One of the world's oldest sifrei Torah made its way from
Baghdad to Netanya.
Written in large, clear letters on thick parchment, the sefer
Torah was brought to Eretz Yisroel from Yeshivat Beit Zalcha in
Baghdad. Its age has been estimated at 400 years.
At its height, the Iraqi Jewish community numbered some 300,000, but
the vast majority immigrated to Israel many years ago, leaving just a
small handful behind.
The sefer Torah was brought to Eretz Yisroel surreptitiously,
with the assistance of the U.S. Army, which is slated to pull out from
Iraq soon. The sefer Torah was sent due to concerns rioters
would target Jews and botei knesses because of the tension in
Iraq, which is divided along ethnic and factional lines that are
hostile to one another.
Many gedolei Yisroel studied at Yeshivat Beit Zalcha, including
HaRav Abdelala (Ovadia) Somech and his talmid, the Ben Ish Chai. The
sefer Torah miraculously survived a fire that broke out there
in 1937.
A hachnosas sefer Torah ceremony was held to escort the
sefer Torah to its new home at Beit Knesset Be'er Channah in
Netanya's Ramat Poleg neighborhood.
