The SEFER TORAH  RECYCLING NETWORK

 

In December, 1994, "B'H" I was placed in position to play Shadchan for a Sefer Torah and a Yishuv - BAT AYIN in Gush Etzion. On Motzi Shabbat, I attended a singles Melave Malka in Flatbush.Instead of meeting my bashert, I met a couple who spoke about the need for a Sefer Torah for Yishuv Bat Ayin. The rest is history, five months later, Bat Ayin had its Sefer Torah. In the nearly 4 years since then,Torahs have been donated to Yishuvim Kedumim, Shvut Rahel and most recently Ma'alei Chaver -- I delivered that Sefer myself and had the great experience of having it used in laining at Naitz davening on Monday, June 30, 1997 aboard Tower Air at 37,000 feet.

A number of Rabbonim in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore and Eretz Yisroel have given their support to this project. Their names and phone #'s are available upon request. The goal of The SEFER TORAH RECYCLING NETWORK is to satisfy a need of many Shuls (like the little Minnion in Herzlia),Yeshivot and Yishuvim (I now know of at least 35) throughout all of Israel including Yerushalayim, Tel Aviv, Rana'ana, Yesha and the Golan to become MEKOMOT TORAH, to make them whole & to give Chizik to our brethren through ACHDUS & AHAVAS YISROEL.

Text sent to The Sefertorah list on Virtual Jerusalem, 11/12/98;

In late August, an article about The Sefer Torah Recycling Network appeared in B'Kehilla Magazine.

I'll start with Binyamin region where Aliza Herbst and Atara Ofen were extremely helpful in providing us with much info on locations, their demographics, etc. Here, I will list the locations and total number existing Sifrei Torah in Binyamin Region with a reprint of list-text from one year ago.

This segment will illustrate how great the need is for Sifrei Torah in Eretz Yisroel. The chart below covers the need for Sifrei Torah in Benyamin Region alone;

	*Eli - Ashkenazi	0
	*Kfar Adumim - Ashkenazi	0
	*Shilo - S’fardi	0
	*Michmas (Yeshiva) - Ashkenazi	0
	*Mizpe Yericho (Yeshiva) - Ashkenazi	0
	Kiryat Sefer - Beit Yosef	3
	Cochav Yaacov - Ashkenazi	1
	NachlielH’ari, z"l	1
	Ateret- Ashkenazi	1
	Talmon- S’fardi	1
	Talmon Tsafon – Beit Yousef	1

**Please note that there are 20 Shuls in Kiryat Sefer serving some 1300 families with 2500 children-- in excess of 5000 Yidden.

Next, we'll touch on the Chevron/Kiryat Arba area.

There is the Chasdei Avos Nusach Ashkenaz Shul in Kiryat Arba, where one of our two Baltimore Sifrei Torah which are currently being repaired is committed. Also, there are Yishuvim Adura and Ramat Mamre where there are 5 minnionim and Yeshiva Or Chevron all in need of Sifrei Torah.

On the next mountain from YishuvMa'alei Amos is Yishuv Meitzad, the home of Rabbi Goldstein, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Diaspora Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. They are in need of a Sefer Torah.

Then there is Sprawling Yishuv Beitar Illit, where there are at least two Kehillot in need of Sifrei Torah.

In Herzliya, near Tel Aviv,there is a fledgling Observant Kehilla in need of a Sefer Torah. And in central Tel Aviv, between the Dizengoff Center and the Dizengoff Agam Fountain,7 minutes from the beach there is the Kehilla Yama v'Kedma Shul in need of a Sefer Torah.

In the Shomron, in Yishuv Ma'aleh Adumim, there is a shul, called "Machanayim" of recent olim from the former Soviet Union in need of a Sefer Torah. Also, in Neve Aliza, there is a Sefer Torah available which once made Kosher, its owner wishes to donate it to the Young Israel there.

And believe it or not, in Yerushalayim there are a number of locations in need of Sifrei Torah. First, there is Yeshiva Machon Meir which has but two Sifrei Torah and who need an Ashkenaz Sefer Torah. There is the young Kehillat Moriah in the Katamon/Rechavia area of Jerusalem and a Kehilla in the Ein Kedem section where a family has a Sefer Torah to donate to their Shul but the Sefer needs quite a bit of work. There is a fledgling Chabad Kehilla in Har Nof who previously davened at the Chabad Shul just outside of Har Nof in Givat Shaul but who desire a Chabad Minnion closer to home inside Har Nof. And in Beit Shemesh, there is a High School Bais Medrash founded by Rabbi Yona Vogel of the Kollel Machon Daniel which needs a Sefer Torah. Also, there is a new outreach Beginner's Minnion recently formed in Beit Shemesh in need of a Sefer Torah.In Ra'anana, there is a Carlebach-style kehilla in need of a Sefer Torah. And some 10 kilometers north of Ra'anana is Yishuv Tel Mond where it's young Kehilla need a Sefer Torah.

This list consists of some 30 locations in need of at least one Sefer Torah each. Keep in mind that, just as we became aware of a number of needy locations via the B'Kehilla article,we also have 3 possibilities for donations of Sifrei Torah which resulted from the article -- the strongest of these possibilities is a family in Yerushalayim willing to donate a Nusach S'fard Sefer Torah.

As you can see, the demand is great and the supply is very small. We need the help -- eyes, ears and yes the voices of all of you subscribers when you look for or hear of excess Sifrei Torah or Posul ones at your Shul, Yeshiva, among your friends or acquaintances or in your family. Be a part of this great Mitzvah of making EVERY NEEDY LOCATION Mekomot Sefer Torah.

We find donors of Sifrei Torah, have them repaired free of cost for recycling into needy locations in Eretz Yisroel. We've done 4 already and there are four more currently in process. Understand that we operate on a shoe-string with basic costs totally absorbed by my own meager funds. The way that we do our work is through word of mouth,some occassional media exposure and via free internet exposure. By being linked with your larger visability web sites,  I would hope to increase our exposure, therefore our volume of donated Sifrei Torah, Sofrim to donate their time gratis to repair even just one Sefer, as well as financial donations which would help defray such expenses as phone exp., computer upgrade,cost of repairing Sifrei Torah where Sofrim to work gratis can't be found,filing 501(c)3, etc.

Thank you for your help and consideration.

If you have any questions or want to offer assistance,please contact me at

Email Address; strnetmb@yahoo.com

Hotslocha Rabbah and TickskaL'Mitvot!!!

Moshe Burt,

Sefer Torah, Listowner

Moshe Burt's Personal Webpage