The Jewish community in Vienna sent a rare Torah scroll, more than 30 years old, to Israel to be repaired by an expert scribe because of a complex fault.
In return for its release, the Tax Authority demanded tens of thousands of shekels on the grounds that it was a case of customs evasion. After various religious and diplomatic appeals failed, Member of Knesset Uri Maklev contacted the head of the Customs Administration and in a joint conversation with the Tax Authority, a solution was found whereby a guarantee is being deposited until the rare Torah scroll is returned to Austria.