A Torah was given to a new Jewish residence and synagogue on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple Mount last week. Arutz-7 takes you there.

Jews have purchased and moved into two large apartment buildings at the top of the Mount of Olives. Last week, Uri Hirsch, father-in-law of former Arutz-7 News Director Haggai Segal, donated a Torah Scroll to the new synagogue in the building in honor of the Jews evicted from Gush Katif.

The new building is called "Choshen." It looks down upon the Temple Mount, and enables those who do not ascend the mount to view Judaism's holiest site. Choshen can be seen from a distance as the building with the red-roofed pergola just to the left of the graves and Intercontinental Hotel atop the Mount of Olives.



With the Temple Mount in the background, the procession begins at the peak of the Mount of Olives, heading toward the new Jewish building and synagogue.

Uri Hirsch holds the Torah, which was rescued from the Holocaust and repaired.

Music fills the night as the Torah scroll makes its way across the Mount of Olives.

The Torah is escorted through joyous dancing to its new home.

A mosque and vacant lot opposite Choshen.

Arab neighbors yell and blast music in an attempt to disrupt the festivities.

The Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site, can be seen clearly below.

A young residents of Choshen brought his own 'Torah Scroll' to celebrate.

"It is a tree of life for those who grasp hold of it" reads the cover on the Torah Scroll.

The view from Choshen, the new Jewish property on the Mount of Olives consisting of two four-story apartment buildings and a synagogue.

Dancing continues up into the Choshen synagogue.



Laurence Beziz, formerly of the Gush Katif town of Gadid accepts the Torah's dedication on behalf of the expellees.

The scribe, Rabbi Goldstein, prepares his quill to write the last 26 letters.

Each person empowers him to write their letter for them as it is a delicate and difficult task to repair the old letters.







"Moshe (Moses) commanded us the Law, an inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov (Jacob)"







Residents of Choshen 'write' the final letter.





"This is the Torah that Moshe put before the children of Israel at the behest of G-d, in the hand of Moshe"









The Torah is placed in the ark.

"May our eyes behold your merciful return to Zion"

The young residents of Choshen enjoy the excitement, as well as the catered festive meal.



The Temple Mount, as seen from Choshen.

Photos by Joshua Shamsi, staff photographer at Israel National News. His photo exhibit “Land, Love, Loss” was recently exhibited at the Jerusalem Theater. His work can be viewed at http://www.joshuashamsi.com.