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Torah Readings & Aliyot

Reading Torah

Reading the TorahReading Torah is an extraordinary privilege and a joyous gift. The simhah of an intimate encounter with sacred text, read in a sacred setting, is in a religious sense the heart of Jewish experience. Essential to Jewish communal prayer, it is also profoundly moving spiritual experience for the reader. For as you read, your voice becomes the instrument through which God’s words are spoken. And your reading can inspire others to reach the same height of religious participation.

All congregants at Chizuk Amuno – men and women alike – are invited to read Torah. To discuss the opportunity and its requirements, and to schedule a reading, contact Cantor Randy Herman or our Torah Reading Coordinator, Rabbi Marci Jacobs or by phone at 410-486-6400.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Torah Readings

During a bar/bat mitzvah, three Torah portions are reserved for the student. Readings are also available for parents and older siblings. For details on bar/bat mitzvah arrangements at Chizuk Amuno, consult with Archer Davis

Aliyot

An aliyah is the honor of standing by the Torah when it is read, and reciting the blessings before and after the reading.

Other honors for which congregants may be called to the bimah are:

  • Petihah - The honor of opening and closing the Ark, or Aron HaKodesh, before the Torah is read and when it is replaced in the Ark.
  • Gelilah - The honor of rolling up the Torah, fastening the belt, and replacing the Torah mantle and crown.
  • Hagbah -  The honor of lifting the Torah and holding it open and upright for the congregation to see.

To arrange an aliyah or other honor, please contact Judy Simkin in the Synagogue Office by email at jsimkin@chizukamuno.org or by phone at 410-486-6400, ext. 232.

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784