In a rare and solemn ceremony attended by thousands, 15 charred and ruined Torah scrolls were laid to rest on the Mount of Olives yesterday. The scrolls were destroyed in a fire before dawn last Friday at the synagogue on Mt. Zion, part of the facilities of the Diaspora Yeshiva there.
Police have no firm clues to the blaze. But the fact that damage was caused to another Jerusalem synagogue, the Rambam Synagogue in teh Old City, at the precise same time, naturally has given rise to suspicions of arson.
Among the scrolls lost on Mt. Zion was an ancient Torah reputedly belonging to the famed German medieval scholar, Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg.
Mayor Teddy Kollek, who presented a new scroll to the yeshiva in replacement of a burnt one, said there could be no levelling of accusations until firm evidence was available. All people of goodwill were saddened by the tragedy, the mayor said, both Jews and Gentiles. Other mourners included the two Chief Rabbis, Deputy Premier and Education and Culture Minister Yitzhak Navon (Labor), Minister-Without-Portfolio Yosef Shapira (Morasha), Knesset members, and religious and lay leaders.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
