
The synagogue's second new Torah is being written in Israel and will be dedicated during Simchat Torah.
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