I just received an e-mail about a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) that was rescued from Lithuania and is now being used aboard the USS Truman.
Truman Sailors listen to Sen. Carl Levin as he speaks during the Torah Dedication Ceremony in the hangar bay of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater presented the Jewish Torah to Truman to be displayed for 41 years. The Torah is one of the few holy scrolls from Lithuania to survive the Holocaust. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arturo Chavez (RELEASED)
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Commanding Officer, Capt. Herman Shelanski, left, and Michigan Senator Carl Levin (D), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, bow their heads in prayer at the commencement of the Torah dedication ceremony in the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier’s hangar bay. The holy Jewish Torah in the background, one of the few scrolls from Lithuania to survive the Holocaust, was presented to Truman by the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, and will be on loan to Truman and displayed for 41 years, or the duration of the ship’s life. The smaller Torah in the foreground, known as the Truman Torah, was presented to President Harry S. Truman by Israel’s first President, Chaim Weizmann in gratitude for America’s diplomatic recognition of the state of Israel in 1948. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kristopher Wilson (RELEASED)
Aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Nov. 20, 2003 — Rabbi Michael A. Oppenheimer carries a 300-year-old Torah that was presented to the Navy’s newest nuclear powered aircraft carrier by the Oppenheimer family. The family heirloom is one of only 300 Torahs that survived the Holocaust during World War II. The ship will safeguard it during its 50-plus year life span, when it will then be returned to Oppenheimer’s grandchildren, who were in attendance and witnessed the ceremony. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Anthony Walker. (RELEASED)
It’s not clear if these Torahs will be used or just displayed. (The 50 year lifespan mentioned in the above caption is the ship’s expected lifespan.)
The Truman Torah was rescued by Project Judaica.
It seems that Project Judaica is similar in focus to Rabbi Menachem Youlus who has devoted himself to rescuing Torahs, especially from Europe.
(h/t Cousin Steven)
If there aren’t regular services where these Torahs would be used, Chabad should arrange something so they get read at least annually. (If nothing else it needs to be turned occasionally to keep the parchment supple.)
The chances are that there is at least a minyan on an aircraft carrier with a 3000-person crew.
chsw
It’s a safe bet that there aren’t any other aircraft carriers with 300-year-old Torahs. So why did they pick the Truman? As an honor to President Truman? That seems likely. Then again, with a name like Herman Shelanski, I’m guessing that the captain of the Truman is Jewish. Is he Lithuanian, as well?
I’m trying to research if he might be related to me in some way. One great-grandfather’s name was Schwlwanski (yes, 2 w’s). The name was transformed in the USA to Slovonsky, then Slovon. However, the name could have also been interpreted as Shelanski.
chsw
Last I looked the foundation in London which owns in trust recovered Holocaust Torahs has a stipulation that they not be repaired; they must be left in the condition they were found as a memorial. Hence technically while they may be used for display or educational purposes, ritually they are considered pasul and are unusable for ritual purposes. This was heavily emphasized in my old congregation in Richmond which recently had a restoration project for it’s 17 Torahs; the Holocaust scroll was specifically excluded. Whether or not the Navy and the Rabbi assigned to that ship worries about using a pasul Torah or whether they have a different Torah for M-Th-Sat use is a different issue…