Gallery 3 — Maui Jewish 'Ohana

After our first seder in 2023 we knew we had a solid community and were inspired to find a Torah.

Easier said than done. It’s not so easy to find a Torah when one lives on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

And then disaster struck. On August 8, 2023, there were wildfires that destroyed the city of Lahaina and wreaked havoc on other parts of the island. Even before the fires were out, we knew that there would be difficult days ahead.

It turned out that even though we were a small community, the Jewish Federation of North America was concerned about us. We connected with Ed Finkel and immediately, our community didn’t feel quite so alone. Ed let us know that we had a support system that wanted to us thrive. Ed told us to let him know if we needed anything.

Ellyn Mortimer, one of MJO’s founders heard Ed’s offer and decided to ask for Ed’s help in finding us a Torah. Having a Torah, the symbol of Jewish connection would be especially meaningful after the fire.

By November, Ed let us know that Congregation Etz Chayim in Toledo, Ohio was downsizing and wanted to donate a Torah to our fledgling community. Once we got this confirmation, the logistics fun began. How could we find a safe way to transport the Torah from Ohio to Maui?

Many texts, calls, and emails ensued between Ellyn and Etz Chayim leader, Sharon Ravin.

On December 23, 2023, The Etz Chayim Torah was brought to the Maui Jewish ‘Ohana community at a beautiful havdalah celebration.

…and finally…

On Sunday, January 21, 2024, we held a Hachnasat Sefer Torah. Not only did our multi-generational community gather together, but MJO was honored to have some very special guests. Ed Finkel - without whom this would not have happened - was able to join us on Maui for the day. We were also honored by the presence of Greg Rosenbaum and his family. Greg is a long-time visitor to Maui and a cousin of Sharon Ravin. His family has a long history with Congregation Etz Chayim in Toledo.

We sang, we danced, we ate…and with our new Toledo family on ZOOM, we properly welcomed the Etz Chayim Torah to its new home.

We are delighted in its excellent condition and beautiful lettering that feels alive and vibrant.

A custom ark is currently being built and in the first few months on Maui the Torah has already been a part of many Shabbat and B-Mitzvah celebrations.

In January 2023, the first MJO event took place on Tu B’Shvat where seeds were planted to build a contemporary and dynamic community…one year later, those seeds grew into a tree… Our beloved Etz Chayim Torah.

We are looking forward to sharing this Torah L’dor v’dor – from generation to generation - and invite anyone who visits Maui to delight in it with us.