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Our Holocaust Torah

Since May of 1983, Temple Emanu-El has been honored with the sacred responsibility of safeguarding and housing Holocaust Torah Scroll # 1122. Written in 1882, this Torah had been in use for decades before it survived the Holocaust.

For more information about our Torah's journey from Klatovy to London and then across the ocean all the way to Sarasota, watch this sermon from Rabbi Michael Shefrin in which he details the history of this precious scroll and its rescue from the burn piles of the Holocaust.

  • <span class="slider_description">Torah Scroll #1122 in front of the Ark doors at Temple Emanu-El</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Rifka Glatz, Holocaust Survivor, seated next to Marian Raupp holding Scroll #1122</span>
  • <span class="slider_description">Ada Johnson at her Bat Mitzvah, holding Scroll #1122</span>

Image slideshow

Our Holocaust Torah is on permanent loan from Memorial Scrolls Trust in London. Memorial Scrolls Trust cares for 1,564 Torah scrolls that represent the lost Jewish communities of Bohemia and Moravia. Memorial Scrolls Trust has loaned 1,400 scrolls to communities and organizations around the globe. Our temple is one of those communities. Click here to learn more about Memorial Scrolls Trust. 

For more information, visit our Opher Library to view the book, 1564 Scrolls A Legacy of Jewish Life in Bohemia and Moravia. This 152-page, full-color, hard-bound book, written by Miles Laddie, tells the story of the rescue of 1,564 Torah scrolls collected, hidden, forgotten, and restored. This informative history illustrates the Holocaust, its aftermath, life in Bohemia and Moravia, and how the scrolls were saved for modern-day service. Click here to purchase your own copy.

Fri, May 16 2025 18 Iyar 5785