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Temple Israel of Northern Westchester Holocaust Rescued Torah
Temple Israel of Northern Westchester Holocaust Rescued Torah
Our Torah belonged to the Jewish community of Austerlitz, in what is now the Czech Republic. The Jewish cemetery at Austerlitz dated from the 12th century. Over the years, the population of the community waxed and waned. In the 19th century the community flourished as it restored its synagogue, introduced a more modern service with a cantor and a choir and had a German-Jewish school that educated three classes of students. By the early 20th century, the Jewish population began to decline following an anti-Semitic outrage in 1905 in which many Jewish houses were destroyed. In 1938, the Nazis occupied the region, and two years later, all the Jews from the surrounding area were taken to Austerlitz. Members of the local Jewish community were required to take these new residents into their own homes, giving them food and shelter. In 1942 the Jews of Austerlitz, together with their new guests, were given orders to prepare for deportation. The community was given a few days to prepare for the journey. Early one morning they were taken by truck to the nearby large town of Brno before being sent to Terezin not too long afterwards. From there most of the community were sent to the death camps in the east never to return.
When they were in power, the Nazis collected religious artifacts from plundered synagogues, including this Torah scroll, and brought them to Prague, intending to open an “Exotic Museum of an Extinct Race.” After the war, the Czechoslovakian government gained control over this collection. The Torah scrolls lay in storage for several years until the 1960’s, when they were sold to a London businessman. This man brought the Torah scrolls to the Westminster synagogue, and a trust was established to re-house them in synagogues all over the world. Ted Stone, a member of our congregation who used to blow the shofar during the High Holy Days, heard of the effort to re-house these Torah scrolls. Through his efforts, the Torah scroll in our Ark came to Temple Israel in 1967.
The Torah is on permanent loan from the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London.
Tue, April 29 2025
1 Iyar 5785
Temple israel Happenings
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Wednesday ,
AprApril 30 , 2025Holocaust Education Today: Challenges and Limits by Dr. Werner Steger
Wednesday, Apr 30th 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Dr. Steger serves as the endowed chair for the Greenspan-Handel Trust for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. -
Saturday ,
MayMay 3 , 2025Midnight Run
Shabbat, May 3rd 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Volunteers needed. The Midnight Run is a volunteer organization whose goal is to come together as a community in order to feed the homeless of New York City. They coordinate more than 1,000 relief missions per year with volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups to deliver food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. -
Thursday ,
MayMay 8 , 2025Brotherhood Steaks, Scotch & Cigars Night
Thursday, May 8th 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Join us for an in-person, grown up time to enjoy an early spring evening and just hang out. Men and women are welcome. Brotherhood will provide a BBQ steak & tuna dinner, tasty Scotch and bourbon options, soft drinks and mixers. Registration closes Monday, May 5th at 6:00 PM -
Friday ,
MayMay 9 , 2025Shabbat Shabbang
Friday, May 9th 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Join our clergy for songs, music, crafts, challah, pizza, and yummy treats! We welcome families with children 7 and under (and their older siblings). Bring a friend to share in our Shabbat!
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This week's Torah portion is Parashat Tazria-M'tzora
Shabbat, May 3 |
Yom HaZikaron
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