POUGHKEEPSIE – For the first time in recent memory, a sacred Jewish Torah scroll has been completed and the community will celebrate the occasion with a traditional street parade along Route 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
The celebration marking the completion of the hand-scribed religious writings, will include a gala event at the Hampton Inn at 2361 South Road on June 3 followed by the parade concluding at the new permanent home of the scroll at 63 Vassar Road.
This is the first time such a parade will be held in the Mid-Hudson region marking the completion of a Torah.
“Anytime an authentic Torah scroll – a handcrafted masterpiece of ancient calligraphy taking months to pen – is completed, it’s cause for joy,” said Rabbi Yacov Borenstein, spiritual leader of Chabad of Mid-Hudson Valley. “The Torah (Bible) is revered by Jews as the record of G-d’s law*, and maintains a place of symbolic and literal centrality in Jewish community and continuity. It’s read from four times weekly in synagogues.”
* Editor’s note: We have received comments and questions regarding the spelling of God in the above story as G-d. Please see the explanation below from a Jewish scholar.
“According to Jewish law and tradition, the various names for our Creator are all considered holy and must be treated with the utmost respect. If there is a paper with the name written out in full, then it cannot be thrown away, but actually we take all such papers and bury them properly in the ground and keep them separate from other things (see Proper Disposal of Holy Objects). Clearly many readers print out our material. We cannot have a situation where they read the article and then throw it in the garbage with the word with the “o” as that is disrespecting His holy name. It is therefore traditional to insert the dash so that there is no issue.”
— Sara Esther Crispe, a writer, inspirational speaker
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