...called to the Torah...
It's an egalitarian congregation, men and women share in all the rights, responsibilities and honors. The Rabbi and Cantor are male, but the guest rabbi we had for the alternate service during the High Holy Days was a woman. The current president of the synagogue is male, but his immediate predecessors have been female.
I've served on the governing board of the synagogue, I still serve on several committees. I've made speeches to the congregation. I have had honors during the service.
But I had never received an aliyah to the Torah.
Until yesterday.
As I mentioned before, when I celebrated my bat mitzvah, girls were not called to the Torah. When Jen celebrated her bat mitzvah, I "should" have had an aliyah, but for various reasons waived that honor and instead carried the Torah through the synagogue. I did the same two years later, for Becca's bat mitzvah.
And then yesterday, at morning minyan, the Rabbi asked if I wanted the third aliyah.
When your name is called, you walk up to the lectern where the Torah scroll is laid out. The reader uses the pointer to indicate the paragraph he is about to read. You touch the parchment with your tallit, kiss your tallit as a sign of respect. You recite the ancient blessing. The reader reads. You recite another blessing.
It is so very simple. Yet so very profound.
I've served on the governing board of the synagogue, I still serve on several committees. I've made speeches to the congregation. I have had honors during the service.
But I had never received an aliyah to the Torah.
Until yesterday.
As I mentioned before, when I celebrated my bat mitzvah, girls were not called to the Torah. When Jen celebrated her bat mitzvah, I "should" have had an aliyah, but for various reasons waived that honor and instead carried the Torah through the synagogue. I did the same two years later, for Becca's bat mitzvah.
And then yesterday, at morning minyan, the Rabbi asked if I wanted the third aliyah.
When your name is called, you walk up to the lectern where the Torah scroll is laid out. The reader uses the pointer to indicate the paragraph he is about to read. You touch the parchment with your tallit, kiss your tallit as a sign of respect. You recite the ancient blessing. The reader reads. You recite another blessing.
It is so very simple. Yet so very profound.
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