Nashville Welcomes Unity Torah

Tennessean.com

Gathered in the sunlight of the magnificent ballroom in the new Genesis Campus for Jewish Life, many friends came together to celebrate the conclusion of the writing of the Nashville Community Torah with Chabad of Nashville, and the Shluchim Rabbi Yitzchok and Esther Tiechtel.

The Torah, written by a scribe in the holy city of Jerusalem and taking over a year for all 304,805 letters to be inscribed, was completed on this crisp and bright winter day as all came to partake in a piece of history in the making. They were people from all walks of life and from all denominations of the Nashville Jewish community.

Members of the clergy, educators, doctors, businessmen, lawyers, politicians, teens, and children; all came to witness the completion of the writing of this Torah.

“The Torah is everlasting, and has been passed down from generation to generation exactly the same as it was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai over 3300 years ago, down to the last letter,” said Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel. On this day we were going to fill in the last few letters in the Nashville Community Torah, uniting all of Nashville, and becoming another link in the continuity of the Jewish people, for generations to come.

Many of the participants, sat down near the scribe, dipped the quill feather into the inkwell, and inscribed their very own letter into the Torah. This was something that for many was a first time experience, one that they will remember for a lifetime. The honor of writing the final letter of the Torah (the 304,805th letter) was given to Boaz Ramon, who together with his wife Tali, dedicated this Torah in honor of their three children.

There was great excitement in the air as the final letter of the Torah was inscribed, as all gave a rousing round of applause, and sang together the joyous melody of the Siman Tov and Mazal Tov.

As Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel raised the Torah for the Hagbeh, for all to see the letters of the Torah, everyone chanted together the traditional melody of the Vzot Hatorah, and Ben Ramon then dressed the Torah with his dad.

The Torah was then led in a procession under a Chupah, demonstrating how this is like wedding day, where G-d and the Jewish people recommit their vows from Mt. Sinai, committing themselves to study the Torah and follows its teachings. The children led the procession holding torches lit up with bright flames, demonstrating how Torah brings light and wisdom to all who learn it. There was dancing and joy in the streets of Nashville, as the procession made its way to the main entrance of the Chabad Center.

As the Torah approached the front entrance of the Chabad Center, it was greeted by its fellow two Torahs that were already in the ark, and came out to greet the new Torah that will reside with them in the ark, on the east wall of the sanctuary.

As the Torah was paraded, all joined in the joyous and exuberant dancing, as this was a day of great celebration.

The ceremony then concluded in the sanctuary, and as the Torah was placed in its new how home, in the Aron Kodesh, sweet candies were thrown, to demonstrate that just as the Torah is sweet, so may we always have sweet celebrations to celebrate as a community.

The event closed with a festive lunch where L’chaims and blessings were shared by all.

This was a day that will be remembered for generations to come, and will be written down in the annals of the Nashville history, as one that was celebrated with great joy and happiness, as another link of the chain of Jewish continuity was created by the Jewish community of Nashville Tennessee.