Our Story
by Laura Dorf Queller, Vice President, Communications and Marketing
“Who tells your story?” This is the fundamental question asked in the musical Hamilton. For Jews, the answer is simple: We tell our story. Through a rich oral and written tradition, our story has been told and retold throughout the ages. And as we survive as a people into the 21st century, our story continues to unfold and take shape.
This eNewsletter explores the varied ways in which we tell our story today – through the books we read, the issues we discuss, and the traditions we pass on to our children and grandchildren. We recently celebrated Simchat Torah. On this holiday, we chant the last verse of the Torah and immediately read the scroll again from the very beginning. Simchat Torah reminds us that our learning and storytelling never end. Each time we study Torah, we gain additional insight. And by continuing to chant the Torah anew, we introduce our story to future generations.
Jews have been dubbed the “People of the Book” because of our adherence to the Torah, our sacred text. Although this term was originally coined by Muslims to describe Jews and other followers of monotheistic religions, many Jews have adopted this phrase as their own. In Hebrew, “People of the Book” translates to Am HaSefer.
Books of all kinds – ancient and modern, religious and secular, scholarly and entertaining – are featured in this eNewsletter. We’ve presented just some of the many opportunities throughout Greater MetroWest for Jews of all ages and backgrounds to enrich their lives through books and learning. But books do more than impart knowledge to individuals; they also create community. When women analyze Biblical texts together at the Women of Wisdom education series, or discuss best-selling novels in a book club, they form relationships through shared interests. And when Americans in Greater MetroWest and Israelis in Arad read the same book in English and Hebrew and then meet online for a “virtual” book club, they forge bonds across the ocean. Similarly, when young children receive free Jewish-themed books from PJ Library, they not only gain exposure to their heritage, but they also become connected with other children and families in the community like themselves.
Our Jewish story dates back thousands of years. Together, we can learn and pass on our ancient narrative while simultaneously creating new chapters for future generations.