History

Brno, capital of Moravia, Czech Republic, had a population of over 3,000 individuals. The deep history of the region dates back to prehistoric times, with impacts from Celtic, Germanic, and Slavic settlements. Rabbi Menaše Kliment led the Jewish community to become an essential part of Brno ever since the Roman legions first emerged in Bohemia and Moravia, developing a lasting influence on the city’s culture.

In Brno, Jewish history extends all the way back to the thirteenth century. Medieval Jewish history was the first evidence of Jews in 1254, found in a charter issued by Přemyslid Otakar II. Jews were then declared property of the Royal Chamber, modeled on the Holy Roman Empire, leading to them being granted autonomy in law and religion in exchange for taxes. In the early modern period, there was an increase in rights for the Jewish community in relation to trade during the Thirty Years War. After the majority of restrictions on Jews were lifted, in 1852, a Jewish cemetery was established, and later expanded. As the community continued to grow, an Orthodox prayer room was established, which later became a Polish synagogue. By 1900, Brno’s Jewish population reached 8,238, leading to the development of new synagogues. World War I brought 16,000 Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe to Brno, increasing their Jewish population to 12,000 by 1938.

The vibrant Jewish community in Brno heavily influenced the textile industry during the nineteenth century. They played a major role in the city’s railway connections and beer production. In the early 20th century, Brno was viewed as the center for Jewish politics and culture with a combination of Zionism and Diaspora Nationalism influencing the cultural atmosphere. Well-known individuals like Max Hickl, a distinguished publicist, and Roman

Jakubson, a renowned linguist, both contributed greatly to the intellectual and cultural advancement of the city.

During World War II, Germany established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, leading to anti-Jewish laws and policies being implemented in 1939. This directly led to the mass deportation of Jewish people in Brno, with the first group of one-thousand Jews being transported to the Minsk ghetto. There were a total of 10,062 deported, 9361 murdered, and 698 survived, which resulted in the destruction of a once-flourishing population in Brno.

Following the aftermath of World War II, the Jewish community of Brno began to show signs of revival, despite the obstacles posed by post-war rebuilding. A Holocaust memorial was established in the Jewish cemetery, and the Orthodox synagogue was restored. The efforts shown by Rabbi Richard Feder in 1961, played a crucial role in restoring Brno’s community, which was demonstrated through the resilience of the Jewish population. Today, Rabbi Menaše Kliment, leads the Brno community to hope for a brighter future.

In 1964, the Westminster Synagogue in London acquired 1,564 Torah scrolls from the State Jewish Museum in Prague for only $30,000. With approval of the Nazi government, many Jewish scholars and curators were able to rescue Jewish religious artifacts from the communities that were deported to Terezín. This also included at least 1,800 Torah scrolls that were able to survive the Holocaust. The Memorial Scrolls Trust has made a brilliant effort in distributing these scrolls to synagogues and other institutions throughout the world. There are currently over one-thousand scrolls that reside in the United States. Temple Beth Tikvah was fortunate to receive a Torah scroll from the town Brno, Czech Republic. Brno’s Jewish history is a powerful reminder that the The Czech Memorial Scrolls and the revival of Jewish culture after the

Holocaust serves as important testaments to the resistance and perseverance of Brno’s Jewish community.

Temple Beth Tikvah’s Scroll No. 991

On June 29, 1972, Rabbi Israel S. Dresner made a formal request to the Memorial Scrolls Trust for a Holocaust Torah Scroll. It was a patient wait of four years until Gerald Becker, the Vice President of the Religious Committee, requested a scroll, once again. Astonishingly, Temple Beth Tikvah refrained from reaching out until 1984, until Mr. Eric Mayer sent a letter to the Memorial Scrolls Trust, expressing a profound desire to acquire a scroll in memory of his family members who tragically perished in the Holocaust.

Mr. Mayer, a frequent traveler to Europe, luckily found himself planning a trip to London. With incredible generosity, he offered to personally retrieve the scroll. The scroll safely graced the temple’s doorstep on May 18, 1984, courtesy of Mr. Mayer’s dedication. Today, it proudly resides as Scroll No. 991 from the town of Brno, Czech Republic, contributing to the temple’s display with an unforgettable history to commemorate the scrolls that were saved, hidden, and forgotten during the Holocaust. Temple Beth Tikvah will continually uphold the educational life and maintain an awareness of the significance behind the scroll.