Simchat Torah

How rich we Jews are! We have been granted the greatest treasure of all time, the Torah, a visceral symbol of the covenant that binds heaven and earth. Like careful guardians, we open it a crack to read from it each Sabbath, then wind it tight, cover it up, and return it to our Holy Ark.

But even the most careful guardians should have some idea of the full extent of this precious possession. That is why, this Simchat Torah, we opened the Torah from end to end--with the whole congregation as witnesses. The result was a renewed appreciation of what we have undertaken to guard and what we have promised to pass on L'Dor VaDor,  "from one generation to the next."

An awed Congregation looked on as Rabbi Seymour Rossel read from the Torah. From the beginning to the end and now at the start of a new year, a new beginning.