Happy Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah!

Following the seven days of Sukkot comes Shemini Atzeret – another day to gather in prayer and spend time together. One of the holiday’s traditions is a prayer for rain in the Land of Israel. In Israel, Simchat Torah is celebrated on the same day, while in the diaspora, including Lithuania, it is traditionally observed the day after Shemini Atzeret.

Simchat Torah, meaning “Rejoicing in the Torah,” marks the renewal of the annual Torah reading cycle. Immediately after the final portion of the Five Books of Moses is read, the reading continues with the opening verses of Genesis. This tradition reminds us that learning never ends – each time we return to familiar texts, we can discover new meanings.

The joy of the holiday fills synagogues: Torah scrolls are brought out amid singing and dancing, with adults and children alike joining in the festivities. Together, communities celebrate their connection to the Torah and a tradition passed down from generation to generation.

Illustration: Rafael Chwoles, Torah Celebration, 1981, oil on canvas. You can see this painting and more works by Rafael Chwoles at the Rafael Chwoles Museum, located on the fourth floor of the Museum of Culture and Identity of Lithuanian Jews (Pylimo St. 4A).