A burnt Torah scroll, for Daniel Aghion, is more than just a piece of paper or a religious artifact – it’s a symbol of survival. The president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry reflected on the significance of the Torah scrolls damaged in a recent arson attack at the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Melbourne. The incident, which took place on Friday, has brought back painful memories of historical atrocities against the Jewish community, particularly during the Holocaust.

In an emotional response to the damage, Aghion compared the act to the horrors of Kristallnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass" when the Nazi regime in 1938 launched a violent campaign against Jewish communities, destroying synagogues, homes, and businesses. He emphasized that the Torah, revered as the holy text containing the teachings of Moses, represents the continuity of Jewish life, even in the face of persecution. The Torah scrolls that were damaged in the fire hold not only historical value but also deep personal and spiritual significance to the community. “Ultimately, it represents the Holocaust, and that’s why it is so emotional and significant to see that,” Aghion said, highlighting the gravity of the attack.

Six Torah scrolls were damaged in what authorities suspect to be a terror-related arson attack. The Jewish ritual scroll repairer, Rabbi Eli Gutnick, has been tasked with repairing the scrolls. A highly skilled and ordained scribe, Rabbi Gutnick has dedicated 25 years to the craft of Torah restoration. “Each one has its own story,” he remarked as he discussed the difficult process of repairing these sacred objects. Some of the scrolls were dedicated to Holocaust victims, making their restoration not just a religious obligation, but a poignant act of remembrance.

The Torah scrolls, which are traditionally handwritten on parchment with a quill, are both valuable and irreplaceable. A single scroll can take over a year to complete, with the intricate process requiring the writing of around 300,000 Hebrew letters. Given the value and the personal connections embedded in these scrolls, many have an emotional attachment to them. For instance, Benjamin Klein, a board member of the Adass Israel Synagogue, shared that one of the damaged scrolls was donated by his father-in-law in memory of his recently deceased parents. The deep grief felt by the community members, who have seen their cherished scrolls damaged, underscores the profound connection they have to these objects.

The Torah scrolls were stored in a fireproof safe, which had been installed after a similar arson attack on the synagogue in 1995. Fortunately, none of the scrolls were destroyed in the 1995 attack, but the fireproofing did not fully protect them this time. While the safe prevented the flames from reaching the scrolls, the radiant heat and water used to extinguish the fire caused significant damage to the delicate parchment. The damage was discovered when the scrolls were found soaking wet by congregants, who immediately took action to prevent further harm. “It was very heartwarming to see,” said Rabbi Gutnick, as members of the congregation quickly laid out the soaked scrolls to dry, using fans and air conditioners to save them from further destruction.

The Torah scrolls are sacred in Judaism, and their restoration requires meticulous care. Rabbi Gutnick explained that while some damaged sections can be rewritten, the replacement of certain words is strictly prohibited due to religious rules. The scrolls that cannot be fully restored must be buried in a ceremony akin to a funeral, a process Rabbi Gutnick hopes to avoid. “As a scribe, my role is to try to get these scrolls in the best condition that they can possibly be,” he said. “It’s devastating for the community when you have to do like a funeral procession.”

The community's swift action to save the scrolls stands in stark contrast to the violence they’ve suffered. As counter-terrorism teams investigate the arson, Rabbi Gutnick remains hopeful that the scrolls can be repaired. He is determined to restore as much of the scrolls as possible, even if it means a complex and time-consuming process. His focus remains on saving every sheet of parchment, as it represents not just a religious object, but a vital link to the community’s history, identity, and resilience.

The emotional and spiritual connection that the community has with these Torah scrolls is undeniable. Rabbi Gutnick’s office, where he works on restoring the scrolls, is filled with the water-damaged remnants of these sacred texts, which represent both the history of the Jewish people and the grief of a community facing yet another attack on its identity. As the community seeks to repair the damage and prevent the loss of these valuable scrolls, the significance of their preservation extends far beyond the physical restoration, serving as a testament to the survival of Jewish culture and faith in the face of repeated persecution.