By COLlive reporter
The Monticello Police Department and the New York State Police are conducting a vigorous investigation and following some leads into the burglary of a sefer Torah from the Landfield Avenue Synagogue – Chabad in Monticello this past Shabbos.
“They are looking into non Jews and Jews alike – as hard as it may be to believe that a Jewish person would do such a thing,” said Rabbi Benzion Chanowitz, the shul’s rabbi and Director of Chabad of Monticello.
He discovered the robbery after arriving in shul Shabbos morning at 9:15 AM, accompanied by his guest Perry Meltzer who just ended his term as a town justice in Sullivan County.
“When I got there at first I didn’t notice anything,” Chanowitz told COLlive Sunday night. “After learning, I went downstairs to bring up a sefer Torah and found my office open and things messy in the secretary’s office. I found the Aron Kodesh in the weekday shul open and the Torah missing.”
Usually, the shul keeps its Torah scrolls in a safe, leaving one for regular use. The one that was stolen was particularly close to Rabbi Chanowitz’s heart.
“We wrote it in 1999 after we arrived on Shlichus here and were borrowing Torahs for a while,” he said. “We finally launched a campaign, and when it was completed 1,000 people walked on Broadway and welcomed the Torah.”
He said the thief (or thieves) took some cash in addition to the Torah, but left the office computers, laptops and other valuable electronics. “They clearly went for the Aron Kodesh and we suspect they might have gotten help or assistance from the ‘inside’,” he said.
Police have asked area shuls and communities to be on alert with their Torahs and report if they get word of a Torah with a blue velvet mantel being offered for sale.
Another task for the shul will be installing a security system with cameras and an alarm. The burglars broke in from the plexiglass without much effort and could have done the same through the front door.
“We were rejected for a Homeland Security Grant because we were too small a Shul and ‘not in danger’, yet this shows that we need it and hope people will offer help,” the rabbi said.
Rabbi Chanowitz said he is confident that the precious Torah will be found and returned. He borrowed a quote from the Rebbe in connection to Hei Teves to emphasize, “the sefer Torah belongs here and is a danger for whoever is holding it.”
To share leads or make a donation, please call Rabbi Chanowitz at 845-794-8470.
“Usually, the shul keeps its Torah scrolls in a safe, leaving one for regular use.”
Key words:
Usually – but not always and not this time.
Leaving one for regular use.- the one is left out of the safe was stolen.
In the future;
Keep ALL THE TORAHS in the safe at ALL TIMES. Hope you get back this one – we are all praying for a miracle.
B”H
He did say that they keep their Torah’s locked up, no need to write things that make it seem like it is his fault. When the shliach himself has such faith in Hashem that this is all part of the Master Plan then we, too, should focus our efforts on davening to Hashem that the sefer Torah be returned unharmed.
What does Homeland Security have to do with this? You want the incompetent Erick Holdener to watch your shule? Use some uncommon sense and get better lock and cameras.
Im Yirtze Hashem the Torah scroll will be returned safely.
Wow ho, now this adds a new twist to this stealing… A Jew can actually find a market in Israel, the Holy Land whatever.
This happened before to some shluchim.
It is a painful lesson to learn for the victims and I hope all ends well with a recovery of the Torah, but for others – the preventive lesson is obvious:
(1) Get a safe!
(2) Use it.
(3) All the time.
We must not rely on miracles (or the nsurance claims).
the surveillance cameras should be everywhere
Hope they have pictures of the script on an insurance certificate. Any Sefer Torah can have the blue mantle transferred to it. IY’H it’s returned – and it’s the actual one which was stolen.
Rabbi and Rochel Chanowitz are the best and have done so much for so many
Very distressing for the Chanowitz’s and the whole community. Hope someone has a change of heart and it is recovered.
Sorry to hear about this. Hope you find the Torah safely soon.