Hachnasat Sefer Torah in Budapest

Budapest - 23-Jan-05

A festive ceremony took place in Budapest last Sunday, at which a Sefer Torah from the scrolls rescued from Vilna by the Conference of European Rabbis and the American Jewish Committee a few years ago, was presented to the Pesti Synagogue in Budapest. The Executive Director of the CER, Aba Dunner, performed the handing over ceremony at the Synagogue after a procession through the streets of Budapest, where the Torah was carried from the hotel to which it had been brought, and at which an official civic and religious gathering had taken place. At the reception, attended by a few hundred people, the Lithuanian Ambassador, Darius Semaska, spoke of the pride of his country at having been able to finally turn over this very important collection of Torah scrolls to the Jewish people. Other speakers included the Israeli Ambassador, David Admon, the President of the Hungarian Jewish Board of Deputies, Andres Heisler, the President of the Jewish Community, Lazlo Herczog, the Deputy Mayor of Budapest, Gabriella Dorogi, and Rabbi Aba Dunner.

This was the first time such a joyous ceremony had taken place on the streets of Budapest, and both the civic and police authorities played their part in ensuring that full facilities were provided to ensure the smooth running of both the parade and the ceremony itself. The ceremony was also attended by Rabbi C H Perlman of the Machzikei Adadass Synagogue of London, whose congregant, Mr Anthony Goldberg, had participated in the cost of the repairing of the scroll in memory of his late wife. Silver ornaments were donated by Mr Avi Abramowitz of Orlando, Florida, who also attended the ceremony.