OUR COMMUNITY

O

n May 21, com-
munity members 
gathered to celebrate 
the dedication of the Chabad 
Jewish Center of Troy’s new 
Torah scroll. 
The celebration began 
with a ceremony at Riverside 
Park in Auburn Hills where 
community member Joy 
Silverstein, who gave the lead 
gift to sponsor the Torah, 
spoke to the crowd. Silverstein 
said how special it is that she’s 
able to have such an impact 
and to pass the spark of the 
torch of Judaism to the next 
generation and how important 
that is for her.
Rabbi Levi Kagan of Oak 
Park served as the event’s 
Torah scribe, helping commu-
nity members finish the Torah 
with everyone having the 
chance to write a letter. 
Community members then 

paraded down the street with 
a musical procession to the 
back of the Chabad house 

where there was food, drinks 
and dancing. 
Everyone got a turn to dance 
with the Torah under a chup-
pah, with the idea being when 
a Torah is finished, it is as 
joyous as a wedding. Children 
were also holding torches, sig-
nifying the Torah being passed 
down to the next generation. 
The celebration ended with 
the Torah being brought into 
its new home — in the ark of 
the Chabad house. 
Rabbi Menachem Caytak, 
executive director of the 
Chabad Center of Troy, says 
the event was about bringing 
the Jewish community togeth-
er to celebrate the holiest 
object of Judaism. 
“It was a very special thing 
for so many people, like once 
in a lifetime to be able to 
complete the Torah. Most of 
the people that were there, 
it was their first time taking 
part in such a celebration,” 
Caytak said. 

TOP: Attendees did a joyous dance with the Torah. MIDDLE: Bringing 
the Torah home to its new home in the ark of the Chabad Center of 
Troy. BOTTOM: Rabbi Levi Kagan and Rabbi Menachem Caytak.

The Chabad Jewish Center of Troy 
celebrated its new Torah scroll. 

Community Torah Celebration

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

30 | JUNE 15 • 2023 

JAMIE FELDMAN

