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SCHWARTZ FAMILY
SEFER TORAH PROJECT
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A Message from Rabbi Naftali Citron
A few years ago I took a Sefer Torah to Aruba for Shabbat. At the airport hundreds of people came to kiss the Sefer Torah. I don’t think the Satmar Rebbe would have been given as much love and respect as the Torah was given that day in the airport.
People love the Torah because the Torah is our story in the deepest sense. The vision of the Torah that was shown to Moshe Rabbeinu was black fire over white fire. The Zohar explains the white spaces of the Torah are holier than the black ink of the Torah. Today, many Jewish people who are not yet connected to the writing of the Torah are nevertheless connected to the white of the Torah, the space around the words that form the backdrop of existence. But we need to connect the words of the Torah to the parchment, to complete the Torah and ourselves. And what better time of year then before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to be part of this important mission.
The most direct way to complete this task is to involve ourselves in the mitzvah of writing a Torah. The very last mitzvah in the Torah is to write a Torah scroll. By donating a section or even a letter for yourself it is considered as if you have written your own Sefer Torah.
The opportunity to fulfill this mitzvah doesn’t come along very often. For many, it’s a once in a lifetime chance. Thanks to the dedication of Allan C. Schwartz, the Carlebach Shul is privileged to offer this opportunity to our chevra. The commission of our new Sefer Torah was envisioned by Mr. Schwartz in memory of Eugene J. Schwartz, in honor of Florence Schwartz, and in honor of Annabelle Schwartz on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah.
Even if you have already personally participated in this holy endeavor, I encourage you to give on behalf of your friends and family, holy sisters and brothers and not hold back. Your generous support will not only fulfill the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah, but will also enable The Carlebach Shul to carry on its vital role in the life of the New York Jewish community.
This year may we, and all of Klal Yisrael, not only be inscribed in the Book of Life but may we ourselves have the merit to inscribe a Book of Life, a beautiful new Torah.
Rabbi Naftali Citron
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