A multi-cultural
Simcha Torah
Lab/Shul in Harlem
BY TEQUILA MINSKY
On Oct. 11, members of downtownbased
Lab/Shul met-up with those
from St. James Presbyterian Church
at W. 141 St. in Lab/Shul’s tradition of inclusion,
relevancy, ritual and the arts.
Gathered outside the steps of St. James,
socially distancing on the sidewalk, the
gathered held an all-faith Ritual Rally for
human dignity, celebrating Indigenous
People’s Day and wrapping up the autumn
burst of Jewish holidays with Simchat Torah
—the conclusion of the annual cycle of
Torah reading.
Starting by observing the ceremonial
tradition of African traditional religions,
Rev. Derrick of St. James paid homage to
the ancestors thru the ritual of pouring
libation.
Yoruba Priestess Joyce Adewumi’s rain
invocation called on the ancestors of justice
and peace, an invitation for the rains to
come—to help start again—the cycle of
Torah, the cycle of creation and the moral
heartbeat of this country.
Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lauvi explained
briefl y the physical nature of the Torah and
how it is handwritten on parchment in segments
and a pointer is used when reading.
And with sanitized and gloved hands, the
whole year’s length of Torah unscrolled,
together the assembled held it, the oval of
participants fi lling the sidewalk.
Rabbi Lau-Lauvi walked the scroll,
giving a very abridged version of the “Five
Books of Moses” story, starting with the
beginning of earth and ending with Moses’
death before entering the Promised Land.
In the Simchat Torah tradition, one starts
to read from the beginning again.
Ritual leader Naomi Less of Lab/Shul
says, “We cast a circle as the ancient Hebrew
words of death and life were chanted
from the end of Deuteronomy to beginning
of Genesis.”
Less notes how all gathered —socially
distant in-person and on-line, were multifaith,
multi-ethnic, multi-generational,
and multi-race. All were rededicating
themselves to talking back to injustice and
systemic oppression through the ancient,
archetypal narratives of Torah.
Refl ecting on the day she says, “This
was truly a sight to witness.”
She also comments, “Being the day
before Indigenous People’s Day, we called
upon all assembled to continue the work of
dismantling systems of oppression – healing
ancient wounds and restoring more love
in our world.”
Invited guest, Harlem-resident Albert
Depas understands the uniqueness of the
afternoon, “I am happy to have been part
of this rare interfaith Ritual Rally for human
dignity of Yoruba, Protestant and the
Jewish faiths coming together to honor our
common humanity. Adding, “I am also in
awe of having had the privilege to witness
the unscrolling of the Torah and touch it.”
Less explains how as is their tradition
each year they create a kind of organic
poem. “We choose via ‘tarot’ fi ve words
– one word from each book of the scroll –
to be a blessing and a charge for the year
ahead.”
English translation of the Hebrew for the
words picked Sunday afternoon are: in the
earth/mother, water, as a vision, he (she/
they) will not die, the stars of the heavens.
“May this blessing continue to resonate
as we move through the seasons.”
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
The day began with a heart circle on the steps of St. James Presbyterian Church.
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