The Torah completed by scribe Julie Seltzer at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum six months ago began its new life this week when it was used in Rosh Hashanah services at Hillel at Stanford.
Although the 17-month endeavor was part art project, part museum exhibit and part tradition, the CJM’s plan all along was for the Torah to be used in Jewish ritual. To that end, the museum will lend the document not only to the Bay Area community, but also to emerging Jewish communities around the world.
Over the next two years, the Torah will visit Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, Temple Sinai in Oakland and many other Conservative, Reform, Renewal and independent communities locally.
“[Then] we plan to expand the boundaries and offer it to others,” Connie Wolf, the CJM’s director and CEO, said when the Torah was completed in March.
“I’m thrilled this Torah is going to be a part of the community,” Seltzer added at the time. “I tried to make it more beautiful than most basic scrolls, but its purpose is to be read and used — and that’s going to happen.”
Upon completing the project, Seltzer became only the second woman to write an entire Torah by herself. She is currently scribing another Torah for Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego.
The public can follow the CJM-commissioned Torah on www.thecjm.org. The website will include a map of the Torah’s Bay Area tour, instructions on how to borrow the Torah, Seltzer’s blog, interviews and information about scribing a Torah. People will also be encouraged to submit personal photos and stories after interacting with the CJM Torah.