Temple Israel Welcomes a New Torah Sunday, December 9, 2018, was a landmark day for Temple Israel. That was the day when a huge crowd of Temple family and friends were in attendance at the dedication of our brand-new Torah. Commissioned and sponsored by Lisa Israel , and named in her honor, the Torah was written by hand over the last 18 months. and replaces our oldest and least-usable Torah. In a joyous celebration, everyone welcomed the arrival of the new Torah as it was paraded around the sanctuary with song. And just to complement the main event of the day, that ceremony was followed by the naming of Herbert and Georgina Israel 's new little girl, Penelope . Mazel Tov to the parents and grandparents! Festivities concluded with a lavish luncheon in the social hall.