Simchat Torah 2020 Resource Guide

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September 3, 2020

by Josh Traulsen, Senior Manager of Alumni Engagement

This year, Simchat Torah begins Saturday, October 10th and ends on Sunday, October 11th at sundown. Simchat Torah translates to “Rejoicing with/of the Torah” and marks the conclusion of one annual Torah reading cycle and the beginning of another. Simchat Torah is a celebration of the Torah as Judaism’s living, central text and, by extension, education and Jewish learning as a whole. In many traditions, the entire Torah scroll is unraveled for the community to see it in its entirety. The community gathers together to sing and dance with the Torah to help to remind us of our commitment to the Torah and its endless teachings.

This year, with in-person community gatherings not possible for many of us, this guide will focus on ways to stay connected to your community virtually while celebrating Simchat Torah through art and food.

Celebrating Through Art

+ - Program Ideas

Explore the Tradition of Simchat Torah Flags. Bring your community together virtually or in person to decorate and display personal Simchat Torah flags that represent themselves and their families or friends. Try using these flags and these markers for an inexpensive and personalized way to create flags that will last. Have community members share their flags and talk about the symbolism
Lead a poetry writing workshop with your community. Use this guide to learn how to write a haiku and check out these poems from the RitualWell. Encourage your community members to write about Simchat Torah and the theme of cycles, endings and beginnings.
See this guide for instructions on how to lead a glass-etching workshop for your community. This activity will leave your community members with a personalized piece of drinkware they can use throughout the year! This activity is a lot of fun but requires you to be in-person and have access to good ventilation and running water. Pro tip: check out your local dollar store (or other discount store) for a more budget-conscious purchase. The resource guide also contains ideas for in-person gatherings too!

Celebrating Through Food

+ - Program Ideas

Discover the similarities between a Jewish wedding and the traditions of Simchat Torah. Lead a discussion with the resources from MyJewishLearning.com while your participants enjoy mug cakes (like little wedding cakes) that can be made in the microwave. Create small personalized goodie bags with all the ingredients a participant would need to make a mug cake.
Host a cooking tutorial on how to recreate one of these amazing dessert recipes made with honey, courtesy of the National Honey Board, to represent the sweetness of the Torah. At the same time, learn more about how to protect our supply of honey (and everything else) by protecting the bees and other pollinators with this guide from National Geographic. For an in-person twist, try hosting a honey tasting using this amazing guide from Williams Sonoma.
Host a virtual (or in person) cocktail party with these awesome recipes from My Jewish Learning or these mocktails. Unlike Purim, where drinking is part of the mitzvah or commandment of the holiday, on Simchat Torah, the custom is to only have a celebratory drink or two. You could even have community members invent their own Simchat Torah themed cocktails and share the recipes with the group. Spice up the game by adding a trivia component like the questions listed here.
Host a virtual dance party. Pick a theme, make decorations (zoom virtual backgrounds), create a playlist, and invite your community to turn down the lights and turn up the music for a fun way to celebrate at a distance. Encourage your participants to dress up for the theme and prepare their own snacks and decorations.

Additional Resources

+ - Financial Resources

Moishe House Residents and MHWOW hosts may be eligible for extra funding from Moishe House for Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah programs. Please contact your Moishe House Community Manager or MHWOW Program Manager for more information about how to apply for High Holiday Grants.