Simchas Torah Memories

Down memory lane once again. As I have mentioned before, Adath Israel, the shul I grew up in was not particularly populated by shomer Shabbos families. Nevertheless, many people attended on Shabbos and Yom Tov. We had very active youth participation, many of whom, to my father A"H's credit, grew up to raise good frum families, both here and in Israel.

We were a strong group of teens, of all ages. We took it upon ourselves to "make" Simchas Torah for the shul. I remember one particular year we took over the shul. I made signs beforehand, informing the kahal that they were in Congregation Anshei Mishagoyim. The boys took over the davening, sermons, president's message etc (I guess we girls were the "audience").

Every year they had an "auction" before hakafos, auctioning off only the "ata Hareisa". The women all bandied together and every year "bought" one recital of "ata Hareisa" for my father, the Rabbi.

Once I got a little older, I got bored with staying in A.I. and I was already a camp goer and /or in college and had many friends in Boro Park/Flatbush so I headed out there every year for many years. I either spent Yom Tov at my Bubby's house, or in Flatbush with my friend Susie's family. For a few years, Yavneh, the OU Collegiate organization had a "shabbaton" or I guess "Simchaton" in B.P/Flatbush over the Yom Tov. We ate together, walked together, shul hopped, etc. Simchas Torah night we always walked to Boro Park from Flatbush. We all stood on the corner of 47th STreet and 14th Avenue in front of Machzikei Talmud Torah...crushed in a sea of people - having one big camp reunion. I was always told by "old" Boro Parkers that this was nothing compared to 47th Street between 12th and 13th Avenues in the "old days" when they closed off 47th Street in front of my Bubby's shteibel.

I remember seeing hakafos in a sefardi shul on Ocean Parkway. It was the first time I saw a sefardi Sefer Torah. I remember going to Chaim Berlin for Hakafos on Friday afternoon, erev shabbos Braishis, late in afternoon. I did this for many years. One year on erev Shmini Atzeres, when I had plans to go to Bklyn, I got a call from friends, J and B, a brother and sister, who lived in a small town in Jersey which was more of a spiritual midbar than my town and on the spur of the moment, I cancelled my Bklyn plans and told them to come to us for Yom Tov.

Remembering a few Simchas Torahs since I'm in Baltimore. I remember the Simchas Torah while engaged. 2 weeks before our wedding. I was sitting in Glen Avenue, looking down at Hakafos from the Ezras Nashim and kvelling, looking at my future hubby. I remember the year(s?) they closed off Park Heights Avenue between Glen and the JCC, for hakafos in the street. I remember the year my daughter #2 was born 2 days after Simchas Torah. That year my hubby hurt his foot on Shmini Atzeres and everyone was sure we were in Sinai Hospital when we didn't go to hakafos. I remember the many years my daughters went down to Norfolk, VA to help make Simchas Torah there. I felt they were following in their Zaydie Y's footsteps, helping to spread Yiddishkeit.
Now I must stop and go cook so we will have a simchas yom tov this year.

Have a very wonderful Yom Tov and may today, Hoshana Rabbah bring everyone a "piska tova."