Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Rabbi's widow, U.S. synagogue dispute ownership of Torah scrolls
A rabbi's widow is at odds with a synagogue over who her late husband's Torahs rightly belong to.
Rabbi Norman Pauker lent Beth Midrash Mishkan Israel four Torah scrolls after his own North Hollywood synagogue closed in 1994.
His widow, Rita Pauker, has been asking for the return of the scrolls since his death in 2002, but Rabbi Samuel Ohana insists that what was at first a loan to his neighboring Sherman Oaks synagogue later became a gift.
"He called me in front of his wife and he said, 'Rabbi I cannot bear having these Torahs gathering dust in my garage," Ohana said. "Take them, please.'"
According to a handwritten contract between the two rabbis that has Ohana's signature at the bottom, the Torahs were to be borrowed for two years.
Ohana said that contract was for insurance purposes, and that Pauker asked him to take the scrolls permanently five years later, an assertion Pauker's widow disputes. She accused Ohana's orthodox synagogue of "praying on stolen Torahs."
"He is operating on a lie. It's all a lie," Pauker said. "He is disrespecting everything Jewish."
The Torah, a set of ancient Hebrew writings also known as the Five Books of Moses, is the central document of Judaism and serves as the center of Jewish religious ceremonies. A formal written scroll like the kind in dispute is known as a "Sefer Torah."
Pauker said she doesn't want to sue for the Torahs because Jewish law forbids bringing disputes over religious items to secular court. But if she goes before a rabbinical court or "beis din" she fears she will be asked to compromise.
"The truth is the beis din probably is going to split the baby," said Jeffrey Bohner, an attorney representing Pauker who attended her husband's synagogue and once studied under Ohana. "Rabbi Ohana has no claim to these, and Rita has all claim. So it is unfair for Rita to settle for half."
Torah scrolls can take as long as a year to ink, must be destroyed when damaged and are generally worth several thousand dollars (euros). Lending the scrolls is a common Mitzvah, or good deed, for those who own them.
Ohana said he would return the Torahs if he could be assured Pauker would give them to another synagogue and not sell them.
Pauker said she wants to give them to her nephews, who are rabbis in Florida and New York.
Comments:
It sounds to me like this Rita Pauker lady is looking to churn a quick buck out of Rabbi Sam. If she would be viewing this situation from an altruistic viewpoint, she would leave the Torahs right where they are. Another chapter straight out of the "Greedy Widow" books. No doubt it'll fill her days with something to do, and keep her busy in life. Let's see if this fiesty b*t*h is able to pull it off.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by 
: February 21, 2007 3:53 PM
: February 21, 2007 3:53 PM
When they came over fune der heim, why did they choose to spell there name with a "PAU"? With they way she's acting, she should spell it with a "FU" in the begining! Who does she think she is?
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : February 21, 2007 4:42 PM
: February 21, 2007 4:42 PM
If her husband owned them and then loaned them to the shul, the shul has no right to keep them.
She says she wants to give them to her nephews, who are Rabbis. Even if she did intend to sell them, if it's her property she can do what she wants with it regardkess of what you or the rav of the shul think about it. He has no right to say he'll return them only if they go to another shul. And anyway, most widows are poor, not greedy - that's why it's a special mitzvah to help them. She might need the money to live on.
Finally, her last name is that of her late husband, the one who was kind wnough to lend the sifrei Torah to begin with. So you can't judge her for the spelling of her husband's name.
She says she wants to give them to her nephews, who are Rabbis. Even if she did intend to sell them, if it's her property she can do what she wants with it regardkess of what you or the rav of the shul think about it. He has no right to say he'll return them only if they go to another shul. And anyway, most widows are poor, not greedy - that's why it's a special mitzvah to help them. She might need the money to live on.
Finally, her last name is that of her late husband, the one who was kind wnough to lend the sifrei Torah to begin with. So you can't judge her for the spelling of her husband's name.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : February 21, 2007 9:57 PM
: February 21, 2007 9:57 PM
Purim is in the air. This is a story lekuved Purim right. I can't believe that Anon 9:57 is actually wasting his time to argue with the earlier joker. Take it easy...he is obviously commenting while under the influence. a frielichin Purim to one and all. Go go go Chaptzem.
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Comment Credit ---This article posted by : February 22, 2007 12:44 AM
: February 22, 2007 12:44 AM
