Religious Items Stolen from Synagogue Found Miles Away

Rabbi Moshe Portnoy, spiritual leader of the Elmhurst Jewish Center in the Queens section of New York, reported today that antique religious objects stolen last Sunday were found miles away on the Lower East Side of the city. Rabbi Portnoy told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Anthony Taddeo, a Parks Department employe called the synagogue several days ago and said he found a carton and suitcase in Tompkins Square Park with a number of silver objects.

“He evidently read about the robbery in the newspapers and called to tell me about his find,” Rabbi Portnoy said. “Every object, except a silver ornament for the Torah, was there. Mr. Taddeo didn’t know what he had found but assumed that these were the objects that had been taken from our synagogue.” The items, brought out of Nazi Germany by members of the congregation, included three silver ornamental crowns and four silver pointers. Rabbi Portnoy said that the congregation, delighted with the return of the items, has invited Taddeo to the synagogue June 10 to participate in a United Jewish Appeal cocktail hour.