The dedication of a new Torah in a small city is always a special cause for celebration and festivity because it happens so infrequently. On Sunday, July 7, in Hudson Hall at the Hudson Opera House, about 30 miles south of Albany, just such an historic event occurred.
“One of the great sages of the 10th century, Rabbi Saadia Gaon, said that the Jewish nation is a nation only with the Torah. Our culture, language, food, and music have evolved and changed over time and place, influenced by local customs and traditions. However, the one constant that has defined the Jewish people, making us a distinct and unique nation, and expressing our connection to G-d, is our Torah,” said Rabbi Mendel Kremer, shliach of the Columbia County Chabad, who spearheaded this effort.
“The Torah scroll is the word of G-d as communicated to Moses, outlining G-d’s desire for us to improve the world. In the Torah, G-d shares mitzvos – instructions on how to become better individuals, build a better society, and create a world of peace and harmony for all,” he explained to the 100 attendees at the dedication.
A sofer who helped attendees put the finishing touches on the Torah offered several thoughts about the special meaning of the Torah, including how it embodies strong roots for a better future. “Deep inside of you there is that part of your neshama that is needed for the entire Jewish nation to have it complete just like that letter needed to make the whole Sefer Torah valid,” said Rabbi David Shushan, who is a rabbi in the Bukharian community of Forest Hills, Queens but not a Bukharian Jew. “The Torah [contains] the guidelines for the Jewish person that looks for a spiritual meaning of life connected with G-d and with his roots. The Torah completion always was a special celebration for our people just like when one dedicates himself to learning a volume of Talmud, we do a party to celebrate that completion.”
A rabbi who once commanded the pulpit at Congregation Beth Israel in Schenectady and was an assistant rabbi at Flatbush Park Jewish Center in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, traveled to Hudson for the celebration and offered words of inspiration. “Why is the Torah called the “shira?” A shira is a song or a poem. With shira as a poem, the surface is only the beginning. It takes a lifetime, it takes years, it takes dedication to grow the essence of what the Torah is and then to apply and to live it,” said Rabbi Moshe Mirsky, now director of religious services at the Daughters of Miriam Center in Clifton, NJ.
“At a time when things are not so great [around the world], people in Hudson, New York are dancing with joy and gusto, and as the caravan of people were driving through the streets, the people in the bars and on the streets were sharing in our joy, singing along and cheering you on,” he continued. “That is the meaning of a shira, a beautiful song. Yasher Koach on being proud Jews in Hudson, New York.”
Susan Weil, a congregant of the Columbia County Chabad, lives in the hamlet of Elizaville approximately 15 miles southeast of Hudson. She drew a comparison to the famous line in the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.” In her presentation, she gave free word associations to those she has known the longest and felt closest to at the ceremony. She said the word for Rabbi Mendel Kremer is dedication. “He has dedicated himself to the building of the Chabad community in Columbia County,” she said.
Rebbetzin Rochie Kremer commands the word hospitality and “is always full of warmth.” Together they embody both body and soul. “Saturdays after services the Rabbi gives food for the soul and she gives food for the body,” Weil said. Rabbi Mirsky, her personal rabbi who conducted her Orthodox conversion, acquired the word respect. “He treats all people with respect. Whether it’s a congregant, someone he sees outside, everyone is treated with respect,” Weil said. All those in attendance she labeled community, saying, “They are all part of the Columbia County Jewish community. There is a coming together and building a deepening sense of Jewish identity as a community.”
“The Torah is the portable homeland of the Jew,” Weil said, drawing on the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory. “Throughout history, Jews found themselves scattered and dispersed among the nations never knowing when they would be forced to leave and finding a new home.
“You look at the moon and it waxes and wanes. To me that also represents the Jewish people but there is also a fine outline of the moon which to me also represents the Torah,” Weil said. “It keeps us as a cohesive whole, whether we are waning or we are waxing, we’re there. Whether Jews are in Israel or in the Diaspora, that’s the coherent whole [of] the Torah.”
Her husband, Jonathan, with his wife at his side, held onto the wrist of the sofer, Rabbi Shushan, to finish off the Torah, which is traditional. “I happen to be fortunate enough to write the last letter of the last word in the Torah, which is Israel. I filled in the lamed,” he said.
There was another ceremony within this ceremony. Columbia County Court Judge Brian Herman and his wife sponsored the aron hakodesh. It is made of wood and has a compartment at the bottom to store the ornaments for the Torah.
“The Torah, as we all know, is more than just a book. While it is the sacred embodiment of the Jewish faith and history, it is the moral compass for all people to live by,” Herman said. “As a judge, I am tasked with interpreting the law and with ensuring that justice is served. But the Torah reminds us that justice is not merely about punishment or retribution. It is about compassion, understanding, and the pursuit of truth. It is about creating a society where every individual is respected and valued, where knowledge is valued, where human rights are valued.
“Let this Torah be a shining light in Columbia County. May it be a beacon for us all, guiding us towards justice, wisdom and compassion. May we all continue to learn, grow, and find guidance in the teachings of the Torah. May G-d bless each and everyone here today,” he concluded.
Rabbi Kremer added, “With this new Torah scroll, we are united as a community. Together, we can strengthen and support each other. Remember, while the goal is to have a complete and beautiful Torah scroll, the strength and unity of our community depend on each unique individual. Every one of you is essential to the success of our Torah and our community, and as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory, said, ‘there is no such thing as a small Jew.’”
As the Torah was arranged through a broker in Brooklyn, little is known about the sofer who wrote the holy scroll. All that is known is that it was written by Rabbi Krul of Israel, according to Rabbi Kremer, who did not offer Krul’s first name or from where in Israel he hails. Usually, a Torah of the size ordered by the Columbia County Chabad costs approximately $50,000.
