By Stacy Rigler
This past Shabbat we read from the Torah, “Mah Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov” How goodly are your tents O Jacob. These words are part of our morning prayers each day, reflecting on how good it is to enter a sanctuary. I have spent time at Camp Harlam most summers for the past 25 years and never has this been more true than this past Shabbat.
On Saturday a new Torah was officially welcomed into the Camp Harlam community. The Torah was given to us from Temple Hadar Israel in New Castle, PA through the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Prior to our campers arriving our staff passed the Torah from person to person, symbolizing how each member of our community would transmit Torah to our campers this summer. This Saturday we welcomed the Torah home to our newly renovated Chapel in the Woods.
Twenty years ago, in honor of its 40th anniversary, the Mid Atlantic region of the then Union of American Hebrew Congregations presented camp with a Torah and for the past twenty years that scroll was read from this special sanctuary. As a young counselor I remember sitting in the sanctuary, hearing words of Torah and admiring the beauty of the woods. Towards the end of one of the last services I led at camp I was asked by Arie’s assistant to come speak with him. I walked back shaking as he sat with his arms crossed and a little smile. He told me to sit down and then looked and me and said, “You did good.” As I stood in front of our congregation this past Shabbat I could hear his voice in my mind, I know he would be sitting and nodding thinking We did good. Our beautifully renovated space, our new Torah, and the spirit of the Institute for Living Judaism still thriving.
When the Torah was given to the Jewish people a new brit was created. It is often said that the Torah is married to the Jewish people, forever connected in a sacred promise. For this reason we brought our new Torah into the Chapel under a Chuppah (wedding canopy). The Camp Harlam chuppah was created last summer and contains squares made by couples who met at camp. The chuppah was carried by four staff members, two American, one Russian and one Israeli who exemplify our middot, the character traits we learn from Torah and reinforce at camp. The Torah itself was carried by Sydney Gluck, Arie’s grandaughter and Teva Supervisor, an embodiment of a staff member who teaches Torah in all she does.
Once the Troah reached the Bimah the progressional staff rolled the Torah out
and lifted it for all of camp to see. Aaron Sekow and Lisa David, stewards of Torah for Camp Harlam, held the Torah, along with the professional staff for the entire community to see. It was so fitting that in the center of the section they displayed was the Sh’ma and Ten Commandments. Camp then recited the Shehechiyanu prayer.
For the honor of the Aliyot L’Torah I invited the youngest campers in camp, Allie and Liza along with the oldest person in camp who was a camper, Josh Bomze. Together they recited the blessings as parshat Balak was read. The second Aliyah was given to all those whose parents or grandparents were members of the Camp Harlam community, signifying the ongoing nature of the passing of the Torah. The third Aliyah was given to all those who teach Torah throughout the community. Representing this group was current HUC-JIR student Caitlin Brazner and Yael Tuckman, daughter of former Camp Rabbi Vicky Tuchman z”l.
Dedicating a Torah is a once in a lifetime opportunity. For me, as the Jewish life advisor, I wanted to include our entire community in this sacred moment. The Torah belongs to all of us. We had members of each unit talk about what Torah means to them and members of each unit lead the liturgy. Standing on the bimah, watching the sun peer through the leaves, it felt simply magical. To our new Torah – we simply said in the best way we know how… Welcome Home.
Rabbi Stacy Rigler is the Jewish life supervisor. She is an educator at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park and a proud camp alumnus and parent.