Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah

Some communities celebrate Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah on two separate days; in other communities they are combined. Either way, this grand finale to the fall holiday season comes with a wide array of themes and practices. It culminates with a raucous celebration of Jewish learning and Jewish community, as we dance with the Torah scrolls and read both the end and the beginning of the Torah on the very same day.

Latest Rituals

Z’man Simchateinu

“And still, here we are again / clutching to an ancient book / that has traveled through time / from bitterness to joy…”

grief, Israel, torah, war

an open Torah scroll

The First Time

“My fingers reached out, / my heart longed…”

simchat torah, torah

a group of people dancing with the Torah

Sanctity in Time

“Evening and morning, ritual and rite, / making order out of chaos”

Leaves transitioning from green to red arranged on wooden planks with fallen leaves scattered around.

My Body is a Torah Scroll

“Have I authored the stories of my Life?”

earth, feminism, gender, torah

Person with long hair runs through a field at sunset, with the sun casting a warm glow.

Until

“Bejeweled crown removed / yet never cast aside.”

torah, torah service

Open Torah scrolls on a table with a person reading, surrounded by traditional garments.

In One Breath

Now that there is to be rejoicing / Torah speaks to that

hebrew alphabet, torah

A close-up of an aged manuscript with text written in Hebrew script, showing signs of wear and discoloration.

Intention Upon Restarting the Annual Cycle of Torah Readings

“old new words colliding”

torah, torah service

Five people holding an open Torah scroll in a room with wooden walls and artwork.

Poem for Torah on Simchat Torah

In Each Word a Generation

A meditation for those who do not read Hebrew but wish to learn Torah

the words of the shema

Kohelet’s Lament

“Torah’s ink has seeped through my fingers”

A person in a blue shirt reads an open book, focusing intently.