In 2002, Shara and I spent a summer in the former Soviet Union – working with Jewish day school teachers from both Russia and a number of former Soviet republics. During that summer, we became especially close with a family from the republic of Georgia. We spent time in their home, ate amazing Georgian cheese and drank sweet Georgian wine. We got to know their daughters and became very close with them.
In our conversations with this Georgian couple, we learned how difficult it was to practice Judaism openly in their former Soviet republic. Throughout the Soviet Union, Judaism was relegated to private and hidden spaces. Children were kept away from Jewish practices.
In talking to us about their Jewish pasts, our friends explained that there was only one holiday they were permitted to celebrate. It wasn’t Rosh Ha-Shanah or Yom Kippur or Chanukah. They didn’t remember the name of the holiday but recalled that it included dancing and Torah scrolls. Their parents—who were concerned about the danger associated with being openly Jewish—only allowed them to celebrate Simchat Torah.
I remember marveling at this fact and wondering why. Why Simchat Torah out of any of the Jewish holidays? Our friends explained that their parents wanted them to have sweet and meaningful memories of being Jewish. They realized that this one holiday—which emphasizes the joy of finishing and beginning the reading of Torah—they realized that this one holiday would create memories that would last long into the future.
Simchat Torah, at its core, is about more than just completing and restarting the Torah cycle. It’s about the jubilation of learning, the thrill of discovery, and the joy of passing down knowledge from one generation to the next. Our friends from Georgia understood this deeply. Their parents had taught them that, by emphasizing the joy of finishing and beginning the reading of Torah, they were creating enduring memories. In the face of adversity, their parents had chosen to focus on the happiness that learning and embracing their heritage would bring into their lives.
This poignant lesson resonates with us today. Simchat Torah is not merely a religious observance; it’s a celebration of the indomitable human spirit, a testament to the power of joy and learning. It reminds us that in times of darkness, the pursuit of knowledge and the embrace of our traditions can sustain us. It serves as a reminder that joy and learning are intertwined, shaping our identity and fortifying our beliefs.
As we gather on Friday night to celebrate Simchat Torah, let us not only revel in the completion and beginning of the Torah cycle but also reflect on the profound message it carries. Let us honor the courage of our friends from Georgia and countless others who have faced persecution for their beliefs.
Let us embrace the joy of learning, finding inspiration in the stories of those who, against all odds, kept the flame of knowledge and faith burning bright. Simchat Torah, a holiday perhaps not always stressed enough, stands as a testament to the enduring power of joy, learning, and the unwavering spirit of our people.