October 4, 2026
Simchat Torah - Finishing and Starting Anew
תמונה: Chat GPT
On Simchat Torah, Jews celebrate the completion of the Torah reading.
Each Sabbath, a different portion of the Torah is read in the synagogue.
On the holiday, the last portion is read, and then the beginning is immediately started again.
This year, Simchat Torah was celebrated in Israel on Saturday, October 3rd.
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The holiday began on Friday evening. In Israel, the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, which comes immediately after Sukkot, is celebrated on the same day.
On the holiday, the Torah scrolls are taken out of the Holy Ark. The worshippers hold the scrolls, sing, and dance with them. They circle seven times around the place where the Torah is read. This tradition is called 'Hakafot'.
Children also participate in the celebration. They sing and dance with the adults. The holiday connects the end to a new beginning: the Torah is completed, and the story of the creation of the world begins again.