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May 12, 2000/7 Iyar 5760, Vol. 52, No.36
Torah restoration completed at Beth El
TAMI BICKLEY
Associate Editor
Tears of joy welled up in the eyes of onlookers witnessing the rebirth of a sacred text, as the Rakovnik "Holocaust" Torah was rededicated on May 7 at Beth El Congregation in Phoenix.
Congregants and community members gathered in the synagogue's sanctuary to formally welcome and celebrate the restoration of the 150-year-old Torah once used in Rakovnik, Czechoslovakia, before its long trip from the darkness of the Holocaust to the ark of the Phoenix synagogue.
The Rakovnik Torah was used in a Czech synagogue until World War II, when the Nazis hid it. It was recovered some 20 years later, sent to England, then stored an additional 18 years until being granted to Beth El in 1978 on permanent loan.
At Beth El, the Torah sat in a glass case until 1998, when Dr. Gary Friedlander, who then served on the synagogue's executive committee, and Beth El's spiritual leader Rick Sherwin, determined that the torn and tattered, unusable Torah should be restored.
A Torah Restoration Project committee was soon formed, spearheaded by Chairwomen Cathy Wolf and Jody Jones. The committee sent the Torah to Rabbi Moshe Klein, a New York sofer, who carefully restored it, letter by letter. It was returned to Phoenix Jan. 16.
"In January we brought the Torah home to the people. Today we are bringing the people home to the Torah," says Marvin Freeman, Beth El congregant and member of the committee.
The Torah was returned to Phoenix with its last column unfinished, so that at its dedication, those in attendance could witness Klein finish the restoration process, explains Freeman. People of all ages - including children enrolled in Beth El's Talmud Torah class - came forth to touch the goose feather dipped in ink that Klein used to complete new letters.
"It was awe-inspiring," recalls Freeman. "It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life."
Once the Torah was fully restored, Helen Handler, a Holocaust survivor, was the first to read from it. Freeman then helped place it back into the ark.
"Words cannot express how I felt just then," he says. "The Torah is now a living Torah."
The Rakovnik Torah will be used during services and synagogue programs.
A congregational Hatzalat Ha'Torah fund is helping to pay for the restoration. Donations may be addressed to the fund at the synagogue, 1118 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix 85021.
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