The Denver Community Kollel celebrated the arrival of a new Sefer Torah at its Southeast Kollel Torah Center/Ohel Yissochor on Sunday, January 19. The Sefer Torah was dedicated by Mrs. Claire Sommers and her family li’ilui nishmas her late husband, Reb Shalom Sommers a”h, father of Rosh Kollel Harav Shachne Sommers shlita.
The Hachnasas Sefer Torah celebration was held at Aish of the Rockies, a venue large enough to accommodate the hundreds of people from the community who attended the event. Rabbi Yisroel Cohen, a noted sofer from Flatbush, came to Denver to complete the new Sefer Torah. Many people lined up for the zechus of writing a letter in the Torah, and at approximately 2:45 pm, the Sefer Torah was completed. After the final letters were written, Rosh Kollel Harav Shachne Sommers spoke about his father’s love for and commitment to Torah. “My father wrote Sifrei Torah,” said Rav Sommers, explaining that his father did this by transmitting the Torah to the hearts of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “It is fitting that a Sefer Torah is being donated li’ilui nishmaso to the Denver Kollel, where I have continued to transmit the mesorah that he transmitted to me for the past 22 years as the Rosh Kollel.”
After Rav Sommers spoke, the Sefer Torah was danced out to the parking lot, accompanied by joyous music and a large procession. From there, it was driven to the Southeast Kollel Torah Center/Ohel Yissochor. Upon its arrival there, the Sefer Torah was danced into the bais medrash and placed in a brand-new aron kodesh that was completed and installed in time for the new Sefer Torah.
Rosh Kollel Harav Shachne Sommers shlita (left) with sofer Rav Yisroel Cohen 
Harav Yaakov Meyer of Aish of the Rockies dancing with the Sefer Torah 
Dancing with the Sefer Torah at the Hachnasas Sefer Torah celebration at Aish of the Rockies