Avraham Shmidman is the rabbi of the largest Orthodox synagogue in the greater Philadelphia area, Lower Merion Synagogue. Shmidman, a rabbi who cares deeply about Israel, was distraught over the recent wave of brutal terrorist attacks on Israelis. He longed to do something meaningful to respond.
Synagogue members had already come together the week before and held a bake sale to benefit first responders in Israel. Over 200 items were donated, all of which sold out in well under an hour. $4000 was raised with homemade baked goods, and the proceeds were all donated to Hatzalah in Israel.
Raising money and donating proceeds was a great first step, but the rabbi wanted the shul to also take a collective and religiously affirmative act.
On Friday, Oct. 23, Rabbi Shmidman spoke with Gwen Horowitz, the shul’s executive director, about his idea.
He thought it would be a great thing if the shul membership came together and read through the entire Tanach. Everyone in one room, each reading several chapters, each learning, discussing, reading and singing through the entire Hebrew Bible in a few hours, all in an effort to give chizuk – strength – to Israel.
Shmidman’s goal was to create a wonderful merit which will – he hoped – “speedily usher in an era of peace for our people and land.”
Horowitz liked the idea and sent out the first email announcing what they called the “Tanakh-a-thon” just before Shabbat. The gathering would take place the following week, just after Shabbat ended.
In one week, 180 people signed up to learn one of the 180 sections into which they had divided the Tanakh.
But although 180 people signed up – every slot was taken – many sections were read by several people together, husbands and wives, parents and children or small groups of friends. There were also others who tried to sign on too late, after all the slots were taken. Some of these people came anyway, to be a part of this unified and unifying experience.
On Motzei Shabbat, Oct. 31, approximately 250 came together in Lower Merion Synagogue’s large social hall.
At 8:00 p.m., just before the learning began, Israeli Consul General Yaron Sideman spoke a few words, thanking everyone for caring about and sending strength to Israel through this exercise.
Horowitz recalled that setting up the room after Shabbat was a race against the clock. At seudah shlishit there was a sheva brachot for a young couple. The entire room had to be turned over in less than an hour.
By the time the congregation began learning, everything was in place, and shortly thereafter 35 pizzas arrived to feed the ravenous learners. Twizzlers and chocolate kisses were also provided for the participants when they finished learning.
“I will never forget the sound of the room. The voices of so many people learning together in the merit of our brothers and sisters in Israel just reached inside me,” Horowitz recounted. “Young children, teens, parents and grandparents, together for one purpose.”
At a few minutes before 10:00 p.m., Rabbi Shmidman went around the room, checking that everyone had finished their portions. Then the rabbis read and shared the last section of the Tanakh with everyone.
#Learn4Israel!
