A procession featuring sixty historic Torahs was held at an Upper East Side synagogue in Manhattan to celebrate the salvaging of over 1,500 religious artifacts from Nazi-occupied Prague. Representatives from various Jewish temples across the tri-state area gathered at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center to honor the Torahs and participate in Jewish prayers, songs, and speeches urging reflection on antisemitism, especially during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Rabbi Amy Ehrlich of Temple Emanuel emphasized the importance of standing tall as Jews, identifying proudly, and holding the Torah closer in the face of rising antisemitism.
The Torahs, collectively known as the Memorial Scrolls Trust, originated in Jewish communities in Czechoslovakia from the 1200s through the early 20th century. These religious scrolls had been looted by the Nazis, along with other valuable items, from these communities when the area was invaded and occupied during World War II. Miraculously, the Torahs were left in storage in Prague throughout the war, although not all of them emerged unscathed, with some being burned, riddled with bullet holes, and even containing blood-stains and handwritten notes pleading for remembrance.
Following the war, the scrolls remained in a storage facility in Prague until 1964 when the Czech government, facing financial constraints, sold them to a London art collector. Subsequently, the Torahs were passed on to Westminster Synagogue for restoration and preservation. Over the years, the scrolls have been loaned to synagogues worldwide, where they serve as symbols of Jewish persecution and resilience in the face of horrific violence. The significance of the Torahs lies in their ability to tell the story of the Jewish people’s struggles and endurance throughout history.
In describing the condition of the rescued Torahs, Philippa Bernard of Westminster Synagogue recalled that they were wrapped in polythene and emitted a strong odor reminiscent of death. She likened the experience of rescuing and restoring the Torahs to the struggles of the Jewish people, reflecting on their endurance and survival despite facing significant challenges. The Torahs’ journey from the storage facility in Prague to various synagogues around the world underscores their resilience and represents a testament to the Jewish community’s ability to triumph over adversity.
Lois Roman, a trustee of the scroll collection, highlighted the role of the MST Czech Torah collection in retelling the story of Jewish persecution and survival. She emphasized the importance of using these Torah scrolls as a means of educating others about the Holocaust and the enduring need to combat present-day antisemitism. Roman expressed her hope that Holocaust education would become unnecessary in the future, but acknowledged the ongoing relevance and importance of sharing the stories of the Torahs and the Jewish people’s survival as a reminder of the past and a call to action against hatred and discrimination.
