Seeach Sod unites business owners who employ workers with disabilities in their businesses every day. The hachnasas sefer Torah was a personal celebration of all these special employers, and helped raise public awareness of the importance of employing individuals with disabilities.
The hachnasas sefer Torah began with the final letter-writing ceremony at the home of the donors, the Itzkowitz family, with Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Dovid Lau and Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim Rabbi Aryeh Stern.
The parade procession then began in Ramot, the neighborhood that so warmly embraced the group home residents, heading toward Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom for the "hagbahah" ceremony with the participation of the kabbalah yeshivah's director, Rav Yaakov Hillel.
A massive, festively decorated hachnasas sefer Torah truck waited outside the building for the next part of the parade. With singing and dancing, and followed by an entourage of cars carrying the special employees, the procession moved on. The members of the famous Neranena choir stood on the truck's mobile stage as they led the participants in song, with the dozens of employers dancing with the sefer Torah and enthusiastic crowds joining the procession by foot or car toward Seeach Sod's main building on Yirmiyahu Street.
As they paraded through the mythological main street of Geulah, store owners and clients excitedly ran out to join the celebration and show their appreciation for the businesses in the street who employ workers with special needs, stopping in front of each such business on the parade's path. The procession finally concluded with enthusiastic dancing near the shul – the final destination – where neighborhood rabbanim delivered beautiful addresses.
Mr. Gideon Shalom, head of the Disability Administration at the Ministry of Health, expressed it succinctly: "Here at Seeach Sod we're witnessing a kiddush Hashem!"
After one final "goodbye" dance, the sefer Torah was lovingly led to the aron kodesh in Chazon Dov, the Yecholot employment program's shul.
The letter-writing ceremony
The procession
The seudah