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A Proud Day For Warsaw's Jews 65 Years Later

Israel's President Peres with Rabbi Stambler, inscribes a final letter in the Torah in Poland's Belvedere House. (M.Dahan/lubavitch.com)

Warsaw, Poland

April 17, 2008

(lubavitch.com) Israel’s President Shimon Peres was joined Thursday morning by Warsaw’s Chabad Jewish community leaders at Poland’s Belvedere Presidential Palace as he inscribed the final letters in a new Torah scroll.

In his remarks, Mr. Peres reflected on the central place of the Torah within the life of the Jewish people, and the significance of this event coming 65 years after the Holocaust.

“The Nazis violated the Jewish people in body, but they could not touch the life and soul of our people—the Torah.”

Rabbi Sholom B. Stambler, Chabad-Lubavitch representative to Poland who leads Warsaw’s Chabad Jewish Community Center blessed Mr. Peres.

He noted with symbolic interest, that Israel's President began his four day tour of Poland with a visit to a synagogue, and is concluding it with the installation of a new Torah scroll.

“There is heartwarming encouragement in this for Poland’s Jews to strengthen their ties to Jewish life and Jewish identity,” said Stambler.

President Peres carried the Torah scroll under the chuppah canopy, into the courtyard of the Palace, in a traditional procession of dancing and singing.

The Torah was then installed in Warsaw’s Chabad JCC.

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