Simchat Torah

One-day Jewish festival that celebrates the joy of the Jewish religion, and receiving the Torah from God. It is held the day after the eight-day festival of Succoth, the last of the pilgrim festivals commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Simchat Torah is said to derive from King Solomon's celebrations after he finished reading the Torah.

The festival is marked by huge rejoicing. All the Torah scrolls are taken out of the ark and joyfully circulated around the synagogue seven times, with much singing and dancing, the congregation following suit behind. This ceremony commemorates Joshuah's victory at the siege of Jericho, when the walls fell after priests carried the Ark of the Covenant around the city seven times and sounded seven trumpets. Readings of the Torah end with the last verses of Deuteronomy, and then begin again with Genesis. Those called up to read these two extracts are called the ‘bridegrooms’ of the Torah, implying that the relationship of Jews to the Torah and God is similar to marriage.