When it comes to Jewish holidays, Simchat Torah is one of the happiest. A celebration of the completion of the annual cycle reading of the Torah and the start of a new one, Simchat Torah is commemorated with dancing, singing, and raising Torah scrolls high in the air.
It is only fitting that this year, Simchat Torah coincided with another joyous occasion: the return of the 20 living hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023.
South Florida Jews joined people all over the world celebrating their return. At Congregation Kol Tikvah in Parkland, members came together in the synagogue to, as the congregation said, dance again.
“738 days later … we danced with our Torah knowing our hostages were home,” the synagogue stated on its Facebook page. “We celebrated together, danced together, laughed together AND cried together because no matter what we are better TOGETHER!”
Similar celebrations took place at The Ruth and Edward Taubman Early Childhood Center at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, where teachers and preschool students joined hands and waved Israeli flags to honor the special day.
“Two years ago, we came to school after Oct. 7 and welcomed the week with music — that day was so incredibly difficult, and we played quiet music out of respect,” said Naomi Gordon, director of the Early Childhood Center at B’nai Torah Congregation. “This week, two years later, the joy was so incredible, we could not play the music loud enough!”