Mitzvah 613 - What Is It?
Mitzvah 613 is a special project that enables all of us to make a once-in-a-lifetime connection with our past and our future. Mitzvah 613 creates an opportunity for all of us to fulfill one of the Commandments — one that most of us could never fulfill, even over the course of our lifetime.

What's a Mitzvah? Why 613?
A mitzvah is a “religious obligation.” Our Jewish tradition teaches that, contained in our Torah, are 613 mitzvot or “commandments.” Nowadays, mitzvah is often confused with doing a “good deed.” While a goodly number of the mitzvot in the Torah require that we do specific good deeds, a mitzvah is much more than that. Each mitzvah connects us with our tradition, with the Eternal, and preserves who we are as a people. One of the 613 commandments requires that every person “write their own Torah.” Your participation in Mitzvah 613 allows you, by proxy, to write your own Torah.

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Mission

How Does Mitzvah 613 Work?
Over the course of several months, a sofer (scribe) will write a new, one-of-a-kind Torah for the use and benefit of the B'nai Tikvah community. Educational opportunities and celebrations are scheduled over the course of the year to help everyone participate. To fulfill the mitzvah of writing your own Torah, sponsorships are available. You can sponsor as much or as little as you like: From a single letter, to an entire Torah portion, to the entire scroll and ornaments. The sofer will write the Torah and you will know the he, as your proxy, wrote your portion for you! Your pledge is your opportunity to commission that portion of the new Torah, which you and the rest of the B'nai Tikvah community will enjoy over the course of each and every year, and for many years to come. Our efforts will culminate with a community-wide celebration when the new Torah is delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2013.

How Do I Participate?
Sponsor a section of the new Torah scroll by clicking here to Contribute. Sponsorships start at $6.13 for children and students, and $36 for adults. Select the sponsorship level that suits your interest. You may also consult with one of the many volunteer members of the Fundraising Team. The Fundraising Team will help you identify a meaningful way for you and your family to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Perhaps you'd like to sponsor the Torah portion you read on the day of your Bar Mitzvah, or the portion that your son or daughter read? Perhaps there's a narrative that's figured prominently in your life? Rabbi Wolkoff can help you identify a lasting, meaningful way to participate in the project.

Where Does My Contribution Go?
Funds raised will underwrite the direct costs associated with commissioning a new Torah scroll. Funds will also be used to provide humidity and climate control within the ark. Lastly, funds will be applied to the upgrades and refurbishment of the sanctuary.