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Israeli Police Arrest Suspects In Two Separate Torah Theft Rings

By Howard M. Friedman

Over the last two weeks, police in Israel have made arrests in what are apparently two separate criminal rings that have been stealing valuable Torah scrolls from synagogues in Israel.  On Dec. 23, Arutz Sheva reported that two men who are suspected of breaking into 17 synagogues in central and southern Israel and stealing a total of 30 Torahs were arrested.  Most of the thefts were from synagogues in moshavim (agricultural communities) where synagogues are more accessible during the daytime. According to the paper, the thieves "would remove the Torah parchments from the rollers they were wrapped upon, replace the rollers in the cases or cover them with the Torah mantles, and put them back in the Ark. The theft would therefore only become known when congregants were in the synagogue and about to read from the Torah."

YNet News reported yesterday that Israeli authorities have made arrests in another case involving the thefts of dozens of valuable Torah scrolls which were then refurbished and resold at discount prices on the haredi market. Arrested were a rabbi from the town of Elad who apparently masterminded the activities, along with three Arabs from whom he would "order" the Torah scrolls. Additional suspects who were thought to have been involved in refurbishing and reselling the scrolls were also arrested.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 03, 2011 (boomark / email).