Simchat Torah (Jewish)

Coming at the conclusion ofSukkotare the two holidays of Shemini Atzeret and SimchatTorah. InIsraeland among more liberal Jews they are combined into one holiday on the day after the conclusion ofSukkot. Among more traditional Jews outside of Israel, they are observed separately from one another on two consecutive days. Shemini Atzeret means the “Eighth Day of Assembly,” while Simchat Torah means “Rejoicing in Torah.”Theymark the conclusion of the annual reading cycle of theTorah, the Five Books of Moses that make up the Jewish Bible. Jews celebrate theTorahby dancing and singing, followed by reading the last word of Deuteronomy and the first word of Genesis in one breath to represent the cyclical relationship between the Jewish People andTorah.
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