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B’nai Vail’s own Rabbi Newman is Helping Restore Torahs Damaged in the Jackson, Mississippi Synagogue Arson

On January 10, 2026, an arsonist set fire to Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, the state’s oldest synagogue. Two Torahs were destroyed and five were damaged in the flames. It was the second time in the congregation’s history that it was attacked with fire: in 1967, the temple was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. A Holocaust-era Torah on permanent display in a glass case survived unscathed, but the five damaged scrolls could not be used again without a master sofer, a specially trained scribe, examining every letter and restoring them to kosher status.

That work fell to Rabbi Joel D. Newman of our own B’nai Vail Congregation, one of only a handful of qualified soferim in the country. Rabbi Newman trained as a scribe in Israel, and while living in London from 1977 to 1981, he served as senior scribe to the Memorial Scrolls Trust’s “Precious Legacy” project, restoring roughly 1,600 Torahs recovered after the Holocaust. He has brought that same expertise to B’nai Vail for over a decade, from restitching a scroll whose rollers cracked apart mid-service to spending thirteen months hand-restoring a 300-year-old Yemenite Torah.

Smoke damage requires more than the usual tools of a sofer. Rabbi Newman first sealed the Jackson Torahs inside a chamber with an ozone generator, slowly oxidizing the odor compounds clinging to the parchment. Once the smell had faded enough, B’nai Vail volunteers unrolled the scrolls across long tables and wiped them down, while Rabbi Newman began the letter-by-letter work of repair.

The Jackson synagogue remains closed as it rebuilds, and the loss of two Torahs is a real one. But thanks to a small mountain congregation and a rabbi whose career began repairing scrolls after the Holocaust, five more scrolls are being brought back to life instead of retired.

B'nai Vail

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Join JEWISHcolorado's Family Engagement programs - Jewish Explorers, PJ Library, and YAD Family for a family-friendly Shabbat in the Park! Join us for kid-friendly activities, Shabbat Blessings, singing and dancing, mitzvah project, and more! Our Mitzvah project is in partnership with the Be Like Ellie Foundation, promoting and spreading kindness throughout Colorado. ✨🕊️ Learn more and register at our or here: https://events.idonate.com/2026familyshabbat

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"In this week’s parsha, V’etchanan, the Israelites camp along the banks of the River Jordan before crossing into the Promised Land. Moses learns he will die before the final crossing into the Land and makes a speech to the Israelites. He reminds the people of the Ten Commandments and recites the Shema and V’Ahavtah prayers." —Rolando Kahn, Communications Director

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JTA News "The Jewish Telegraphic Agency recently asked four multiracial Jewish teens to talk about traversing spaces where other people expected them to fit into one single identity. They shared experiences of having their personal identity questioned, and finding pride in celebrating multiple cultures and traditions all at once."

We asked Jewish teens of color what they wish other Jews understood - Jewish Telegraphic Agency Four young people share how they balance race, religion and culture — and why they're tired of having to prove they belong.

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Thanks to our JEWISHcolorado golf sponsor and golfers for playing with us last Monday and helping Hillel have another great annual golf outing! Your generosity also helped Hillel further empower our students to become the leaders we know they can become. Stay tuned for Hillel Golf 2027 updates and enjoy your remaining summers."

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From Moment Magazine "All these foods arrived on America’s shores courtesy of waves of Jewish immigrants. But by now, most Americans—including Jews—have forgotten how and when these foods entered American culinary history and culture." https://momentmag.com/the-story-of-american-jewish-food/

Please join us in congratulating Brandon Rattiner, Senior Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, on his appointment to the Board of Directors of the Jewish Council of Public Affairs!

We are proud to see Brandon’s leadership, expertise, and commitment to Jewish community relations recognized at the national level - and excited for the perspective he will bring to JCPA’s work.

Mazel Tov Brandon!

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"The man who once told God, “Lo ish devarim anochi,” “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10), leaves us an entire book called Devarim, Words. There is something beautifully ironic about this.

When God first called Moses at the burning bush, he questioned whether he was the right person to lead the Israelites. He believed that his inability to speak eloquently disqualified him from the task before him. Yet here, during the final month of his life, Moses speaks with clarity, wisdom, and purpose as he prepares the next generation for the journey ahead." —By: Cindy C***s, Director of Family Engagement & Jewish Explorers https://www.jewishcolorado.org/shabbat-shalom-growing-into-our-voice/

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