The Weight of the Torah Scroll: Facing Anti-Semitism

I had been looking forward to Simchat Torah (learn more about Simchat Torah here) since its occurrence last year, when I had learned about the holiday for the first time. I couldn't wait to celebrate Torah and start anew the reading cycle. I was excited to hopefully get close to a Torah scroll and I definitely did not expect to get the opportunity to hold one and parade it around our shul sanctuary! The scroll had its beautifully embroidered cover on it, keeping it wrapped at the correct place in reading. Someone helped me get it into my arms and I hugged it close, not wanting to drop it or have anything to happen to it. Holding the word of G-d like that felt special. It was special!

Though everyone was gathered in the sanctuary for celebration, there was a strong feeling of uncertainty, grief, fear and powerlessness. All of this mixed in also with strength, resilience and pride.

We were all still finding out together what had occurred in Israel the day prior. Hamas, a known terrorist organization operating out of Gaza, attacked Israel by rockets and on land, carrying out brutal massacres murdering innocent people, sexually assaulting women, and taking dozens upon dozens of civilian hostages. Since, the situation has evolved into war, with Israel attempting to end Hamas and free all hostages. All in Gaza have been affected as Hamas occupies the same physical spaces as civilians as a tactic. It is very difficult to get aid into Gaza and a humanitarian crisis has ensued. All over the world there has been a sharp rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes and a huge societal divide in "who is right and who is wrong", largely affecting the Jewish diaspora.

Though, as I carried the Torah scroll, I did not know fully how the situation would evolve or how the global Jewish population might be affected, I did, unfortunately, foresee the Jew-Hate that has come to be. I knew that it was not only the physical weight of the Torah I would be carrying should I continue on my path to Conversion, but the weight of thousands of years of anti-Semitism that have resulted in humankind's most abhorrent acts. My convictions on G-d and my life-time feeling that I am meant to be part of the Jewish people are stronger than any apprehension I may have surrounding facing anti-Semitism and I will continue to carry the weight of the Torah.

You will notice that I have not added sources in much of this blog post. This is because most of the information I have written here is very easily accessible in a variety of formats and because the ever-changing nature of the current war renders sources obsolete in a matter of moments.