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April 02, 1993 - Image 116

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1993-04-02

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

The Social Action Committee Council,
In Cooperation With Resettlement Service
Announces:

The Helping Hand Drive
For New Arrivals

Can you imagine trying to pack your life into two suitcases?
Russian families arrive in our community with 2 pieces of luggage per person.

You can help provide our new Americans with basic living needs —

join the Social Action Committee of your synagogue or temple.

From September through June, the Helping Hand Drive For New
Arrivals will be collecting items for the new Americans. To make it

even easier for you to help, each participating synagogue and temple
will be a collection point for donated items.

March-April

Donation Needs:
Cleaning Necessities:
Pails, Brooms, Mops, Sponges, etc.

EXTEND YOUR HELPING HAND To OUR NEW AMERICANS!



For drop-off point locations, call

642-5393

PARTICIPATING CONGREGATIONS







/

• •• •

Adat Shalom Synagogue, Birmingham Temple, Congregation Beit Kodesh,
Congregation Beth Abraham Dille' Moses, Congregation Beth Achim,
Congregation Beth Isaac, Congregation Beth Shalom. Congregation B'nai David,
Congregation B'nai Moshe, Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Congregation Shir
Tikvah. Congregation T'Chiyah, Temple Beth El, Temple Emanu•El. Temple Israel
Temple KM Arni. Temple Shir Shalom

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(silver crowns, for instance)
mandments) from Mt.
are not taken," he said. "A
Sinai."
goy will take the silver and
Abraham (he requested
leave the scroll."
that his last name not be
But a burglar who knows
used because his children do
that a used kosher Torah
not know that their father is
typically retails for about
in jail, let alone what crime
$10,000 is likely to head for
he committed) said his moral
the scroll. In each of the two
and religious revulsion at
JTS thefts, for example, the
stealing Torahs quickly
thief removed a sterling
became washed away in his
silver pointer from the scroll
gambling addiction. Years
before making off with the
before his crime, while in
Torah.
drug counseling, Abraham
Moreover, "fencing" a
had heard of someone who
stolen scroll is difficult. You
stole Torahs. "I said to my-
can melt down silver. You
self, 'thank God I'm not that
can hock a diamond ring.
crazy,' " But that was before
Overnight a Cadillac can be
his addiction became "like
transformed into a thousand
sharks in a feeding frenzy."
spare parts. But what does a
Abraham suggested that
thief do with a hot Sefer
many of those who deal in
Torah? Normally his only
stolen Torahs probably have
option is to sell it to a scribe
experience in the Judaica
or directly to a synagogue. If
business, as he did. "You get
a non-Jew, or even a non-
to where it's a commodity.
religious Jew, tried either of
It's got a dollar sign with it.
those methods, he would
It's just a kiddush cup.
likely be caught.
What's wrong with selling a
"The reason I was able to
kiddush cup?"
do what I did was because I
Yet if the crime itself
was religious. If someone
becomes mundane, some-
else tried that, he'd be cuff-
how, there is a unique brand
ed," said Abraham, 41, who
of guilt that goes with it,
is now serving four to nine
said Abraham, sitting in his
years in prison for stealing
16 Torahs from 10 syn-
agogues in the Philadelphia
area in 1990. "I went in (to
sell the stolen Torahs to
scribes) wearing a kippah,
speaking a fluent Yiddish,
and there was no interroga-
tion. ...A goy will never,
never in a million years be
able to unload it." The syn-
agogue could be in any
prison shul, beneath a wall
American city. The Ark
hanging with the words of
faces East. The room is lined
Psalm 145: "The Lord raises
with bookshelves. But the
up all the fallen and
members of this shul sleep
straightens all those who are
behind bars.
bent over."
In the Jewish chapel at
"It's like killing someone.
Graterford (Pa.) State Cor-
You can't just say you're
rectional Facility, inmate
sorry. What do you do when
BM8074 sat with a cup of
you steal from the public? I
coffee and discussed his
embarrassed the whole Jew-
crime. He described his com-
ish nation. ... Some Jew in
pulsive gambling, a six-week
Los Angeles who has never
Atlantic City spree in early
met me feels shame at my
1990 that left him bottomed
crime." Like any business,
out, exhausted and des-
the trade in stolen Torahs
perate for money. Desperate
has both a supply side and a
for more gambling.
demand — those who buy
He described heading to
the ill-gotten scrolls.
Philadelphia, his hometown,
Sometimes thieves can sell
where his family once owned
Torahs directly to unsuspec-
a Judaica store. "I don't re-
ting synagogues. But more
member if I got the idea
often, looking for a quick
while I was sitting at the
return, Torah thieves will do
(casino) tables or in the car,"
what Abraham did: sell the
he said. He drove to a syn-
scrolls to scribes in New
agogue he knew, found the
York.
small chapel deserted and
"Listen," said David
the Ark unlocked. He
Pollack of the New York
removed the front Torah.
JCRC. "Just because you
Moments later it was in his
have a beard doesn't mean
trunk and he was on his
you're a good person." While
way.
most scribes are honest, of
"I'll never forget it. I was
course, Mr. Pollack said, the
trembling like a leaf. Like I
existence of even a few who
was carrying down the
will buy suspect merchan-
Aseres Ha-Dibros (10 Com-
dise creates a sufficient

What does a
thief do
with a hot
Sefer Torah?

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