December 17,  2007 / 8 Tevet 5768

Boris Spiegel, a member of the Russian parliament (the Duma), recently bestowed an exquisite Torah scroll upon the Ben Yakir Youth Village.

Boris Spiegel, the president of the World Congress of Russian speaking Jews, donated the Torah scroll to the Jewish Agency.  The Ben Yakir Youth Village was selected as the village that would receive the scroll for safekeeping.  The ceremony awarding the scroll took place at the village and was both festive and moving.  The Chairman of the Jewish Agency Zeev Bielski attended the ceremony and the scroll was then handed over to the director of the Youth Village, Yossi Krauthammer.

Upon receiving the Torah scroll, the members of Ben Yakir recited the appropriate blessings of “Shehechiyanu” as well as “Noten Hatorah” (we thank thee who bestows the Torah).

Yossi Krauthammer said “we rejoice and take pride over the privilege that has befallen us to accept a Torah scroll”.  During the ceremony the scribe completed the last four letters of the scroll and the Torah scroll received a joyous welcome as it is admitted to the synagogue.

In the coming weeks, another ceremony will take place where a scribe will complete the last four letters of the scroll and afterwards, a celebration will take place as the Torah scroll is joyously brought into the synagogue.

The director general of Kiryat Moriah and the chairman of the Jewish Agency Workers Organization, Yonah Bezaleli, who together with the Chairman of the Jewish Agency Zeev Bielski attended the Chanukah candle lighting mentioned that the scene where the Torah scroll was welcomed into the synagogue was very moving.  Graduates of the youth village such as for example Major General (res.) Zeevi-Farkas’ the former head of Israeli military intelligence attended.  The student choir sang and at the end of the program the Torah scroll was ushered into the synagogue.