Dancing plays a big role in expressing ‘joy of the Torah’, in Oklahoma City
By Carla Hinton
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Published: October 10, 2009
Expect some dancing in the streets near Emanuel Synagogue — or at least in the parking lot.
Synagogue member
Louise Fritz and her small but faithful group of dancers will spice up the Simchat Torah celebration that begins tonight. That’s the prediction of
Abby Jacobson, the synagogue’s rabbi, as the congregation prepares for the annual festival celebrating the receiving of the Torah by Moses.
Simchat Torah begins at sundown today and ends at sundown Sunday. Simchat Torah means "the joy of the Torah,” Jacobson said.
"We celebrate what a gift the Torah is, then we celebrate the joy of having the Torah,” she said.
Jacobson said Simchat Torah traditions center around the Torah scrolls at Jewish temples and synagogues. In one custom, members of the congregation stand in a circle, and the Torah scroll is unrolled in their hands. In another tradition, candy is placed on Torah scrolls on a table, and children are encouraged to partake in the treats, symbolizing the sweetness of the Torah.
The big tradition is dancing. That’s where Fritz’s group comes in.
Jacobson and Fritz said folk dancing is traditional in
Israel.
"It’s the big, really fun way that we celebrate, because it’s such a joyous time,” Jacobson said.
She said the congregation will dance at services tonight and Sunday morning. Jacobson said the Torah scrolls are to be taken from where they are stored seven times. On the seventh and final time, the dancing will flow outside the synagogue "so we will be dancing in the parking lot.”
Jacobson said there are so many synagogues in certain places in
New York that Jewish leaders typically get parade permits to block off the streets around the houses of worship so congregants have plenty of room to dance.
Fritz said she has been a member of the
Oklahoma City International Folk Dancers since the 1980s and started free dance classes at the synagogue last year. She said the dances weren’t firmly entrenched in the class members’ minds last year because they were beginners.
This year will be different.
She said the group typically works on five circle dances during each class such as "Hineh Ma Tov” and ‘Y’Did Nefesh.” She said the class members will perform one dance for the congregation and then lead the congregation in several dances.
"Simchat Torah is the celebration of the Torah, and dancing is a form of expressing that joy,” she said. "Folk dancing has traditionally been an expression of something going on — a wedding, a bar mitzvah. Singing, dancing, clapping our hands — they are all expressions of the joy we feel.”
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