"Whoever writes or fills in even one letter of a Sefer Torah,
   it is considered as though he or she had written it in its entirety"
                                -Moses Maimonides "Rambam"

Q: What is Project 613?
A: Project 613 embodies Temple Sinai's commitment to our Temple family. It is a gift to all of our congregants who can now participate as a community to fulfill the 613th mitzvah - the very last one - which commands every Jew to write a Torah. This year, Temple Sinai will write a Torah of its own.

Q: Why do we need a new Torah?
A: By writing a new Torah we will be strengthening our connection to Judaism and our Temple family. We will be learning together as a community and at the same time we will be fulfilling two mitzvot-the mitzvah of writing the Torah and the mitzvah of giving one of our Torahs to a congregation in need.

Q: Are we really writing the new Torah at our Temple?
A: The task of writing the Torah has already begun in Israel where one of our scribes, Sofer Yosef Green is writing most of the Torah text. Sofer Green will be sending sections of the parchment to us with some text in outline form. Our second scribe, Rabbi Moshe Druin, will join us at Temple Sinai in Roslyn on the signing dates to fill-in the letters that Sofer Green has outlined. When the outlined letters have been filled in, the parchments will be sewn together completing our Sefer Torah.

Q: When does Project 613 begin and end?
A: The Opening Ceremony and first fill-in date will take place on Sunday, November 16, 2008. Names will be collected as congregants enter the sanctuary for the opening ceremony and six names will be chosen at random to fill in the first six letters at the opening ceremony. Additional signing dates are on November 17, December 9, December 10, January 6, January 7, March 22, March 23, March 24, April 26, April 27 and May 31. The Closing Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 31st when our new Sefer Torah will take its place of honor in our sanctuary.

Q: Who can participate in Project 613?
A: All members of Temple Sinai who wish to scribe a letter of the Torah and be part of Project 613 will be given the opportunity to do so, regardless of their ability to make a dedication. Those making dedications of $613.00 or more will write their letter at a private scribing. Those congregants who are not making a dedication will be invited to participate in a public scribing date.

Q. What is a private scribing?
A: A private scribing is a ceremony where you and your family, alone, fill-in a letter of the Torah. Any congregant making a dedication in the amount of $613.00 or more will be able to choose two alternate dates in order to participate in a private ceremony with our Scribe, Rabbi Moshe Druin, to fill-in a letter of the Torah with family members.

Q: Can non-Temple members attend a scribing?
A: Non Temple members, who are family members of Temple Sinai congregants, can attend a private scribing only with their family.

Q: What is a public scribing?
A: A public scribing is a ceremony for congregants who are not making a dedication, to fill-in a letter of the Torah. You will be assigned to a group with up to twenty other congregants to fill-in a letter with Rabbi Druin and will be randomly assigned to a fill-in date and time.

Q: What is a dedication and why should I make a dedication?
A: A dedication is selecting part of the Torah in order to honor or remember a family member or friend or to commemorate a special simcha. It is hoped that members who have the ability and desire to do so will make a dedication. Your generous dedication will resonate in our sanctuary for generations to come.

Q: What dedication opportunities are available?
A: The dedication opportunities are listed on the reverse of the Project 613 Participation/Dedication Form. A variety of dedication categories have been created and offer congregants a wide range of giving options. Through your generosity, you may choose to dedicate the entire Torah, a Torah ornament, one of its five books, a special passage, a biblical story, a significant verse, a parasha, a name, a letter or another portion of the text that has personal significance. If requested, our clergy can help you to choose a dedication that is especially meaningful to you and your family.

Q: Will we be filling in the book, passage, word or letter that we dedicate?
A: We will be filling in letters in the order in which the outlined letters appear in the text. This means that while you may be dedicating a particular, letter, word, passage, or book, you will most likely not be scribing the particular letter, word, passage, or book that you have chosen to dedicate.

Q: What will the Project 613 funds be used for?
A: Funds raised by Project 613 dedications will be used to support Temple Sinai's programs, making our community stronger for this and future generations.

Q: How do I sign up?
A: Whether you choose to make a dedication or not, you must complete and return the PARTICIPATION/DEDICATION FORM in order to participate. You will then be contacted by Ethel Liebeskind who will inform you of your fill-in date. If you are making a dedication of $613.00 or more, you can choose from two alternate dates to attend your private scribing. If you are not making a dedication, please indicate so and you will be invited to attend a public scribing date to fill-in a letter with a group of up to twenty other congregants.

Q: How will my participation be commemorated?
A: Everyone who fills in a letter will receive a certificate acknowledging their participation. In addition, everyone will be photographed scribing their letter. For those of you engaging in a private scribing, you will receive your photograph and a certificate. Those congregants who do not make a dedication will have the opportunity to purchase their photographs. Participation in this project assumes your consent to use these and other photographs taken during this project in the publicity of Project 613 by print, Internet, The Temple Sinai Scribe, outside news publications, or any other means. If you do not want your photograph to be used in any of these forms, please provide written notice to that effect to Ethel Liebeskind in the Temple Office.

Please return the PARTICIPATION/DEDICATION FORM to Temple Sinai -
Attention Torah Project and direct any inquiries to ETHEL LIEBESKIND at 621-6800 OR
BY E-MAIL TO ELIEBESKIND@TEMPLESINAIOFRH.COM


THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!!