Holocaust Torahs

East Meadow Beth El Jewish Center has 2 Holocaust Torahs in its possession

Rychnov nad Kneznou Torah     Memorial Scrolls Trust # 1093

Like Luze and Breznice, Rychnov (East Bohemia) was a regional Jewish center. Jewish settlement here is recorded from the 16th century. The genizah in the synagogue (built in 1782) was damaged during earlier refurbishment work . Alongside Halacha fragments, the manuscripts that were found included special prayers (e.g., for pregnant woman) and a 1767 record of a legal decision (psak din) settling a dispute between two community members. A leather case for a mezuzah and a leather shoe for the halitzah ceremony were also found.

EMBEJC reads from this Torah every Yom Ha Shoa (Holocaust Remembrance Day)

Domazlice Torah     Memorial Scroll Trust #233

Domazlice is located approximately 84 miles (135km) from Prague. It was established during the mid-13th century. Until 1918 the region was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; after World War I and until 1933 it was part of the Republic of Czechoslovakia.

During the 1860s a Jewish religious society was formed, and a cemetery was established; the religious society would eventually be recognized as the governing body of the organized community and the cemetery would be in use until 1941. A synagogue was built during the 1880s.  The synagogue of Domazlice was destroyed by the Nazis. Before the Jews of the town were deported to Terezin, 20 documents and 461 ritual objects were transferred to the Central Jewish Museum in Prague.

The Memorial Scrolls Trust cares for 1564 Torah scrolls that represent the lost Jewish communities of the Holocaust.

For more info on the Memorial Scrolls Trust  Click here