In August 2023, during the dedication of our beautiful new sanctuary, we celebrated a truly historic moment—the rededication of our restored Czech Torah. This sacred scroll, which survived the devastation of WWII and has been a part of our congregation since 1977, was lovingly restored through the collective efforts of our community. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to this meaningful project. Your support helped us fulfill a vital mitzvah and ensured that this remarkable Torah—rich in history, spirit, and wisdom—continues to inspire future generations. Thank you for helping us preserve the past, enhance the present, and ensure a vibrant Jewish future.

Czech Torah Restoration Fundraiser

Preserving the Past · Enhancing the Present · Ensuring the Future

The Czech Torah is championed by six generations of the Goldstein Family in memory of Betty and Leon Goldstein z"l and their love of Torah and learning.

Preserving the Past

When Jewish communities were being wiped out during WWII, many Torah scrolls were left in synagogue basements until their discovery in 1964 when 1,800 scrolls were collected around Bohemia and Moravia and moved to London where they could be checked, repaired (if possible), and cataloged. The Memorial Scrolls Trust was formed to help care for scrolls and loan them out to communities around the world. Scroll #1339 came to Atlanta in 1977 after Ruth and Sol Singer (z"l) made a request on behalf of Ahavath Achim Synagogue (AA). The scroll, originally from 1800s Plzeň, Czech Republic, has been prominently displayed in our Sylvia G. Cohen Museum for more than 46 years.

Enhancing the Present

We restored this important piece of history and fulfilled one of our sacred mitzvot, writing a Torah scroll. Everyone was invited to sit with the Sofer as he fixed some of the damaged letters. During this time, we learned more about our Czech Torah, some of the special things found in its writing, the significance of restoring it, and the importance of this mitzvah.

Ensuring the Future

Now placed in our new sanctuary, AA voices read the Czech Torah, echoing voices from over 200 years ago. It inspires us and generations to come to be life-long learners of Jewish wisdom. This remarkable Torah starts with the story of Creation, narrates our earliest history, and returns us to our Promised Land. With your support, it continues to enrich our community and enlighten our future. The Czech Torah was dedicated in August 2023 during the dedication of our new sanctuary

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