Kehilat HaNahar celebrates joyous holiday of Simchas Torah

Kehilat HaNahar, The Little Shul by the River in New Hope, celebrated the holiday of Simchas Torah, Nov. 4, to the music of The Little Shul by the River Band.

“Simchas Torah” is Hebrew for celebration of the gift of Torah, and it is a time when Jewish communities dance joyfully.

Children, parents, members and guests joined in the dancing under the leadership of the school director, Rabbi Jonah Rank, and Rabbi Diana Miller. The highlight was unrolling the Torah scroll and wrapping it around the entire social hall, held every few feet by the loving hands of Jewish adults. It was a joyous occasion, with the rabbis’ enthusiasm energizing and inspiring everyone.

Leslie Aronson, pictured with her son Issac, said,

“The event was full of Jewish content and fun,” said Leslie Aronson. “I loved dancing to the Jewish songs with fellow members but most of all with (my son) Isaac. It gave me such “nachas” (a Yiddish word meaning “pride”) to see Isaac’s joy as he held the (pretend) Torah. We both felt honored to be a part of the full “stretching” out of the entire Torah ... for us that was the highlight.”

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