The Story of Our New Torah Mantle

We Will Dance Again: The Story of Our New Torah Mantle

By Jodi Bager

When I was asked by Rabbi Splansky at the end of July if I would hand-embroider a new Torah mantle, I was deeply honoured. Rabbi Splansky explained that because October 7, 2023, fell on Simchat Torah, the holiday that celebrates the conclusion—and beginning—of the annual Torah-reading cycle, she feared that it would never again be the joyful celebration it has always been, rather it would forever forward be marked as a day of deep mourning for those both murdered and taken hostage that October day. Rabbi Splansky explained that she wanted to have a new Torah mantle for the upcoming Simchat Torah holiday, one that going forward, would be used on that day and would mark a new tradition, one that memorializes that tragic day as well as allowed for the celebration of the holiday as it has always been.

In the weeks following the attack, the phrase We Will Dance Again emerged as a poignant and powerful message of resilience and hope most specifically from the Nova Music Festival the sight where over 360 young people were murdered and 44 were taken hostage. We Will Dance Again has become a rallying cry for those affected by the tragedy, representing the determination to not let violence and terror destroy the spirit of joy, community, and freedom. It symbolizes the resilience of the Jewish people and the resolve to return to normalcy, to celebrate life, and to honour the memories of those who were murdered by continuing to dance, to live, and to find joy even in the face of immense tragedy. I was asked that the words We Will Dance Again, be included in the new Torah mantle design.

My design for the Torah mantle includes that phrase in both Hebrew and English as well as the words, in Hebrew, from Ecclesiastes—a time to mourn and a time to dance. In this embroidered piece, the words have a sense of motion as they and the branches of cherry blossoms move in waves amongst the stylized dancers stitched across the silk.

This Torah mantle is being dedicated to the memory of Adi Vital-Kaploun, a 33-year-old Canadian Israeli citizen who, while protecting her two young sons, was murdered in her home on Kibbutz Holit that day. Adi was the cousin of Lindi Rivers, our cantorial soloist. The large butterfly is Adi, and the two small butterflies are Adi’s two boys, who survived and were, at the time, four months old and four years old.

This Torah mantle tells a story beyond what is visible on the surface. I was beginning the stitching of the cherry blossoms when the world heard the news in early September of the execution of six hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, in the tunnels under Rafah. It was for me, as it was for all of us, a gut punch. On the day that followed, I went to my stitching and just stared at it. How I thought, could I possibly memorialize each of these beautiful souls in this one piece of stitching? The answer came to me that night, a sleepless night, as I just let the pain of it all wash over me.

Under six flowers in the centre branch of cherry blossoms the names Eden, Carmel, Alexander, Ori, Almog, and Hersh have been inked then stitched and then the flowers stitched on top of their names. I have done the same with a seventh blossom for Captain Yiftah Yavetz, a 23-year-old staff commander in the Maglan Special Forces Unit who fell in battle on October 7 outside Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Yiftah was the love of a dear young friend of mine. And so represented in this Torah mantle are the mothers and the fathers and the children. The sisters, brothers, soldiers, and friends. Through the ones named I have tried to represent all of them, all of us. The stitches here have quite literally covered the tears that fell as I embroidered this piece. And I have sewn my prayers into every blossom, stem, butterfly, and dancer.

At this point, I fear this Torah mantle contains more sorrow than joy. But it is my heartfelt wish that the words stitched within this Torah mantle honour our kinship with the victims and their families and a commitment to healing and rebuilding after the trauma of October 7th—for it encapsulates a message of defiance against terrorism and stands for the values of life and peace, hope and yes, joy.