We now have 4 Torah Scrolls..
The first was acquired shortly after the beginning of the congregation, before we had a synagogue . It was kept in the chairman's house during the week and it was brought in for our services which were held temporarily at the Friend's Meeting House. It came from the Westminster Scrolls Trust collection. These were scrolls salvaged from the Czech Republic, and other countries, where Jewish communities had been destroyed by the Nazis. Research eventually revealed that it came from the Austerlitz synagogue. We refer to it as the Czech Scroll.
The history of the scroll, and how it came to Nottingham is well documented, and you can read the full story here
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The second scroll arrived in 1980 from the hometown synagogue in Switzerland of one of our members. We were told, by a scribe, that it was probably written in Hungary some 150 years ago, by a left handed scribe. We call it the Swiss scroll. A more detailed account of the history of the scroll can be read here.
The Derby Hebrew Congregation held its last service in 1986 and decided to hand over its Torah scrolls to surrounding congregations. We were given one of them. We know it as the Derby scroll.
The history of the Derby community can be read on this page.
The Czech, Swiss and Derby scrolls are used alternatively in our services
The fourth scroll we have is only half the height of the three others. It was purchased by NPJC for use in children's services, or where its size might make it more convenient to use. It is called The Small Scroll.
The Czech, Swiss and Derby scrolls have had new every day and High Holiday covers specially made for them, some to mark a particular occasion.