A call for achdus following the passing of Hanover shliach Rabbi Benny Wolff inspired a French shliach to commission a Torah in his memory. The dedication was held this month.
By Anash.org reporter
A call for achdus following the passing of Hanover shliach Rabbi Benny Wolff inspired a French shliach to commission a Torah in his memory. The dedication was held this month.
The passing of Rabbi Wolff on Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5780, leaving his wife and eight children, shook Chabad chassidim around the world. Just a day later, shluchim from around the globe gathered for a virtual farbrengen, where Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi and Head Shliach to Russia, strongly urged for achdus between shluchim and chassidim.
Rabbi Lazar’s impassioned words inspired French shliach Rabbi Yaakov Zerbib to commision a new Torah, written in memory of Rabbi Wolff, and as a way to unite his community. The Torah was begun a few months later, on 17 Elul 5780, the day of Rabbi Wolff’s birthday, and was meant to be completed on the same day this past summer. But coronavirus restrictions had the celebration pushed off, and the Torah was finally completed just over two weeks ago.
The new Torah was welcomed into the Palaiseau Chabad House with a grand ceremony, with the participation of hundreds of local Jews. After the writing of the last letters, the Torah was paraded in a joyous procession through the main streets of the city towards the Chabad House, where the celebrations continued with the customary hakafos.
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