Torah is not only a book, it is also a way of life. You can connect to it not only through the head, but also through the body and feet. That’s why on Simchat Torah, we take the Torah out of the ark and into the street, singing and dancing with it.

Simchat Torah marks both the completion and resumption of our yearly Torah reading. Each year on the holiday, we read the final parshah of the Torah from the book of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the first parshah in the book of Genesis.

Simchat Torah signifies the beginning of a new path. While the first half of Tishrei is characterized by introspection, confessions and forgiveness, the second half is a time of joy. On Simchat Torah, we celebrate the return to Torah, which has accompanied us for so many generations. Although the Torah is the same, we have changed and now read it a little bit differently. Simchat Torah is our opportunity to connect to Torah with a new perspective, marking a fresh and exciting beginning.