The Movement for Reform Judaism

Simchat Torah, Hebrew for “rejoicing in the Law”, celebrates the completion of the annual reading of the Torah. Simchat Torah is a joyous festival, in which we affirm our view of the Torah as a tree of life and demonstrate a living example of never-ending, lifelong study. Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times. During the Torah service, the concluding section of Deuteronomy is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis, or B'reishit as it is called in Hebrew, is read.

There are two traditions associated with the Festival. One is the distribution of sweets and apples to the children who follow the Scrolls with flags. Indeed in really traditioinal synagogues where the women sit upstairs, they throw sweets down to the children.

the other tradition is the complete unrolling of the scroll, which is now of course wound all the way to the end. Congregants hold it up as it is unwound all the way round the synagogue so the whole of it can be seen. It is then rewound back to the beginning so reading can recommence at Genesis 1.

For timings for High Holy Days please go to the calendar.

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