New Beit Shemesh Neighborhood Receives Sefer Torah from Yad L’Achim Raffle Winner
August 24, 2023
The winner of the Sefer Torah, Reb Avi Factor, with Yad L'Achim's Harav Chaim Eisenberg and Harav Yoav Robinson
Residents of Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled participated in a joyous hachnassas Sefer Torah this week together with the Factor family, which won the Torah in Yad L’Achim’s annual raffle.
At the recommendation of friends and Rabbanim, the Factor family, which lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, decided to donate the Sefer Torah to Beis Haknesses “Ohel Torah” in Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled, which is at the other end of the city. Yad L’Achim praised family members for delivering the Torah to a new shul that is too far away to allow them to directly benefit from it.
The writing of the final letters of the Torah was done in the home of Reb Avi Factor, the winner of the raffle, and graced by the presence of the admor of Sudilkov and the mekubal, Rabi Shlomo Busso, shlita, a grandson of the Baba Sali, zy”a. Members of the extended Factor family, who were in Israel to attend the wedding of Reb Avi’s daughter, also participated in the completion of the Sefer Torah.
A short procession was held in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, followed by the main event in Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled, where there was singing and dancing in the streets leading to the Ohel Torah shul.
As in previous hachnassas Sefer Torah processions, Yad L’Achim handed out torches to the children, and provided a car with loudspeakers to accompany participants with joyous music. The organization also provided posters and other means of advertising the event, to ensure a large turnout.
Local residents noted that since Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled is a new community, this was its first hachnassas Sefer Torah celebration.
Residents danced with the Sefer Torah into the shul, where they recited special psukim and davened Maariv, before participating in a festive seudas mitzva that also served as a Sheva Brachos meal for Reb Avi’s daughter.
The event was attended by two representatives of Yad L’Achim, Harav Chaim Eisenberg and Harav Yoav Zeev Robinson. Speaking in English, Harav Robinson noted that the Sefer Torah would be a great merit to the family in advance of the Yamim Nora’im, and would help residents of the area celebrate the chagim properly.
Reb Avi Factor thanked Yad L’Achim for delivering on its commitment to deliver not just a mehudar Sefer Torah, but also a beautiful crown and mantle. He also expressed gratitude for the procession, and musical accompaniment, and, of course, for the elaborate meal.
“We made aliya from the United States a few years ago, but quickly heard of the activities of Yad L’Achim in saving souls, and donated to it wholeheartedly,” he said. “We are happy both for the chance to support the organization’s important pidyon shvuyim activities, and to merit a Sefer Torah of our own – a fulfillment of a dream,” Reb Avi concluded.
