Memorial Holocaust Torah #31 Unveiling
Wednesday, November 12 at 5:45 and 7:30 pm

Krisstalnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass," refers to the wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms, which took place throughout Germany on November 9, 1938 . This year marks the 70th Anniversary of this horrific night of terror when German Nazi mobs destroyed what they could of the Jewish presence. The violence marked the beginning of the Nazi movement and the Holocaust. Synagogues, Jewish shops and homes were burned and destroyed. Bet Shira commemorates this Jewish historical tragedy by unveiling our Holocaust Torah which is housed in a new case in the Sanctuary lobby.

Through the efforts of Penn and Sheila Chabrow, Bet Shira obtained this Holocaust Memorial Sefer Torah from the Westminster Synagogue Memorial Scrolls Trust. This Sefer Torah is one of 1,564 sacred scrolls that came to London in 1964. These scrolls had been gathered together in Prague, Czechoslovakia. They were destined to become part of Hitler's museum to the "Lost Race." The scrolls which could be restored were repaired; those too damaged serve as sacred memorials to the six million and are on permanent loan to Synagogues worldwide. Scroll #31, was written between 1860 and 1874 and came from the town of Susice in the State of Bohemia. Although unable to be restored, the Torah teaches us about the Holocaust, about our people's love for learning, our reverence for the Word of God, our faith and hope, our martyrdom and heroism, and our miraculous survival. This Sefer Torah binds the present to the past and is our legacy for the future. May this Sefer Torah serve as a reminder of who we are, where we came from and the principles and values we espouse. This sacred torah proclams the message:

Am Yisrael Chai, The Jewish People Live

Memorial ceremonies will take place on Wednesday November 12 at 5:45 and 7:30 pm. The entire community is welcome to attend either of these commemorations. The program will consist of oratorical poems, short musical pieces composed during the Holocaust, lighting of the memorial candle, chanting the El Maleh Rachamim, and recitation of the Kaddish. Please join us in this significant memorial.