This photo is of a poster which advertises the completion of a new Sefer Torah (Torah Scroll) which was commemorated to a big Rabbi, Rabbi Yitzchok Yosef Zilber Zt”L. I was unable to capture the actual Sefer Torah which sits in the Cabinet of this synagogue because the Torah is taken out only on Shabbat and during Monday and Wednesday prayers when photographing is not allowed. The pictures used for this poster are of the case for the Sefer Torah which the Sefer Torah is stored in. The case of the Sefer Torah has the twelve Jewish tribes inscribed into it. The case is made out of solid wood and sterling silver.
Rabbi Zilber was a man of many tales he use to run around yards looking for a minyan ( 10 Jews that are required to pray.) He raised his children 100% kosher in Soviet Russia which was practically impossible at that time. He was imprisoned in a gulag during World War II. During his imprisonment, in order not to work on Shabbat he broke his hands. He was very respective among the gangsters in the gulags. He taught Torah to the other Jews in the gulag and received amnesty after Stalin’s death. He became the leader of the Russian Baale Teshuva movement, (the return of secular Jews to Orthodox Judaism.) He eventually moved to Israel where he continued his works and visited America many times. The Rabbi of this synagogue was very good friends with Rabbi Zilber which is why he made this new Sefer Torah in his memory.
Rabbi Zilber, who passed on Tisha be Av, 2003 which is August , 2003. Tisha be Av is the greatest day of tragedy for the Jewish nation.