Holocaust Torah Scrolls
Our Holocaust Torah Scrolls
From Kolin to Nymburk
We have been notified by the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London, England, that our “Kolin Scroll” MST#784 has been identified as having come from Nymburk and not from Kolin, Czechoslovakia. In 2013 the provenance was confirmed as Nymburk and all of the records have been officially changed. On our Certificate both Kolin and Nymburk are listed as possible sites where the scroll resided. The certificate is hung in the sanctuary of the shul, and the scroll is on permanent loan to us. Below are some facts about the Jewish residents of Nymburk.
The Jews of Nymburk
Nymburk is a town of about 14,000 people that lies about 35 miles east of Prague and about 5 km from Kolin.
There was already a small Jewish settlement in Nymburk in the 13th century, but, along with many other towns, the Jews were expelled from it in the mid-16th century. Often such expulsions were due to the town being a royal town or a garrison town, and in many cases this was because of local silver mines. It was only after liberalization from 1848 laws that the Jews were allowed to return to these towns, and this is what happened in Nymburk when Jews came to live there in the second half of the 19th century.
By 1880 there were 160 Jews living in Nymburk and the Jewish population peaked in 1890 when the Jews numbered 177, then a decline set in as Jews dispersed into the countryside and to the larger towns.
A synagogue was built in 1891-92 on Eliscina Street, not far from the town square. The two story building is still standing today. The scroll was written in the late 18th century and resided there until the Nazi occupation. The congregation was closed by order of the Nazis in 1940 and the Jews of Nymburk were deported to Terezin from the neighboring administrative center in Kolin in the first two weeks of June 1942.
After the war, all of the collected scrolls were sent to the newly established Memorial Scrolls Trust at Kent house, Rutland Gardens, London SW7 18X, United Kingdom. Those scrolls that were in good condition have been dispersed around the world and we are the trustees of our scroll.
An illustration of the synagogue in Nymburk
Wed, January 27 2021
14 Sh'vat 5781
Upcoming Events
-
Sunday ,
JanJanuary 31 , 2021Shira: Jewish Music
Sunday, Jan 31st 7:00p to 8:30p
Cantor Shermet leads learning on Shabbat Shirah and Jewish music. -
Friday ,
AugAugust 13 , 2021Blood Drive
Friday, Aug 13th (All day)
Red Cross Blood Drive for Bat Mitzvah Project -
Thursday ,
AugAugust 19 , 2021Blood Drive
Thursday, Aug 19th (All day)
Red Cross Blood Drive for Bat Mitzvah Project
Message from Cantor Shermet
Shalom! I am Cantor Wendy Shermet, and have the privilege of sharing our Yanim Noraim, Days of Awe, with you in Fredericksburg this September. [...] The BST High Holiday committee was diligently preparing even before Covid-19 became the threat we know it to be today. We have had regular online communication to formulate services that will speak to us and be meaningful despite the challenges all are facing. We can and will celebrate the beauty of this season, and share with each other as much as safely possible.
[To read Cantor's full letter, click here.]
For the month of Elul, which precedes Rosh Hashana and begins the evening of Thursday, August 20, I have prepared a list of music which is accessible on YouTube. The music has been chosen from a variety of sources, cantors and composers, to help you aurally prepare for the season.
Prayer Books
High Holy Day Prayer Books – In an effort to better “feel the weight” of the holidays, we’ve chosen not to display prayers on the screen like during Shabbat Services and instead would like to loan out the Temple’s High Holy Day Machsors for those who would like to pray with a physical prayer book. We're planning to distribute holiday prayer books and small gifts for your holiday table on Sunday, Sept 13th from 10 a.m. to noon through a single-day, drive-up event, along with collecting donations for the food bank (as part of our traditional High Holy Days food drive). For those who would prefer, Mishkan Ha’Nefesh is available for purchase at a discount, or as a free flip book online. Click the links below to access the download options for each book!
CCAR Main Site
Message from the President
Click here to read BST's Blog. Contact the office at office@bstva.org for information on how to contribute to the Blog.
Ritual Policy
Update this content.