We are honoured to share with our supporters that AHMSEC is home to a Czech Memorial Sefer Torah, on loan from the Czech Memorial Scrolls Trust (London).
This Sefer Torah (Torah Scroll) is one of 1,564 Czech Memorial Scrolls, which constituted some of the precious items that were looted by the Nazis during the Holocaust from the destroyed Jewish communities of Bohemia and Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic).
The 1,564 scrolls were acquired by the Westminster Synagogue in London in 1964. The majority of the Sifrei Torah required much attention and careful restoration before they were suitable for synagogue use again. The scrolls were examined by a team of sofrim (scribes) in order to determine which were kosher (fit for use), which could be restored or repaired, and which could only be used as part of a memorial. Subsequently, the Memorial Scrolls Trust was established to allocate scrolls around the world on a loan basis. The Memorial Scrolls Trust has kindly loaned Sefer Torah number 1054 to AHMSEC.
This Torah originated from a synagogue in the small Czech town of Uhlířské Janovice where Jews lived from the 18th century. In 1942 they were deported by the Nazis to concentration camps. Nowadays there is no Jewish population left in Uhlířské Janovice and the baroque-style synagogue is serving as a prayer house of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
This Sefer Torah witnessed some of the worst atrocities in history. It represents not only the lost communities of Bohemia and Moravia, but also all of those who perished in the Shoah. AHMSEC has been entrusted to use this scroll to educate the public about the horrors of the Holocaust, and to help ensure that Never Again truly means never again.