The largely religious city of Bnei Brak is mourning today for five Torah Scrolls that were torched last night in a local synagogue. In accordance with tradition, the ruined sacred scrolls will be buried in a funeral-like ceremony, probably tomorrow. Anti-religious and anti-Ashkenazi graffiti was scrawled on the walls of the synagogue, and police are investigating.
The synagogue is of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael, headed by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, father of the city's mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz. Rabbi Chaim Brilant, Chairman of the Union of Agudat Yisrael Synagogues, told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today, "People don't understand what happened until they see it - and then they start crying like babies." He said that allegations that the arsonists wanted to harm Rabbi Karelitz are unfounded, "as his large chair that stands next to the Ark was purposely moved away; the fire was clearly started under the Holy Ark." Asked if he meant to imply that anti-religious Jews intentionally burnt Torah Scrolls, Rabbi Brilant said, "I know it sounds terrible… We don't accuse anyone of anything; the police are investigating, and hopefully they will find the perpetrators."
Rabbi Brilant said that one of the destroyed Torah scrolls was rescued from the Holocaust and brought to Israel around 30 years ago. "How ironic it is that it survived the Nazis, but was burnt here in Israel," he said sorrowfully.
The synagogue is of Tze'irei Agudat Yisrael, headed by Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, father of the city's mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz. Rabbi Chaim Brilant, Chairman of the Union of Agudat Yisrael Synagogues, told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today, "People don't understand what happened until they see it - and then they start crying like babies." He said that allegations that the arsonists wanted to harm Rabbi Karelitz are unfounded, "as his large chair that stands next to the Ark was purposely moved away; the fire was clearly started under the Holy Ark." Asked if he meant to imply that anti-religious Jews intentionally burnt Torah Scrolls, Rabbi Brilant said, "I know it sounds terrible… We don't accuse anyone of anything; the police are investigating, and hopefully they will find the perpetrators."
Rabbi Brilant said that one of the destroyed Torah scrolls was rescued from the Holocaust and brought to Israel around 30 years ago. "How ironic it is that it survived the Nazis, but was burnt here in Israel," he said sorrowfully.