Holocaust survivors are helping to restore the desecrated Torah

Sandra Scheller

SAN DIEGO — Members of the San Diego New Life Holocaust Survivor group gathered with Johnny Daniels, a London-born Israeli activist, to dedicate a letter in the Torah that is being restored to his loved ones. Survivors reported that the letters they wrote were dedicated to their parents and family members who died in the Holocaust.

Daniels explained that the condition of the Torah scroll was terrible, as the family had used half of it for the past 70 years as rags and even as shoe insoles. He received the Torah and saved her. Holocaust survivors from all over the world write it down letter by letter. Once completed, Daniels intends to present the scroll to the Knesset in a ceremony attended by Holocaust survivors from around the world.

San Diego County survivors who inscribed the Torah on Sunday, October 27, included Lou Peci, Sophie Rubenstein, Edith Palkowitz, Edith Stein, Mike and Manya Wallenfels, Basha Kaufman, Gerald Szames, Vera Phallus Lorrell and Adele Beim . The meeting was bittersweet because Vera’s previous president, Phallus Lorrel, would be moving to Philadelphia to be with his family.

The survivors met at Chuck Spielman’s private World War II museum of classic cars and memorabilia, Only Yesterday. Daniels, the scribe, chose a letter in the Torah corresponding to one of the initials of each of the survivors, then asked them to hold his arm or hand as he filled in that letter.

Personally: I will miss Vera’s beautiful smile and warm heart. Her support of the Remember Us Holocaust exhibition was greatly appreciated as she generously shared her own Holocaust story.

*

Sandra Scheller is the curator of RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust, which visited San Diego County libraries. The exhibit is scheduled to open in January for a year-long display at the La Jolla Library.