CGA Students Take a Learning Trip to the Sofer

In the month of Tishrei, the students from Chabad Girls Academy took a meaningful learning trip to visit Rabbi Moshe Klein’s Safrus office, “HaSofer,” for an educational tour.

As the Lubavitcher Rebbe encouraged us to check our mezuzos during the month of Elul, our school took this initiative one step further—bringing the lessons to life with an in-depth look at the fascinating world of safrus, the sacred art of writing sifrei Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzos.

Before the visit, the girls prepared in school by studying from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, learning the halachos and details surrounding these mitzvos. This foundation allowed them to better appreciate the depth, precision, and holiness behind every letter written by a Sofer.

At Chabad Girls Academy, one of our core goals is to ensure that our students’ learning extends beyond the classroom. We strive to make Torah study come alive—transforming mitzvos from routine observance into meaningful, joyful experiences that deepen our connection to Hashem and to Yiddishkeit. Whether through hands-on lessons, visual aids, or educational trips, we make sure each mitzvah is felt, understood, and celebrated.

During their tour, the girls were fascinated to discover how much skill and care go into writing a sefer Torah. They learned that a sofer must use only kosher materials—from the ink and parchment to the threads made of sinew used to stitch each section of klaf together. They were amazed to learn that it takes about 62 sections/hides from a kosher animal to write one entire sefer Torah—an endeavor that can take an experienced sofer a full year to complete. A single sefer Torah can cost $60,000 or more, depending on the craftsmanship and materials used.

The girls also witnessed how tefillin are formed—from raw hide to the carefully shaped batim (boxes) that hold the handwritten parchments. Seeing the entire process gave them a new appreciation for the precision and holiness of every pair of tefillin worn each day.

One particularly moving part of the tour was a visit to the attic, where the girls saw Sifrei Torah that had become possul (invalid) and could no longer be used. They learned that these scrolls must be buried with great care, placed in airtight containers to preserve their sanctity and prevent decay.

The students returned inspired and full of new insights. One of them shared:
“They had to hire people with perfect handwriting to write a Sefer Torah! I really enjoyed seeing all the Torahs upstairs, and it was surprisingly interesting to see how they made tefillin.” – Gutta Zik

This trip truly embodied CGA’s mission—to bring Torah learning to life and to nurture curiosity, respect, and joy in every mitzvah we observe.

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