In a moving display of unity, all the Jewish kehillos in Strasbourg, France participated last week in a lively hachnasas Sefer Torah, which was written in the zechus of critically ill coronavirus patients and dedicated to the Beis Hakenesses HaGadol in the city.

The Jews joyfully danced with the Sefer Torah in the streets, with the highlight being recovered coronavirus patients, who once lay critically ill in the hospital, some in the ICU, dancing with the Torah.

The writing of the magnificent Sefer Torah by the master sofer HaRav Dovid Lilati began during the height of the coronavirus pandemic when a fundraiser, attended by all members of the city’s kehillos, raised the entire sum required within a day. The Sefer Torah was dedicated to the recovery of coronavirus patients and the end of the pandemic.

At the end of the procession, the hundreds of participants were addressed by chashuve members of the community, including the Rav of Strasbourg and member of the Standing Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis, Rav Avraham Weil, Av Beis Din of Strasbourg, HaGaon Rav Michoel Shmerla, and one of the most seriously ill coronavirus patients who recovered, the head of the Chevra Kadisha HaRav Simcha Ehrenreich.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)