Bringing People Together Through Torah Reading at Beth El
Religious involvement may feel like it’s slipping in many places, yet something remarkable is taking root in a Conservative synagogue in Highland Park, Illinois. At North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, a community-wide effort called Team Torah invites people to step up, take a breath, and read from the Torah scroll. It’s simple in spirit, ambitious in practice, and designed to help more congregants find a personal way back into Jewish life.
A Fresh Way to Share an Ancient Ritual
Reading directly from the Torah can be daunting. The Hebrew text appears without vowels or punctuation, and the musical system that guides the chanting takes practice. For years, many congregations relied on paid readers or a handful of skilled volunteers. Beth El chose a different path. With Team Torah, the congregation set out to open the scroll—and the experience—to many more voices, at a moment when attendance in synagogues has dropped for all sorts of reasons.
Setting a Bold Goal—and Meeting It
The spark arrived in 2021, as the community rebuilt after COVID-19 disruptions. Beth El launched the “Back-to-Shul Challenge: Everyone Reads Torah!” with one clear aim: recruit 100 readers over the course of the Jewish year. People signed up, learned, practiced, and showed up. The goal was met in just six months. Now, nearing its third year, the program is on track to surpass 200 participants who have each taken a turn bringing the sacred text to life.
Learning, Music, and Families in the Mix
The effort celebrates Jewish practice in a hands-on way. Adults can take classes in trope—the melodic patterns that carry the words—while families with children preparing for bar or bat mitzvah receive direct outreach and encouragement. The range of readers tells its own story: some are 13 and reading for the first time; others, like those in their nineties, return to the scroll with decades of life behind them. One reader, one note. Then another. And the room begins to sing.
Small Gestures, Big Meaning
During each Torah reading, a posterboard fills with stickers—one for every participant—so everyone can see the collective progress. First-time readers receive a Team Torah sugar cookie, a small-sweet thank you that marks a big step. It’s a cheerful touch that signals something deeper: you’re part of this, and your voice matters.
Rabbi Michael Schwab, Beth El’s senior rabbi, frames it simply: reading from the Torah connects people to a chain that stretches back thousands of years and forward to today. When someone chants a verse, an ancient text feels immediate—personal even—for the reader and the community listening.
Stories That Carry
One moment has stayed with many: congregant Eli Krumbein, age 98, practicing and reading alongside Ritual Director Hazzan Jenna Greenberg. Their duet—captured on video—has become a touchstone for what Team Torah is about. Not perfection. Not performance. Commitment, joy, and the shared heartbeat of tradition across generations.
A Model Others Can Adapt
Arnold Eisen, former Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, has praised the effort and its wider promise. As he puts it, this is a project any shul can adopt and shape to fit its community. The invitation is clear: start where you are, welcome new readers, and let the practice itself knit people closer together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Team Torah at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El?
Team Torah is a congregation-wide program that invites members to read from the Torah scroll, expanding participation in a core ritual and helping people reconnect with Jewish practice in a tangible, hands-on way.
How did the “Back-to-Shul Challenge” unfold?
Launched in 2021, the challenge set a goal of 100 Torah readers over the Jewish year. The community reached that milestone in six months, and as the initiative enters its third year, participation is expected to surpass 200 readers.
What support helps new readers feel prepared?
Adults can learn trope—the musical system used to chant the text—and families with children preparing for bar or bat mitzvah receive targeted outreach. Guidance from synagogue leaders and steady practice help readers feel ready at the scroll.
Who takes part in Team Torah?
Participants span generations, from teens reading for the first time to older congregants, including those well into their nineties. The wide age range reflects the program’s core idea: everyone has a place in this tradition.
Why do small touches like stickers and cookies matter?
The sticker poster and the Team Torah sugar cookie for first-time readers are simple ways to recognize effort and mark a meaningful step. Those gestures encourage participation, celebrate progress, and remind readers they’re part of something larger.
