Israeli Chief Rabbi Requests Lithuanian Torahs

After 300 Torah scrolls and 52,000 Hebrew and Yiddish books were discovered in a church in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, they were transferred to Lithuania’s main library (see JHR  I:2, 13-14).  Israel’s chief Ashkenazic rabbi has requested that Lithuania transfer the Torah scrolls to Israel, since Lithuania has only two synagogues that are currently in use, and it would be impossible for Lithuanian Jews to make use of all 300 Torahs.  Many of Lithuania’s Parliament members, however, believe that the scrolls are part of Lithuanian heritage and should remain in the country.  No action will be taken until the process of cataloguing all of the materials is complete.  This could take several years.
 

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Updated: 1-7-99