Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah complete the cycle of fall holy days that begins with Rosh Hashanah and include Yom Kippur and Sukkot.

Shemini Atzeret means "The Eighth Day of Assembly" and Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing of the Torah." In Israel, where Sukkot is celebrated for seven days, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day. Outside Israel in the Diaspora, where Sukkot lasts eight days, Simchat Torah follows Shemini Atzeret.

Shemini Atzeret marks the beginning of the rainy season following the harvest in Israel. The stirring prayer for rain, tefilat geshem, asks God to bring rain's life-sustaining blessings, and recalls our ancestors' associations with water - from Rebecca's hospitality at the well to Jacob’s crossing of the Jordan River and the Israelites' deliverance at the Sea of Reeds.

The Yizkhor memorial service is observed on Shemini Atzeret.

Simchat Torah focuses on the Torah - the Five Books of Moses. The annual cycle of weekly Torah readings is completed at this time. We read the last Torah portion at the end of D'varim - Deuteronomy -- and then roll right back to the first chapter of B'reishit -- Genesis -- and the story of creation. This reminds us that the Torah is a circle, and our engagement with it never ends.

Our completion of the Torah readings is a time of great celebration. We take out all of our Torah scrolls and carry them around the synagogue in a series of processions, with joyous singing and dancing.

As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll, and everyone in the congregation, including children, has a chance to come up to the bimah and share in an aliyah, reciting the blessings before and after the Torah reading.

Each year, we particularly honor two members of the community as Bridegroom or Bride of the Torah and Bridegroom or Bride of B'reishit.