Part of a solidarity blog series for Women of the Wall. Each piece is written by a member of the Rosh Hodesh group of Congregation B’nai Israel. Tonight, Beth Lazar reflects on meaningful moments drawing close to the Torah.
My cousins are Reconstructionist Jews and I went to services with them. They sang some of the same tunes that we sing at B’nai Israel and they also have a Saturday morning Torah study group that meets before Saturday morning services, to study and discuss the portion of the week. I felt very at home at my cousins’ temple.
My cousin also took me to a gathering of Conservative and Orthodox Jews who rented space to have Shabbat and Festival services. We went to pray with them for a Passover Shabbat service. The leaders of the service noticed that I was a new face, and asked me to dress the Torah after the reading.
I have a T-shirt with a picture of women dancing with the Torah at the Western Wall. It is my hope that someday that drawing become a reality. And all Jews can pray together here in the USA, and Israel.
