SIMCHAT TORAH

15th October 2025 Simchat Torah (Jewish)

14th October 2025 Shemini Atzert (Jewish)

This festival, whose name means ‘Rejoicing in the Torah’, marks the completion of the annual cycle of reading from the Torah. As the reading of the Law in the synagogue should be continuous, a second scroll is begun again as soon as the final portion of the Torah has been read from the first scroll; so, as the reading from Deuteronomy ends, with the next breath, Genesis begins without a break – the Torah is a circle that never ends. All the Torah scrolls are paraded around the synagogue, with children dancing and singing, as do many of the adults, giving as many people as possible the honour of carrying a Torah scroll. Progressive Jews frequently celebrate this one day earlier, combining it with the eighth day of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret.

The Torah scrolls are removed from the ark and given to members of the congregation to hold; then they march around the synagogue and everyone kisses the Torah scrolls as they pass. This ceremony is known as hakafot, which means “to march around” in Hebrew. Once the Torah holders return to the ark everyone forms a circle around them and dances with them.

There are seven hakafot in total, so as soon as the first dance is completed the scrolls are handed to other members of the congregation and the ritual begins anew. In some synagogues, it is also popular for children to hand out candy to everyone.

During Simchat Torah services the next morning, many congregations will divide into smaller prayer groups, each of which will use one of the synagogue’s Torah scrolls. Dividing the service up this way gives every person in attendance the opportunity to bless the Torah. In some traditional communities, only the men or pre-bar mitzvah boys accompanied by adults bless the Torah (post bar mitzvah aged boys are counted among the men). In other communities, women and girls are also allowed to take part.

Because Simchat Torah is such a happy day, services are not as formal as at other times. Some congregations will drink liquor during the service; others will make a game out of singing so loud that they drown out the cantor’s voice. Overall the holiday is a unique and joyful experience.

The association of joy with the reading and study of Torah recurs in much of Jewish worship, and celebrations such as Shabbat, Shavuot and Pesach all bear witness to the centrality of Torah to Jewish life.