Video, Photos: Washington Torah to Be First Sefer Torah Written Only in Washington

0
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

levi shemtov[Video and photos below.] History was made on June 9th in Washington, DC, with the commencement of writing “The Washington Torah” at the Annual Benefit Event of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), held at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, one the national capital’s most prestigious venues.

This Torah scroll is unique in that it is to be written entirely in Washington, DC, something never before attempted. At a moving ceremony, a duly trained sofer, or Jewish ritual scribe, used a specially prepared quill made from a feather to carefully write the first letters of the Torah onto a completely hand-made piece of parchment.

This is the way Torahs have been prepared going back millennia, something not lost on the hundreds of men and women in attendance, including dozens of senior Administration officials, Congressional leaders and Members, ambassadors and senior diplomats, as well as other leading figures in the business, international academic, and political communities.

The elegant event, presented by American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), which is sponsoring the “Washington Torah” initiative, honored US Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Hon. Julián Castro, US House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) – presented the Leadership Award by Senior Democratic Dep. Whip John Lewis (D-GA) – and noted attorney and civic leader, Mr. Max N. Berry, presented with the Special Friend Award by Hon. Anthony A. Williams, former DC Mayor and the event’s General Co-Chair.

Phrases of the Torah are intended to be inscribed in landmarks around the capital relating to the specific words with, for example, “justice, justice shalt thou pursue” to be written at the Supreme Court, phrases of healing at the Department of Health and Human Services, words of war and peace at the Pentagon and US Institute of Peace, and so on.

In addition, as many as 18,000 community members will be invited to participate in the program, with the ability to personally commission anywhere from one letter to entire special sections to be written on their behalf. Organizers also intend to have relevant words and phrases written at other locations around the city, both prestigious as well as reflecting more mundane aspects of everyday life – such as a school, hospital, food market, bank, park, aquarium, residential complex, police station, etc.

“In this way, we can most clearly demonstrate the relevance of living words of the Torah to our contemporary experience”, said Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), upon launching the project. “This initiative will help show in sharp relief how the words of the Torah are ultimately timeless.”

As if to reinforce this point, there were several “antique” Torahs and other precious Judaica on display during the evening, originating from places as diverse as India, Yemen and Germany and dating back as far back as the 17th century, provided by Mr. Berry from his vast Judaica collection, one of the largest in the US.

Ambassador of Israel to the US, HE Ron Dermer, greeted the dinner and eloquently compared the thousands of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries around the world working on their mission to dedicated soldiers, bringing the light of Jewish life to the far corners of the world. And the hundreds in attendance took a moment to recognize the family of Lt. Kevin McRae, a DC firefighter who lost his life in the line of duty on May 6. They were joined by Washington DC Chief of Fire and EMS Gregory Dean.

Hamotzie, the blessing over breaking bread was led by leading philanthropist Mr. Simon Falic, Chairman of Duty Free Americas. Birkat Hamazon was led by Mr. Baruch Weiss, a partner in the Washington law firm of Arnold and Porter.

The invocation was delivered by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, the umbrella organization of the international Chabad-Lubavitch movement – the world’s largest network of Jewish educational and social services, with over 4,000 branches in 49 states and more than 80 countries.

VIDEO:

PHOTOS – Click on each photo to magnify:

_CNP9108 _CNP9279 _CNP9303 _CNP9311 _CNP9330 _CNP9409 _CNP9476 _CNP9531 _CNP9563 _CNP9574 _CNP9593 _CNP9600 _CNP9609 _CNP9625 _CNP9646 _CNP9671 _DSC4961 _DSC4982 _DSC4990 _DSC5011 DSC_2077 DSC_2081 DSC_2082 DSC_2083 DSC_2105 DSC_2109 DSC_2126 DSC_2129 DSC_2239 DSC_2259 DSC_2277 DSC_2279 DSC_2280 DSC_2305 DSC_2310 DSC_2310_1 DSC_2332 DSC_2332_1 DSC_2336 DSC_2350 DSC_2352 DSC_2355 DSC_2384 DSC_2393 DSC_2396 DSC_2415 DSC_2440-001 DSC_2450 DSC_2459 DSC_2471 DSC_2496 DSC_2509 DSC_2531 DSC_2543 DSC_2557 DSC_2564 DSC_2590 DSC_2620 DSC_2637 DSC_2648 DSC_2658 DSC_2681 DSC_2682 DSC_2689 DSC_2691 DSC_2700 DSC_2710 DSC_2722 DSC_2729 DSC_2734 DSC_2739 DSC_2746 DSC_2750 DSC_2760 DSC_2774 DSC_2779 DSC_2782 DSC_2785 DSC_2792 DSC_2793 DSC_2807

{Andy Heller-Matzav.com Newscenter}


LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here