Euroasian Jewish News

Alexander Mashkevich donates Torah Scrolls to four synagogues in Europe and Asia

Title: Euro-Asian Jewish Congress President Alexander Mashkevich donates Torah Scrolls to four synagogues in Europe and Asia.
Four Jewish communities around the world will celebrate the coming Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) 5770 with new Torah Scrolls, gifts from Alexander Mashkevich to the synagogues of Sofia (Bulgaria), Tokyo (Japan), Tbilisi (Georgia), and Ashdod (Israel).
Welcoming of the new Torah Scrolls coincide with festive events in these communities.

In Sofia Sefer Torah is dedicated to the celebration of the central synagogue’s centennial anniversary on September 9. The EAJC General Council Chairman Josef Zissels will be present at the gathering to deliver the Torah scroll and an address from Alexander Mashkevich.

Tokyo Jewish community opens its new Beit David synagogue and community center on September 10. The EAJC Secretary General Mikhail Chlenov will deliver the Torah scroll and will speak to the community on behalf of Alexander Mashkevich.

The synagogue of European Jews in Tbilisi will have festive opening on September 15 after renovation that was made possible through the support of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.

And on September 17, a community of Georgian Jews in Ashdod will celebrate the opening of the new synagogue Ohr Yitzchak.

Sefer Torah is a handwritten parchment scroll of the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses). It is the holy manuscript of the Jewish people. The Torah scroll is used in the ritual of Torah reading during Jewish services. It is stored in the holiest place in a synagogue, the Aron Kodesh (“Holy Ark”), at the wall facing Jerusalem.
Bringing of a new Sefer Torah into a synagogue is accompanied by celebratory dancing, singing, and praying. This is a very ancient tradition. The Bible comments that the priests and ancient Hebrew kings such as David, “danced before the Ark”.
The scroll is dressed in a fine fabric mantle and is decorated with a precious crown on the top.
Alexander Mashkevich donates Torah Scrolls to Jewish communities in Europe and Asia and finances construction and renovation of synagogues.
The Jewish New Year 5770 starts on Friday September 18, 2009 at sunset.