Studying from a historic scroll
Students at the Jewish Healdsburg Hebrew school got quite a treat this past weekend when Rabbi Steve Finley of Sonoma shared with the group a historic scroll.
The Torah, with its faded maroon mantel (that’s the “cloak” that covers the torah and protects it) belongs to Congregation Shir Shalom of Sonoma, which happily loaned it to the growing Jewish Healdsburg community in good spirits.
Over the course of the class period, students got to learn how to dress the Torah and watched as Rabbi Finley read from this week’s portion: the Ten Commandments. Later, Rabbi Finley rewound the Torah and went back to Exodus, the parting of the sea, and Miriam and her tambourine (which was part of a victory dance afterward).
Later the Rabbi went back even farther in the revered text, to Egypt and the 10 plagues—a preview of the Passover seder next month. He concluded by sharing with the students the Torah story about Moses and the burning bush.
According to School Director Irene Hodes, Students spent most of the time wide-eyed and eager to learn. For many, it was the first time they had ever seen a Torah up close.
“The day was incredibly moving,” said Irene. “I wish we could have a Torah every week.”
Like the Jewish people, this particular Torah has overcome adversity over the course of its life. Years ago, the scroll was saved from a fire in Stockton; the non-Jewish firefighter didn’t know what a Torah was, but he reportedly thought it looked important, so he made sure to rescue it.
Today, scorching remains on some of the parchment and the Torah smells of smoke in several spots. Strangely enough, the worst discoloration is over the Hebrew words for “it burned.” It is truly an amazing coincidence.
Because Sunday was the first time most of the Jewish Healdsburg students had read the Torah, Irene and other volunteer teachers led the group with a Shehecheyanu.
This is the blessing Jews recite the first time they do something each calendar year.
Irene and other Jewish Healdsburg leaders used this exciting opportunity to remind students about the organization’s B’nai Mitzvah program—a program through which teenage boys and girls can study for a bar or bat mitzvah and read from the very same scrolls. Study for this program will begin later this spring.