Editor’s note: In the mid-1980s, Belarus was part of the Soviet Union sharing the mother country’s long history of anti-Semitism which included medieval massacres and pogroms. The Encyclopaedia Judaica describes a militia attacking a Jewish prayer group in Gomel, Belarus and stealing two Torah scrolls. Here, Rabbi Mordechai Rubin and his wife, Chana, describe how a century-old Torah made it from Belarus to Colonie.
Rabbi Mordechai’s faith compels him to refer to his deity as G-d when he writes, as a sign of respect.
The Torah is the most precious article of Jewish life. Given by G-d to Moses some 3,300 years ago, it is the contract between G-d and the Jewish people.
It contains the mitzvot — the commandments of G-d to the Jews and their early history. Remarkably, despite years of upheaval and suffering, not one of its 304,805 letters has been changed.
The words in the Torah are exactly those dictated by G-d, recorded by Moses, and inscribed meticulously for generations.
The Colonie Chabad Jewish Center recently celebrated the restoration of a beautiful Torah originally used in a synagogue in Gomel, Belarus.
The Torah was brought over from Gomel during Communist Russia, hidden in luggage packed with linens by a brave Jew, Tony German.
Tony told us about how his father’s request drove him to rescue the Torah despite the risks.
His father, Chaim German, was the beadle (ceremonial officer) of the synagogue where the Torah had originally been used. Before his passing, he made his son Tony promise that if he ever left the Soviet Union, where Jewish practice was outlawed, he would take the Torah along with him. Despite the risk of taking the Torah along with his family, Tony kept his promise to his father.
Our names are Rabbi Mordechai and Chana Rubin. We’re directors of the Chai Jewish Center of Colonie. We met Tony on one of their visits to meet Jewish people in the Colonie area. Tony told them of his Torah he had rescued. We excitedly began a campaign to restore the Torah.
Over time, different words in the Torah may become blurred or faded. This invalidates the Torah for use.
These words need to be painstakingly and precisely filled in by a scribe who is knowledgeable in the laws of writing and fixing the Torah, and also a man possessing integrity and fear of G-d.
We brought the Torah to a highly-qualified scribe who deals with many old Torahs to restore it.
The scribe estimated the Torah to be over 100 years old. The scribe worked on the Torah diligently until it was finally ready to be used once again.
The restoration of the Torah was celebrated last month in Colonie. A large crowd gathered, including a nice representation from the Torah’s hometown of Gomel, Belarus.
There was a delicious spread of bagels and lox and the trimmings as well as salads and desserts.
There was face painting for children, music, and inspirational words from Naftoli (Tony) German, the man who rescued the Torah from Gomel, Belarus.
The climax of the event was when the Torah was lifted, placed in its new dark blue velvet cover, topped in its beautiful new silver crown donated by the Massry family and kissed by all who attended.
A chupah canopy was erected to welcome the Torah to its new home. The Torah was held under the chupah while traditional verses were chanted to welcome the Torah to its new home.
“This Torah, more than any Torah, embodies the message of our strength and victory in the face of oppression,” Chana said. “And that is what makes this occasion truly a joyous gathering.”