Writing the First Torah in Spain in 500 Years
Congregation Bet El in Madrid, Spain is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To commemorate this significant milestone, a series of events is scheduled throughout the year. The capstone of our anniversary year is our project, the historic writing of the first egalitarian Torah ever in Spain.
Indeed, it is the first Torah written in Spain since the expulsion of the Jews over 500 years ago. We have arranged for a scribe to come to Spain to write this “signature project” in a series of powerfully symbolic and inspirational events. It is truly a rekindling of Jewish life in Spain and transforms the inheritance of Sinai into a legacy we will pass on to our children.
As Madrid’s only egalitarian synagogue, we open our doors to all Jews seeking a modern, Ashkenazi community where men and women both participate equally in services and every member is encouraged to feel comfortable in their Judaism.
Men and women are invited to participate in the historic project. But the focus of the project is on the next generation–providing our children with more than just a sacred text to use for a special occassion in their lives. This is a symbol of regeneration of Spanish Jewry, as a multi-layered, inter-generational web.
This is not just a Sefer Torah for Madrid or Spain. It is a project that unites worldwide Jewry in a testament to the vibrancy and resilience of the Jewish people.
Why are we doing this:
Until Bet El, women could not participate in prayer services, be called to the Torah or officiate in any synagogue in Spain. We have built a community that prides itself on its egalitarian profile, where boys and girls study side-by-side for their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, where guest female rabbis officiate and where all Jews are welcome.
Our Sunday School program now teaches children from 30 families around the Greater Madrid area. Our conversion class is growing every year, as more Spaniards seek to discover more about the Jewish past. There is constant demand for new adult classes and services, in keeping with a growing community. But these activities require financing that exceeds our meager budget. We need to expand beyond our present state to move to the next level–as a healthy, durable community.
Why you should help us:
Be a part of history. Not only is writing a Torah a mitzvah, but this scroll represents the “re-Judification” of Spain. This is a unique opportunity to participate in the reconstruction of one of Judaism’s most important, deeply-textured communities. Bet El is on the cusp of blossoming into a full-fledged congregation. Few Torahs written are charged with this scroll’s symbolism of renovation, resilience and resistence. This is the first scroll written in Spain in more than 500 years –since the Expulsion of the Jews– in the very land of the Spanish Inquisition.
In order to make this happen we are seeking funding. It is a beautiful way to “sign your name” and be a part of Jewish history in Spain.
This is not just a Sefer Torah for Madrid or Spain. It is a project that unites worldwide Jewry in a testament to the vibrancy and resilience of the Jewish people.
