Torah Dedication & Chanukah Soiree Celebrates Heritage and Community
Paradise Valley, Arizona - On Sunday, December 5, 2022, the Jewish community came together at Chabad of Paradise Valley to celebrate a momentous Torah Dedication & Chanukah Soiree event. The evening was filled with joy, celebration, and a deep sense of connection as community members honored their heritage, completed the Woetzel Torah, and commemorated the final night of Chanukah.
The festivities began with a unique opportunity for guests to participate in the writing of the Torah. The renowned scribe, Rabbi Moshe Klein, meticulously filled in the final letters of the Torah. This significant moment was accompanied by heartfelt remarks from Tina and Kurt Woetzel, who lovingly sponsored the Torah dedication in memory of Pearl Zuckerburg Paller Brand.
Kurt shared the impact his wife, Tina, had on her friends and family around her and described her as a beautiful shining light when it comes to bringing Judaism into their lives. Tina spoke about the enduring legacy of her grandmother and the profound impact she had on their journey of embracing Judaism.
Tina emphasized the challenges her family faced, including discrimination against their culture, dress, food, and religion. She highlighted the immense pressure they felt to assimilate and the subsequent loss or forgetting of their cultural roots and traditions.
As Tina became involved in Chabad, she began returning to her family's traditional roots. Once while visiting her grandmother, Tina prepared to light Shabbat candles. However, her grandmother suddenly paused and expressed hesitation. Perplexed, Tina couldn't understand the reason behind her grandmother's reluctance.
Then, her grandmother quickly moved to the kitchen, grabbed a dish towel to cover her head, and explained that as a married woman, she couldn't light the candles without covering her hair. The incident led to laughter and a meaningful candle lighting, sparking a journey of shared Shabbos evening meals and growth in Yiddishkeit that lasted two decades.
Tina expressed gratitude for her grandmother's courage, support, and blessings, allowing her to face and rise above any criticism or doubts she encountered on her path to embracing Judaism. She acknowledged that the power of a grandmother should never be underestimated and attributed much of her journey to her grandmother's unwavering support.
Both Kurt’s and Tina’s speeches resonated deeply with the attendees, as they beautifully encapsulated the significance of family support, the transformative power of embracing one's heritage, and the importance of passing down traditions.
Rabbi Shlomy Levertov and Rabbi Zalman Levertov led the community in the traditional lighting of the Menorah, infusing the gathering with the spirit of Chanukah. All eight lights of the Menorah cast a beautiful glow on the community.
As the evening progressed, the atmosphere transformed into a jubilant celebration. The Torah, now complete and ready to embrace its role as a guiding light for the community, was enclothed and raised under a beautiful chuppah-like canopy. This momentous Torah Procession and Dancing, known as Hakafot, united the community. Amidst lively music and dancing, the newly completed Torah and an existing Torah from the ark were joyfully paraded, symbolizing the community's devotion to Torah study and observance.
Through the generosity and dedication of Kurt and Tina Woetzel, the Paradise Valley Jewish community now possesses a Torah that will serve as a source of inspiration for generations to come.