in the middle east

Do you get excited about the bible?
The other night Jessica and I were sitting in our apt. and heard this incredibly loud music outside getting closer and closer. We grabbed the camera and ran outside and this is what we saw: A large van, with the back doors wide open showing a gigantic sound system that was blasting music. The van was decked with colored lights, and on top were rotating, colored disco-light balls, and a large machin that would emit smoke to make the lights gyrate in the air. Behind the van were a couple hundred people following, and directly behind the van were 4 men carrying a tent, with another guy carrying an elaborate Torah scroll case: wrapped in velvet and decorated with gold. The company moved slowly down the small neighborhood street, stopping every 40 feet or so and people would dance. It then moved out onto the busy street and policemen came to stop the traffic so the procession could have a clear path. While Jessica and I were taking it all in, our landlady Simcha appeared out of the crowd and began to explain. We were witnessing the procession of a brand new Torah scroll being ushered to its new home, a Yeshiva school (a traditional religious school for Jewish men). Since they are so expensive to produce, when a new scroll is made you can rent this Torah Mobile, arrange the procession route with the police, and go for it! The majority of the people dancing and following were religiously conservative, marked by their 19th century style dress, hats, and the men's long hair-curls down the sides of their heads. But they were having a blast dancing around the scroll. The pictures and video aren't the best quality due to the bad lighting, but they give you an idea. In the videos you'll see the Torah Mobile emitting smoke, the crowds dancing, and a man dancing with the Torah. This kind of celebration emerges from the deep-rooted conviction in conservative Judaism that Scripture comes as a gracious gift from God. So when a community recieves a new scroll of the Torah, it is reason for a serious party. Check it out, you won't believe it: Click Here.