Columbia University Simchat Torah '98

High Holy Times in NYC

Sundown Sunday. Hoshanah Rabba converges into Shemini Atzeret, and Jewish students of New York converge on Columbia University. The Jewish populations of every area institution were well represented, from Queens, Brooklyn College, NYU, and yes, Yeshiva boys with our heads held high, very content with our 70 block exodus downtown and 32 point leap up the poles of U.S News and World Report.

Holding on to brightly colored neon meal tickets or clad in pink wrist bands we entered the hallowed gates and Ivy League aura of Barnard College. Kiddush was recited in the Barnard Succah in shifts as it emptied and filled up three or four times to be yotzi the entire crowd. The succah itself was quite large and well decorated, complete with fliers and streamers including the proud rainbow flag of those who would never let celebrating Sukkot interfere with celebrating diversity. From the Succah we filed past the ticket counter into adjacent McIntosh Center where the festive meal was held. After a short interlude by a few members of the Columbia Jewish Student Union and a welcome introduction from chaplains Rabbi Charles Sheer and Rabbi Jenny Rosen shlita, the plastic wrap was ripped off the trays and a mighty feast ensued.

As the final chicken scraps were being consumed Rabbi Sheer asked that all trays with left over usable food be brought to the front of the hall for distribution to "our homeless neighbors" which would commence at the close of the meal. After the communal rendition of Birkat Hamazon the crowd was split into those that would spend the next hour walking down Broadway handing out trays to those less fortunate, those who joined in an hour of learning with the Rabbi, those who revisited the Succah to take advantage of the wine bottles left unsanctified and unclaimed, and those who had made other plans for how to kill the hour before they were off to 122^nd and The Feinburg Auditorium of JTS to scalp tickets to the Pizmon concert. This performance of Columbia University's Jewish accapella group was the one stop on the three day tour to which one could not gain access simply by flashing a smile and/or wristband. Access to this performance was by advance ticket sales only. Then again, access to the Woodstock festival was also originally meant to be by advanced ticket sales only. In both cases, everyone who made the trek saw the show.

I'm pretty sure that upon entrance more than half of the spectators were completely oblivious to who or what Pizmon was. However, I'm completely sure that upon exit none of the spectators would ever be oblivious again. Under the direction of Maya Bernstein, Pizmon combined soul and harmony in a Hebrew version of the '98 World Cup Carnival song and a magical rendition of Eishet Chayil. Though met with well deserved, rousing applause, these songs proved to be only a coming attraction to an encore which nobody could expect and nobody will forget. Karen Berenthal's solo rendition of Achinoam Nini's Boi Kala was a performance that could be described as Mamosh Kol Isha! I choose to describe as simply unbelievable.

At the close of the final curtain call most of the crowd slowly made its way back to the Barnard Succah. The Succah and surrounding area was packed and rocking with Jewish songs and positive energy. Despite the fact that the wine supply was long exhausted, due to those who chose the re-visit the Succah option after dinner, at times the electricity of genuine simcha transcended the physical realities of midterms and crisp night air.

8:45 A.M. Time to go to shul. (At least that was the plan before many retired to their sleeping arrangements four hours earlier.) By conclusion of the services at around noon, the crowds had been revitalized. The walk back to Barnard mirrored the one of the previous night, and lunch, though in a different location, was held in similar spirit. As the final words of Birkat Hamazon were sung and the excess trays were again inspected and readied for distribution, most chose to reclaim their sleeping arrangements, well aware that the previous evening's proceedings would prove considerably more restrained then those of the one to come.

Their preparation was not in vain. Mincha began at six PM and Shemini Atzeret became Simchat Torah. The call went out for energy and the masses responded accordingly. After Maariv, Congregation Ramoth Orah burst into Hakkafot, the first set in a long night. Dinner began, and all attempts of making plans for later and getting tanked up early were underway. The well-practiced post-dinner drill went smoothly, trays were circulating Broadway and the masses were circulating the large assortment pre-Hakkafot parties and get-togethers.

10:30 P.M. The Columbia Hakkafot were ready to get underway. Again those in charge were insistent on carrying out their pledge that no one would be allowed into the McIntosh/Barnard Hall building without a Columbia ID or pink wristband , but through one method or another the Woodstock principle applied. The three separate revolving Hakkafot circles, each with their own Sefer Torah, were enough to cater to most main-stream religious affiliations and the atmosphere was in a fact one of tolerance and jubilation.

After the final revolution, it was time to revisit the multiple points of liquid nourishment around campus to regain strength for the main activity of the evening. This was of course the 35 block, rain dampened trek to 79^th and West End to dance away the night with family and old friends, fellow Jews of New York City and Reb Shlomo Carlebach. The Shul, smaller in size then spirit, couldn't contain all those determined to blow its roof off. The mass of humanity spilled into the street and occupied that as well. Scores of Jews from every wing, affiliation, and denomination all dancing together, dancing for Torah, dancing for Shlomo, dancing for the very future of Klal Yisrael. Between Hakkafot different speakers stood up to deliver a few words on the significance of the up coming Hakkafa. Reb Shlomo's younger daughter Dariah spoke about how all those present could follow in her father's footsteps, spreading Torah and positive energy throughout the world, while another speaker commented simply about the significance of one night a year where the primary objective is, "to pick up Torah not women." The rest of the vibrant revolutions were complemented by the hundreds of voices in perfect unison and the Carlebach Chassidim keeping beat on the resonating metal doors of the Aron Kodesh.

We embarked on our trek back to Columbia at a little after five in the morning. All noticed that after the experience we just had, it was easier to walk the thirty five blocks, probably on account that our shoes weren't touching the ground.

As expected the Shacharit attendance was slightly less than in the days before. Obediently, we followed the well rehearsed motions for the final time. Musaf flowed into lunch, lunch flowed into Mincha then Maariv then Havdalah, and as Simchat Torah became Tuesday night. Z'man Simchatainu had drawn to a triumphant close.