The brutal invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Nazis in 1939 was another dark chapter in European history. With the destruction of Jewish communities came the desecration of our most sacred Torah scrolls. But what happened next is a tale of courage and resilience that will inspire you.
In 1964, a group of Czech Holocaust survivors stumbled upon a trove of over 1,500 Torah scrolls in a long-abandoned synagogue in Prague. These scrolls, taken from synagogues across Bohemia and Moravia, were meant to be used for a museum of Jewish culture that the Nazis had planned to establish. Yet, because of brave people and against all odds, they survived.
The Czech Memorial Scrolls eventually made their way to Westminster Synagogue in London, where they were lovingly restored and sent out to Jewish communities worldwide as a symbol of survival and hope. One of these precious scrolls resides in Charlotte at Temple Beth El.
On April 18 at 7:00pm, we will honor the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust and celebrate the strength of the Jewish people by repairing our Czech Torah scroll. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, we have hired a skilled scribe to restore not only this scroll but all of our Torahs – including our Holocaust Torah.
This special event will be an opportunity to learn more about our Holocaust Torah and watch this sacred object’s repair by a sofer (scribe) on Yom HaShoah.
Join us as we come together to hear the incredible story of our Czech Torah scroll and participate in its repair. This is a powerful opportunity to bear witness to the devastation wrought by the Holocaust and to recognize the resilience of the Jewish people in the face of rising antisemitism. Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of history.
