SCOTCH PLAINS — In the 1960s, more than 1,500 Torah scrolls were found in a barn in Czechoslovakia. These scrolls — the first five books of the Bible, written by speciallytrained scribes — had been gathered and stored after the Nazis destroyed the Jewish communities of Bohemia, Moravia, and the surrounding areas, and their synagogues. These scrolls were rescued and sent to London, England, where the Westminster Scrolls Trust repaired and restored them, and loaned them as living memorials to Jewish communities all over the world. This year, the Trust celebrated its 60th anniversary, and Temple Sholom’s scroll — number 636 — traveled to London for the commemoration.
Acquired in 1976, Temple Sholom’s scroll comes from the town of Vlasim in what is now Czechia, about 45 kilometers southeast of the capital, Prague. As the temple’s Confirmation class travels to Central Europe, and often to Prague, to learn about Jewish history — in both ancient and modern times — it has become the practice of the congregation to read from this Torah scroll on the holiday of Shavuot, as the class marks its Confirmation. The traditional text is the Ten Commandments.
Recently, celebrating her adult Confirmation, long-time Temple Sholom member Ellen Berman sponsored the restoration of this section of the scroll, by Sofer (Torah scribe) Neil Yerman. The scroll has a cover which says zachor (remember) in Hebrew and has pictures of the town of Vlasim from before World War II. The pictures were found by Ms. Berman and the cover was made by former Temple President Sandra Nussenfeld.
When the temple learned of this commemoration, it planned to send a delegation, along with its Torah scroll. However, when the delegation leader could not attend, Ms. Berman helped to send Mr. Yerman. Meanwhile, Ms. Berman sponsored a watch party for a live viewing of the commemoration as the temple’s Religious School day began at 9 a.m. on February 4. Each class stopped by, got to see Sofer Yerman on screen with the temple’s Torah, and enjoyed treats representing traditional fruits and vegetables grown in the Land of Israel, as well as Torah-shaped treats.
With the return of the scroll, Sofer Yerman will speak to the congregation about the experience of the commemoration and his work with the Torah.Another celebration is planned in New York City inApril, and temple member Andrew Breit, chair of Temple Sholom’s Holocaust Commemoration Committee, plans to attend with the temple’s scroll.
Temple Sholom, located at 1925 LakeAvenue, Scotch Plains, is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism. For more information about the congregation, visit the temple website, www.sholomnj.org.
