Word: torah
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Holiest object in a synagogue is its Torah (scroll of the Jewish Law). The Torah, consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament, is God's covenant with Moses and his people. The countless minute provisions of the Law, and the later commentaries which Jews say "put fences" around it, gave Jewry a complete guide to religious, social, physical behavior. Thus the Torah, in its ark or shrine, is the focal point in the most solemn synagogue services...
...Torah is made of parchment (calf or goat), hand-written by a scribe who must perform his task with the greatest purity of spirit and body, often taking a bath before writing. If anyone drops the Torah during a service, everyone present must fast for one day. Though it may be carefully uncovered, the scroll must not be touched by hand...
There are so many ways in which a Torah may be befouled, especially by goyim (gentiles), that few in the synagogues of Germany escaped desecration during the destruction last November. One of the few was in Manhattan last week, brought there by a refugee chemist named Heinrich Goldschmiedt, who salvaged it from Vienna's oldest synagogue before that edifice, like the others, was fired. The Vienna Jewish community instructed Chemist Goldschmiedt to present the Torah to an orthodox synagogue in the U. S. Without such instruction, the Torah would have been considered stolen property by good Jews. Mr. Goldschmiedt...
...foretoes. Although only 600 Harlemites go to Rabbi Matthew's synagog, he believes the Harlem Jewish community numbers some 3,500, basing his figures on hospital records of circumcised Negroes. Currently another Jewish Negro synagog is being built near Westbury. L. I., by the Moorish Palestine Talmud Torah. on land donated by Aaron Jacob...
...where the Queen Mary was berthed last week, her synagog was quietly consecrated by Very Rev. Joseph Herman Hertz, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire. Bearded Rabbi Hertz gazed appreciatively at the handsome seagoing synagog, complete with Shulcran (reading desk). Holy Ark containing the Torah (scroll of Hebrew law) and everlasting lamp. Then he made a little speech pointing out that this was the first time a synagog had ever been included in the original plans of a ship. France's Normandie recently added a synagog seating 48 to take care of Jewish travelers...