Jewish Center gets new Torah scroll

ChabadThousand Oaks Jewish Center recently celebrated the dedication of a newly completed Torah scroll.

The Sunday celebration began at a local, private residence with a completion ceremony presided over by a ritual scribe. The scribe assisted community members as the last few letters were written in the holy scroll.

A procession of residents carried the scroll like a bride under a "chuppah" canopy accompanied by music, singing and dancing.

The crowd traveled down Erbes Road and into the Oakbrook Shopping Center parking lot as the Torah was welcomed to the congregation and community.

Among the guests was Thousand Oaks Mayor Pro Tem Tom Glancy, who spoke in recognition of the event.

The Torah was donated by the grandparents of local Rabbi Chaim Bryski in memory of his great-grandparents, survivors of the Holocaust. The scroll was rescued from the Holocaust as well, and was restored in accordance with Jewish law.

Torah scrolls are composed of 60 pieces of cow skins sewn together, with the scriptures written out in 304,000 individually handwritten Hebrew letters.

The Chabad-Thousand Oaks Jewish Center at 2060 E. Avenida de Los Arboles is led by Rabbi Chaim Bryski and his wife, Shula.

For more information, call (805) 493-7776 or visit wwwJewishTO.org.