Image
Candy Torah Scrolls
Engage your young children with the meaning of Simchat Torah. Ask them to make these "Torah Scrolls."
Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
A celebration of the completing the annual reading of the Torah.
What are SH'MINI ATZERET AND SIMCHAT TORAH?
Immediately following Sukkot, we observe Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, a fun-filled day during which we celebrate the completion of the annual reading of the and affirm Torah as one of the pillars on which we build our lives.
As part of the celebration, the Torah scrolls are taken from the ark and carried or danced around the synagogue seven times. During the Torah service, the concluding section of the fifth book of the Torah, D’varim (Deuteronomy), is read, and immediately following, the opening section of Genesis, or B'reishit, is read. This practice represents the cyclical nature of the relationship between the Jewish people and the reading of the Torah.
Historically, Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah were two separate holidays (a day of reflection after the end of Sukkot and a celebration of Torah the following day). However, in Israel and in Reform congregations, which generally observe one day of holidays rather than two, Sh’mini Atzeret is observed concurrently with Simchat Torah.
Simchat Torah Family Activities
Image
K'tav Stam (Scribe's Writing)
A fun activity to celebrate the writings of the Torah, especially for Shavuot and Simchat Torah.
Image
Simchat Torah Activities for Kids
Activities to make the holiday of Simchat Torah meaningful to children.
Image
Edible Torah Treats
In Eastern Europe, it was customary at a child’s first Torah lesson to write the Hebrew alphabet in honey on the child’s slate, and giving it to the child to lick off; In this way, would the child always associate sweetness with Torah study and Simchat Torah.
Get Jewish Life in Your Life
Subscribe to get inspiring email newsletters.
Find a Congregation Near You
Find connection, community, learning, and spirituality at a welcoming Reform congregation near you.
Image
Relating to Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
More On Simchat Torah
Image
Torah Cannot be Torah Without Us
Torah cannot be Torah without us; it needs us. Therefore, we must read it, we must study it, we must discuss it and debate it. We must carry it. We must dance among its verses, discovering ourselves in its chapters.
Image
Sh'mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 101
Just as Sukkot ends, Reform Jews enjoy the two-in-one-day holiday of Sh’mini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Here are six things to know about this celebration.
Image
Torah Study
Find weekly Torah portions, Torah commentaries, and English translations.
Image
Consecration
Consecration marks the beginning of formal Jewish study.
GIVE THE GIFT OF TIKKUN OLAM
Honor a Jewish hero for justice by making a tax-deductible gift to the Union for Reform Judaism in his or her name. Your gift will provide funding for creative Reform Jewish programming and help ensure the continued growth and strength of Reform Judaism.
Sukkot and Simchat Torah Social Justice Guide
As a people with agricultural roots, Jews have found many ways to mark the seasonal and environmental changes that occur throughout the year. Sukkot has numerous other themes and areas of focus that encompass seasonal, historical, and theological perspectives. It is among the festivals that fall in the Hebrew month of Tishrei, emphasizing not only the cycles of the earth, but also the cycles of Jewish life. (The other holidays in Tishrei are Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Simchat Torah.)
What's New
Image
Three Simchat Torah Crafts for Children
As summer changes to autumn in St. Louis, we seek nature-based ways to celebrate of Simchat Torah. North of the equator, children and adults alike marvel as the natural world dazzles in majestically colored autumn leaves, as if in celebration of the Torah. At Shirlee Green Preschool at Congregation
Image
Rereading – and Reimagining – Sacred Stories
"Tell me a story" is a constant refrain for those of us with children in our lives. Almost as often, when the last page is turned, the child looks up and asks, "again?" Sometimes, this is a joy. Sometimes, re-reading, and re-reading some more, becomes a burden.
Image
What Female Scribes Can Teach Us about Transmitting Torah
I first inquired about becoming a soferet in my first year of rabbinical school in Jerusalem. I had come into rabbinical school with the technical expertise of a printmaker and a bookmaker, and I was eager to immerse myself in all things Torah, including its physical creation. Unfortunately, even in 2008, I could not find a sofer in Jerusalem who would train a woman.