‘Shul Impossible’ in Arizona

Mendy Rimler – Lubavitch.com

Some 250 people turned out last Sunday at Arizona State University for a dedication ceremony to welcome the new Cohen Family ASU Unity Torah for the Chabad House at ASU.

“The new Torah represents a meaningful milestone for Jewish life at ASU,” says Rabbi Shmuel Tiechtel, director of the Chabad at ASU. Rabbi Tiechtel and his wife Chana, at ASU for eight years, serve close to 4,000 Jewish students with a broad range of social and educational programs.

Donated by the Cohen family in honor of their children, the ASU Unity Torah was escorted from Memorial Union at the ASU Tempe campus by throngs of students and community members.

“We selected this particular Torah because of its history,” said Larry Cohen. The Torah was written more than one hundred years ago in Russia, and it was moved later on to Israel. Members of Mr. Cohen’s family live in Israel, and he has Russian ancestry.

Accompanied by songs and music, the procession wound its way through campus while members of the Cohen family and the broader Jewish community carried the Torah aloft under a chupah.

“The Torah Dedication at ASU was one of the most inspiring events I have ever been to,” says Gabe Wood-Isenberg, president of Chabad at ASU. “It was so incredible to see the Jewish community come together from all over to celebrate such an amazing Simcha.”

Many guests flew in for the occasion, among them Rabbi Gad Sebag, a scribe in Brooklyn, NY who presided over the ceremony.

The Torah’s new home in the Smetana Family Shul in the Rohr Chabad Center received a total makeover, thanks to an ambitious project called ‘Synagogue Impossible,’ which began only weeks prior to the Torah dedication event.

In short order, a group of dedicated community members and students headed by Chana Devora Carro, a psychiatric social worker, and students Ben and Gabe Wood-Isenberg fully transformed the interior of the building.

After installing the new Torah in the Chabad House, the participants enjoyed a ceremonial meal commemorating the mitzvah of writing a Torah scroll, and obtained their own letters in the Torah.

9 year-old Tzvi Tiechtel said, “the shul is now so beautiful for the new Torah, and G-d willing this Torah will connect more people to Judaism.

Chloe Presti, vice-president at Chabad at ASU agrees. “The torah will increase the spiritual connection and Jewish pride at the Chabad house.”