On the bright, sunny Sunday afternoon of June 2, the South Bend Hebrew Day School welcomed its first-ever Sefer Torah to its campus. The Sefer Torah campaign began in November 2017, with the objective of writing a Sefer Torah for the school’s talmidim to use at their daily Shacharis minyan. The Torah was written in honor of Ted and Razel Lerman, in memory of Nathan and Frances Lerman, and the initiative was generously supported by the school’s parent body and the South Bend Jewish community. The campaign included bringing the Torah klaf to people in the communities of South Bend, Indiana, Chicago and Deerfield, Illinois to write letters; thereby including many in the mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah. For some, it was the first opportunity they had to fulfill the mitzvah of Kesivas Sefer Torah!
As Rabbi Betzalel Schur of Kesher Stam filled in the final letters of the Torah, the students were treated to balloon sculptures created by balloon artists, along with hot popcorn and an array of special treats. When the parade got underway, live music was provided by Mr. Akiva Abraham, a native South Bender and alumnus of the school. Many of the school’s children designed their own flags to carry in the parade, and the music float was decorated by the students themselves.
On Sunday evening, close to one hundred fifty people attended a dinner/seudas mitzvah, in honor of our new sefer Torah. The dinner was hosted at the Hebrew Orthodox Congregation. The Keynote Address was delivered by Rabbi Avrohom Lipshutz, mashgiach of the Chicago Telshe Yeshiva, who spoke of the privilege of supporting the Torah study of children. The community was honored by Rabbi Lipshutz’s presence and found his words both uplifting and enjoyable.
