By COLlive reporter
Two Supreme Court Justices participated in a historic event earlier today, as they joined a select group in witnessing a sofer (ritual scribe) inscribing the words “Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof” (Justice, justice shalt thou pursue) into a special Torah scroll.
“The Washington Torah” is the first such initiative undertaken to be written entirely in Washington, DC, at various locations in the city. The Sofer is Reb Shaul Bessel, a Dayton, OH native currently living in Eretz Yisroel.
Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., the event’s host, as well as Justice Elena Kagan, each gave greetings to the assembled group of prominent members of the Washington legal and Jewish communities, as well as a number of Justice’s clerks and administrative staff of the Court.
Judge Karen (Chaya) Friedman, of the MD Circuit Court and a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, related her gratitude at being able to reach the heights of her profession while fully living a frum Jewish life.
Also included were student leaders leading Chabad efforts at the Law Schools of American, Georgetown and The George Washington Universities.
Various prominent passages from the Torah have been and will be inscribed at landmarks and other prestigious locations in the nation’s capital.
The Washington Torah is a project of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad).
Very beautiful, dignified DC Chabad event at Supreme Court, writing in Torah scroll in progress, the verse “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” with Justice Alito and Justice Kagan. #SCOTUS @Chabad @shemtovdc pic.twitter.com/tyiGPjh7dq
— Abba Cohen (@AbbaCohen1) May 20, 2019
Beautiful!