| © 2006 Rabbi Barbara Aiello, All rights reserved. |
Rabbi Barbara Aiello
Dedication of the New Sefer Torah in Turin, Italy
| Progressive Chavurah Or Chadash in Turin, Italy |
The Sefer Torah that made its way to Chavurah Or Chadash in Turin, Italy has a wonderful
history. Rabbi Moshe Druin,who spent most of his summer restoring it states that the
scroll itself is kosher and approximately 200-250 years old. The Hebrew caligraphy is
written by hand on deerskin leather in Valish (also known as Sephardic) script. The script
itself is quite interesting. Appearances indicate that the Torah originates from North
Africa, possibly Morocco, but includes an Italian "flavor," possibly and quite coincidentally
from Northern Italy. Thus we can assume that the original scribe came originally from
North Africa but lived for some time in the north of Italy, where he wrote the scroll.
In 1948, the birth year of Israel's statehood, the Torah was taken to Israel by a Sephardic
family. It was donated to a Sephardic Yeshiva in Jerusalem where it was used for many
years. The scroll came to the Pollack Family Foundation directly from the Yeshiva. With
the death of the donor the Yeshiva board decided to sell it and comission the writing of a
new Torah. Due to the war in Israel, Gale Pollack of the Pollack Family Foundation
decided to place the scroll on typical Ashkenazic rollers because it was uncertain if the
traditional Sephardic case would arrive in time for the dedication ceremony and the
Jewish High Holy Days.
Our deepest thanks to Gale Pollack, pictured above with scribe Rabbi Moshe Druin, who
spearheaded the fund raising efforts to purchase this beatiful scroll and personaly bring
it to us here in Torino, Italy. Thanks to Gale's tremendous efforts, 66 additional donors
were found, including Roberta Leonard of Rocky Point, New York, who made the beautiful
Torah mantle completely by hand.
The Torah dedication ceremony organized by Chavurah Or Chadash Torino took place on
Sunday, September 24, 2006 in Ivrea, Italy, a small town located outside of Turin. The
ceremony, which coincided with the Second Day of Rosh HaShanah was held in an ancient
synagogue that has been closed for many years. The ceremony and service, led by Rabbi
Barbara Aiello, first woman rabbi and first Progressive rabbi in Italy, marked the first time
a Progressive High Holiday service was held in a traditional Italian synagogue.
history. Rabbi Moshe Druin,who spent most of his summer restoring it states that the
scroll itself is kosher and approximately 200-250 years old. The Hebrew caligraphy is
written by hand on deerskin leather in Valish (also known as Sephardic) script. The script
itself is quite interesting. Appearances indicate that the Torah originates from North
Africa, possibly Morocco, but includes an Italian "flavor," possibly and quite coincidentally
from Northern Italy. Thus we can assume that the original scribe came originally from
North Africa but lived for some time in the north of Italy, where he wrote the scroll.
In 1948, the birth year of Israel's statehood, the Torah was taken to Israel by a Sephardic
family. It was donated to a Sephardic Yeshiva in Jerusalem where it was used for many
years. The scroll came to the Pollack Family Foundation directly from the Yeshiva. With
the death of the donor the Yeshiva board decided to sell it and comission the writing of a
new Torah. Due to the war in Israel, Gale Pollack of the Pollack Family Foundation
decided to place the scroll on typical Ashkenazic rollers because it was uncertain if the
traditional Sephardic case would arrive in time for the dedication ceremony and the
Jewish High Holy Days.
Our deepest thanks to Gale Pollack, pictured above with scribe Rabbi Moshe Druin, who
spearheaded the fund raising efforts to purchase this beatiful scroll and personaly bring
it to us here in Torino, Italy. Thanks to Gale's tremendous efforts, 66 additional donors
were found, including Roberta Leonard of Rocky Point, New York, who made the beautiful
Torah mantle completely by hand.
The Torah dedication ceremony organized by Chavurah Or Chadash Torino took place on
Sunday, September 24, 2006 in Ivrea, Italy, a small town located outside of Turin. The
ceremony, which coincided with the Second Day of Rosh HaShanah was held in an ancient
synagogue that has been closed for many years. The ceremony and service, led by Rabbi
Barbara Aiello, first woman rabbi and first Progressive rabbi in Italy, marked the first time
a Progressive High Holiday service was held in a traditional Italian synagogue.
Gale Polack, who spearheaded the donation of the Torah, sends us this message:
I brought the Torah to B’nai Emmunah yesterday and we used it for Friday night services. It
was a beautiful service and brought a tear to my eye. Shimon (Rav Moch) and I both spoke
of the Torah, its history, it’s repair, Or Chadash and such things. He called the service its
“unveiling ceremony”. For an aliya, we called the two families that were at services who had
made the donation. Shimon read the parsha and I read the English translation. But we had
everyone come up and surround the torah so all could enjoy the beauty of its skin and
letters and to be close with it while it was read. It was a wonderful beginning for the Torino
Torah and a great send-off for its new life.
I brought the Torah to B’nai Emmunah yesterday and we used it for Friday night services. It
was a beautiful service and brought a tear to my eye. Shimon (Rav Moch) and I both spoke
of the Torah, its history, it’s repair, Or Chadash and such things. He called the service its
“unveiling ceremony”. For an aliya, we called the two families that were at services who had
made the donation. Shimon read the parsha and I read the English translation. But we had
everyone come up and surround the torah so all could enjoy the beauty of its skin and
letters and to be close with it while it was read. It was a wonderful beginning for the Torino
Torah and a great send-off for its new life.
A Torah Dedication Ceremony took place at the
Ivrea Synagogue (outside of Turin) on Rosh
HaShanah Sunday, September 24, 2006.
Ivrea Synagogue (outside of Turin) on Rosh
HaShanah Sunday, September 24, 2006.
| For information contact Robert Sofia at robesof@tin.it |