Nine months ago, as the pandemic raged through Jewish communities in the Tri-state area and beyond, the Jewish world responded with a resounding display of achdus and spiritual fortitude.
Inspired by the now-famous story of the Baal Shem Tov, who urged his townspeople to write a Sefer Torah to stave off a local plague, three Brooklyn based businessmen started a grassroots movement that went global.
The Miracle Sefer Torah, named for that original Torah of the Baal Shem Tov, began as a local effort to reach friends and family. But interest soared and Shloime Greenwald, Beryl Junik and Zalmy Cohen knew they had to open up the opportunity for worldwide Jewry.
United For Protection was formed, a website was created, and within several weeks, every single letter in the Torah was claimed by a unique Jewish name.
304,805 Jews from every conceivable background, woven together in one vibrant, diverse tapestry.
Riding the momentum of the outpour of enthusiastic support, UFP followed up by engineering the monumental Hatzalah-thon concert and fundraiser which raised over $15,000,000 for dozens of Hatzalah chapters worldwide.
Now, the work of writing is complete and preparations are feverishly underway for what is being billed as the Siyum of a lifetime.
On Sunday, December 6th, at 6:30 pm ET, the Grand Siyum Sefer Torah will be livestreamed at Unitedforprotection.com, featuring the live completion of the Miracle Sefer Torah, first person accounts of the Torah’s story and impact, and crowned with a lineup of the most prestigious and inspiring Jewish entertainers.
Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David, Chaim Yisrael, Eli Marcus, Baruch Levine, 8th Day band, Lipa Schmeltzer, Shmuli Ungar, Shlomo Simcha and Mendy J will lift Jews everywhere out of their couches in what may be the largest Hachnosas Sefer Torah dance ever.
“This Torah is not just another Torah,” explained Shloime Greenwald of UFP, “this Torah has touched communities from every corner of the world. It has bridged divides that have rarely been crossed. It is a true Unity Sefer Torah.”
“The Siyum is going to be an emotional, cathartic event for the Jewish people,” said Rabbi YY Jacobson, the famed scholar and motivational speaker slated to host the Siyum alongside his brother, scholar and author Rabbi Simon Jacobson.
“We have been through so much these past nine months, and the Torah was a bright spot, reminding us that we are stronger when we are one. The Jewish world deserves this moment of joy,” he concluded.
To learn more about United for Protection and the Miracle Sefer Torah, please go to Unitedforprotection.com