Tagged Israel Becker

If dancing on Simchat Torah makes you feel uneasy, think of it as a test

Rabbi Israel Becker claps to the music as Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild carries Congregation Chofetz Chayim’s newly written Torah scroll on Sept. 14, 2014, at a celebration akin to those held on Simchat Torah. Rogelio Garcia)

I have long had a problem with the central rite of Simchat Torah: dancing. I have nothing against the kind of dancing that requires learning certain steps — I then enjoy the challenge of mastering the particular dance. The dancing on Simchat Torah, however, requires almost no skill and consists… Read more »