Historic Hachnasas Sefer Torah in Berlin
Description
On May 10, 1933, in Bebelplatz, Berlin, over 20,000 books by Jewish authors were burned in a notorious display of Nazi hatred. Among those books were likely many Sifrei Kodesh from the Jewish community of Berlin. Yesterday, from that very spot, a unique Hachnasas Sefer Torah took place. With the support of the broader Jewish community in Berlin, a new Sefer Torah was completed in memory of the victims of October 7. At Bebelplatz, Shloimie Gertner emotionally sang the Ani Maamin melody born on the trains heading to the concentration camps. What began as a solemn moment quickly shifted to joyous celebration. The Sefer Torah was lovingly danced through the streets of Berlin to Kahal Adass Jisroel, a thriving Frum community of 120 families. Several central streets were closed off to allow the procession to joyfully walk two miles of police-lined streets from Bebelplatz to the shul. The Talmidim of the Rabbinerseminar zu Berlin, a Smicha program under the leadership of Rav Moshe Mordechai Farbstein, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, spearheaded the dancing with incredible Ruach. When the procession arrived at the Shul, the Sifrei Torah from the shul were brought out to greet the new Sefer Torah, and it was welcomed amid lebedige dancing. Unlike many other Sifrei Torah in Germany, this Sefer Torah is not destined for a museum; it will be layned from, learned from, and lived by. Kahal Adass Jisroel is a unique Frum community in the heart of Berlin. The only community of its kind in Germany, it is a magnet for those Yidden all over Germany who are looking to be part of an authentic Torah focused community. Germany has about 150,000 Yidden, mostly from the former Soviet Union. It has the largest Jewish population in Europe after the UK and France. The vast majority of these Yidden are disconnected from their roots, but the strong core in Berlin serves as a hub for those who want to get closer to Yiddishkeit. The community also partners with and supports various Kiruv organizations such as OLAMI Germany and Lauder Yeshurun, and is proactive in reaching out to Yidden all over Germany to provide them with opportunities to become closer to Yiddishkeit. To illustrate, Avos Ubanim on Shabbos afternoon in Kahal Adass Jisroel is packed, and a high percentage of high-school age boys go to Mesivta in Eretz Yisroel. The community also had a Lakewood Kollel for 3 years, and is hoping to restart the Kollel in the future. Kahal Adass Jisroel is led by Rav Dovid Roberts, Mara D’Asra.