A NEW YEARS MESSAGE ABOUT
PROJECT KESHER'S TORAH RETURN PROJECT
A Message from Karyn Gershon, Executive Director
Just like many things in life, finding what you need usually
happens through the network of people you surround yourself
with. This basic rule even applied to finding Sefer Torahs.
You may be surprised to know that every one of the 6 Sefer Torahs
brought to the Commonwealth of Independent States of the former
Soviet Union (CIS) in 2004 during the Voyage on the Volga were
found by Project Kesher women who either directly had a connection
to one that needed a home or who followed up on leads in her
community. Finding Sefer Torahs and placing them in new communities
is a powerful mitzvah that transforms the giver, the facilitator
and the receiver. Be part of this process!
We are seeking Sefer Torahs to take to Ukraine in May 2007.
We are working closely with a scribe who can ensure that each
Torah is kosher and fix those that are not. As we saw with the
last set of Torahs, communities in the CIS that receive them
are changed: one got back its synagogue building which had been
seized during World War II. All six of the communities had congregants
dancing with their new Torahs for Simchat Torah and, at each,
young people from throughout the region gathered for B'nai Mitzvah.
As the new year approaches there will be six communities in
the CIS who will be celebrating the holiday with a Torah for
the first time in many years.
You can make this happen in more communities across the CIS.
Just this month, we received a Torah from New Hyde Park Synagogue.
The Torah was transferred to Barbara Glickstein of New York
City who brought one of the original Torahs in 2004. "There
were tears, laughter and reflections on friendships made, simchas
celebrated together and families raised together," Barbara
told us. "The transfer over to me was quite emotional with
tears of joy that this Torah would live on and with other Jews
on their paths of learning." Jay Greenspan is currently
finalizing minor repairs on the Torah. It is going to be placed
in the Jewish community center in Moscow where it will be available
to Jews of all denominations. The community center is run by
a woman who has worked with Project Kesher since our 1994 conference
in Kiev!
During this Season of Awe, when you are gathering with family
and friends at synagogue Kiddush or festive holiday meals mention
that you are looking for a Sefer Torah to bring to communities
in the CIS who have none. You may mention it to someone who
has a family Torah stored at home in a closet that they've been
wondering what to do with, or someone who's parents shul in
Pennsylvania is closing and is seeking a place to donate its
Torah. Likewise, we all know synagogues blessed with abundance.
You may talk with someone on the Board of a synagogue that owns
10 or more Torahs and ask if you can present the Torah Return
Project to their board to see if they'd consider donating one
to PK and create a sister community in the CIS. We invite you
to make a leap of faith with us and ask.
We also invite you to consider joining us in May 2007 for our
Summit on the Black Sea to Kiev and
Yalta Ukraine.
As the new year approaches, please consider joining Project
Kesher in this important project. Please contact
us if you have a lead to a Torah scroll to bring to
the region. Please also consider making a
gift to help Project Kesher continue our work renewing
Jewish life and creating social activists networks in the region.
Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy new year.
Karyn Gershon, Executive Director
