So this is pretty cool. An email that Doron, our Hazzan received from his wife Jocelyn’s cousin Roman, a communal leader in Olomouc that references Scroll 740 (PSC’s Olomouc Scroll). I did not know there was also an Olomouc Scroll in New Jersey (#515 from Domažlice to Calvary hospital in Bronx, NYC).
Here’s what Roman wrote:
“Once a day I have received an announcement from the USA in 2015 there are two scrolls from Olomouc in the USA – one in New Jersey and 2nd one in California. Afterwards I have contacted the Westminster synagogue´s Rabbi Thomas Salomon as well as Jeffrey Ohrenstein of the Memorial Scrolls Trust (MST) just on my personal way. I was in email contact with them and met them personally in London in March 2016. After this London visit I have asked Peter Papousek, head of the Olomouc kehila to start the official negotiations with MST and with the aim – return of the Torah scroll Nr. 740 – as this „Californian one“ is possible to get. I made a next personal contact with Jeffrey in November 2016 in NYC on the occasion of the loan of other Czech Torah scroll (Nr. 515 from Domažlice) to Calvary hospital in Bronx, NYC. – I have also introduced him the member of our community Paul Rausnitz who used to live in NYC and is able to help. My next personal talks with Jeffrey were on 26th May 2017 again in London.
This day was finally decided that the Peninsula Sinai in Foster City, Calif. gave consent to transfer the Torah Scroll Nr. 740 back to Olomouc. The Sinai Congragation started also to collect money for making this Torah scroll kosher before it will be back in Olomouc . This work took over 5 months! But finally everything was arranged on the best way and it will be for the FIRST TIME ever to bring back the original Torah scroll (from 1880) which was sold to the UK in 1964!
Finally I have to tell you (but you always know it) that the Torah Scroll 740 was used in Sinai Congragation where the cantor is a husband of Jocelyn the great-granddaughter of Karpfen family of Olomouc e.g. my grandparents and other members of the family have seen this Torah scroll every week in the synagogue before WWII!”
The Tao of Steve 