Simchat Torah: We Finish and Begin Again.

Simchat Torah, meaning “Rejoicing with the Torah,” is one of the most joyful celebrations on the Jewish calendar. It marks the completion of the annual cycle of Torah readings and the immediate beginning of the cycle again with the opening words of Genesis—a reminder that our study and discovery of Torah never truly end. The celebration traditionally includes singing, dancing, and carrying the Torah scrolls around the synagogue in joyful processions called hakafot. Simchat Torah celebrates not simply the completion of a book, but our continuing relationship with Torah, learning, community, and Jewish tradition from one generation to the next. Chag Sameach from the Jewish Center of the Moriches!