At Temple Beth Shalom, we continue to reach precious milestones. Most recently, in 2016, we dedicated our beautiful new building, enabling us to learn and pray in a space that inspires the best in all of us. Two years later, we adopted a new strategic plan so that we could continue to grow and thrive, thoughtfully and spiritually. And now, with our community over 1000 families strong, we reach toward a new and sacred endeavor - to write our own Torah scroll.

As Rabbi Jay shared in his sermon on Rosh Hashanah, our “Sefer Torah” (sacred Torah scroll) will be scribed by Ariela Housman, Soferet (Torah scribe), one of the very few women ever to write a Torah scroll. Over the course of more than a year, she will be our scribe and our teacher, but this will truly be a community undertaking. Beginning in October 2021, Ariela will visit us six times. During each visit she will offer learning sessions for all age groups and opportunities to witness and participate in the scribing of our new Torah.

Our TBS Sefer Torah project began on Sunday, October 3 with Simchat Beresheet (Celebration of Beginning). If you missed it, you can view the recording.

“And now write this poem for yourselves and teach it to the children of Israel…”

-Deuteronomy 31:19

This passage from Deuteronomy is considered by the Sages to be the 613th and final commandment in the Torah. It was interpreted to mean that it is the responsibility of every Jew to write their own Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) during their lifetime. We are excited to present our community with the extraordinary opportunity to fulfill this personal mitzvah. Our hope is that every member of our community will take part in this project by dedicating a letter, word, verse, passage, or book. With 62 pages, 245 columns, 79,847 words, and 304,805 letters in the Torah, there are ample opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with this sacred process and be part of creating a Torah that will be read for generations to come. We invite you to share in the joy of bringing our new Sefer Torah to life!

Participate in the writing of our new Sefer Torah by taking part in a scribing ritual, a memorable opportunity to join Soferet (Torah scribe) Ariela Housman as she completes this sacred work. There are opportunities for rituals that are open to the community as well as private rituals for your invited guests. Click here to learn more about scribing rituals.

Torah dedications are a meaningful way to honor a family member or friend, remember loved ones, celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or lifecycle moments, or simply participate in this communal celebration of Torah. There are a variety of dedication levels, making it possible for everyone to find a way to participate. Click here to learn more about dedication opportunities.

All funds raised by Sefer Torah support the TBS Annual Fund, and therefore everything we do. Learn more about the TBS Annual Fund click here.

We do not want finances to be a barrier to participation in the TBS Sefer Torah Project. If cost is prohibitive for your household and you would like to participate, please contact us at sefertorah@tbsneedham.org.