Omaha Prepares to Greet Torah

By Rabbi Leibel Baumgarten

Excitement is mounting as last minute preparations are made for the Omaha Unity Torah Community Celebration on September 20. The final letters of the first ever Torah scroll to be started and completed in Omaha will be written at the dedication ceremony at the JCC, to be followed by a grand car parade to the scroll’s new home featuring music, floats, vintage cars, open top buses and more. Hakafot, lively dancing and a buffet dinner conclude the event at the Chabad Center.

“I’m happy and excited to be part of Chabad’s Unity Torah Celebration,” says Joanie Jacobson who is hosting the event along with Joel and Daphna Alperson, Tom and Darlynn Fellman, Larry Kavich and Joe and Maxine Kirshenbaum. “What is more unifying, more meaningful, more sacred than our Torah? To witness the last letter of the last word to be written, to accompany the Torah to its new home at the Chabad Center, to sing and dance, to share in a meal, to share in the joy – it’s just glorious! What a wonderful reason to unite in celebration. So, let’s!”

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to provide many educational opportunities,” says Estie Baumgarten, Event Coordinator. “Aside from our ongoing Facebook Kids Art Contest, where children are submitting videos and illustrations depicting unity for the chance to win a $72.00 Amazon gift card, there will be a hands-on display at the dedication depicting exactly how a Torah gets made. Kids will also have the chance to learn the ancient scribal arts and write their own Hebrew name with a quill on parchment.”

As soon as the Torah is completed, Larry Kavich will recite “Hagomel” – a blessing of thanksgiving, having undergone a kidney transplant with an organ donated by his daughter, Amy. Her selfless act saved his life and epitomizes the sense of unity and caring the Unity Torah represents. It will be the first of what will surely be thousands of blessings to be recited over the new Torah.

The Torah, being held underneath a decorative velvet chupah (canopy), will be paraded by a trail of adults and kids adorned in their Unity torah T-shirts, driving proudly down Omaha’s city streets. Ollie-the-Trolley will be on hand to ferry some lucky children, while vintage cars follow closely behind a magnificent, state of the art float and a live band.

The party doesn’t end with the parade, but continues with a Simchat Torah-like celebration at the Chabad Center, followed by a bountiful buffet dinner and a “Wall of Unity” for participants to add their names to a community driven to add goodness and kindness into the world.

“The notion of a Unity Torah began before the 50th birthday of my husband, Rabbi Mendel Katzman,” explains Shani Katzman. “We knew that a communal gift in the spirit of uniting community members through Torah would be superb and meaningful. The idea of the Torah uniting the community is a message that has resonated deeply. We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm the community has shown. Volunteers are assisting in every facet of the event planning; from food to décor; building to music, there is someone willing to play their part. And everyone is invited to celebrate and to feast!”

The Event committee (as of the writing of this article) includes: Devra Bram, Shirley Cemaj, Tippi Denenberg, Debbie Denenberg, Andy Greenberg, Gary & Karen Javitch, Frankie Kasin, Kelly Kirk, Justin Kohll, Cheryl Lerner, Danny Margulies, Suzi Mogil, Anna Mosenkis, Julie Philips, Judy Rosenfeld, Dan & Yaffa Schuller and Louri Sullivan

To reserve your T-shirt or one of the limited spots on Ollie the Trolley, please visit www.omahatorah.com or contact [email protected] to volunteer or hear about special endowment opportunities.