Israeli security forces recently discovered four Torah scrolls stolen from a synagogue in the city of Bnei Brak hidden in a barn in a Palestinian Authority town near Nablus, along with a hunting rifle and ammunition.
The scrolls, worth tens of thousands of dollars, were stolen on June 10 from the Orot Hatorah synagogue on Rabbi Akiva Street, one of the oldest synagogues in the city which was used by the famed Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, the Chazon Ish.
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The synagogue itself was vandalized, with holy books strewn across the floor.
The scrolls were located in a barn housing sheep in the Palestinian town of Aqraba. Five men in their 20s from Aqraba and east Jerusalem have been arrested in connection with the theft.
A hunting rifle, ammunition and fireworks – which are often used as weapons due to their explosive capabilities – were also discovered in the barn.
The scrolls will be returned to the synagogue following a police investigation.
This article is reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
