Written by dlsc Published: 01 Jun 2022
Dear Friends,
It is with a mixture of excitement and nostalgia that we ask you to save the dates for a weekend to remember! Please mark your calendars for:
Friday, June 24 at 6:30 pm – Final Shabbat service in our M’kor Shalom sanctuary, followed by an extended Oneg.
Saturday, June 25 at 7:30 pm – Havdalah and more
- Rabbi Frenkel, Cantor Harrison, and Cantor Hochman will lead a ceremony of leave-taking in our M’kor Shalom Sanctuary. It will be an evening to reflect on, and share, the many M’kor Moments we have celebrated, marked, and experienced together. Our Havdalah ceremony and the removal of our Mezuzah will also mark the end of our M’kor Shalom journey and usher us in to this next chapter that awaits us with the founding of Congregation Kol Ami. We invite you to join us for this evening of ceremony, reflection, and music. A dessert oneg outside under the tent will follow at around 8:30 pm.
Sunday, June 26 – Ceremonial marching of our Torah scrolls to their new home, a long-standing tradition marking the joining of two congregations.
- At 9:30 am, ritual ceremony in our sanctuary, as we remove the Torah scrolls from the ark.
- Promptly at 10:00 am, we will begin a Torah processional as we march in celebration to our new home. There, our Torah scrolls will join with the Torah scrolls of Temple Emanuel as we enter the building together to place all the scrolls inside the ark.
It is a 2.5-mile walk from M’kor Shalom, with some areas of uneven pavement, that we anticipate will take approximately two hours. There will be select places along the route (to be determined) for you to join in to walk a distance that is comfortable for you.
A few things to know about this unforgettable morning:
- The ceremony and processional will take place rain or shine (with the exception of severe weather, in which case the processional would be cancelled).
- The Cherry Hill Police, Fire and EMT Departments as well as Federation’s security team have been consulted in the planning of this event and will be on hand to ensure our safety.
- If at 10:00 am the temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, the full processional will be adapted to a short walk close to the destination.
- Children, strollers and wagons are welcome!
- Please do not bring any pets.
- For security reasons, the exact route cannot be publicized.
- There will be several water stations (one with a portable bathroom) along the route.
- There will be a “weary-wagon” for anyone becoming fatigued and in need of a shuttle ride. The shuttle will also be available to take people back to M’kor Shalom’s parking lot once the processional reaches its final destination.
- A special commemorative T-shirt will be provided, and all participants in the march must wear it, not only to show our ruach (spirit), but as an important security measure.
For everyone’s security and as required by CHPD, if you are interested in participating, you MUST RSVP (mandatory) by June 9, 2022. Please check your congregational emails or contact the synagogue office for the Google Form registration link.
Once the Torah scrolls are placed in the ark at our new home and the ritual portion of the morning is complete, a festival is planned outside in the Temple Emanuel parking lot. There will be music, food and games. We are looking forward to a memorable day in our community. See you there!
Rabbi Jennifer L. Frenkel
Drew Molotsky, President
The Torah March Committee