Brooklyn, NY – The five sifrei Torah, valued at approximately $250,000, stolen from the Karlsburg Shul in Borough Park yesterday, were registered with ID Scroll, a registration program which makes it easier to identify and retrieve lost or stolen sifrei Torahs. VIN News spoke with Rabbi Dovid Greenfield and Rabbi Shmuel Traube of ID Scroll in Borough Park, who explained how their system, which is approved by law enforcement agencies and the FBI, helps retrieve missing sifrei Torah.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The ID Scroll registry, created by Vaad Mishmeres STaM in 1993, uses sophisticated technology to provide a unique “fingerprint” for every Torah that is scanned into its database by analyzing the distinct way the words are written. No two Torahs, even written by the same sofer, will ever be written in exactly the same way and it is these distinctive patterns that make each Torah in ID Scroll’s registry easily identifiable. Each Torah receives a unique identification with a reference code which can provide proof of ownership if anyone ever tries to resell that Torah.
To date, over 20,000 sifrei Torah have been registered in ID Scroll’s Israeli database alone with many more registered in the United States as well.
Just wondering in a congested city block like the one karlsburge bhm”d is at. I think there whould be some close circuit tv’s (from private houses) to view from. Just a thought
From the photos it seems that there was no damage to the safes. Which means its an inside job – someone knew the combonation. I’m the cops know this already. You heard it here first.
Now that’s how you make a “SAFER” Torah!
Wow very impressive, Lets hope these Safer Torah’s are recovered and returned to its owners. What a Chillel Hashem.
I’m glad to see everyone got something outa csi
If you ask me the whole thing sounds really fishy. I’m sure there are plenty of CCTV plus I heard they have a partial plate # of a vehicle leaving the scene
Great technology, but you gotta find the sifrei torah first.
The technogy can be easily be fooled by simply switching the first sheets from a retired scroll that’s not worth to fix. Just like assuming a dead persons identity or a Vin# of different vehicle.
How about installing a gps unit in every torah? that way they could be located anywhere they are.
Who installed the safe?
You have to be really crazy , to buy this Sifrei Torah . Just to keep it in Your closet ???
How about making some $$ from insurance?
gps cannot be used since batteries have to be changed every two years- and would have to be put in scroll bars which can be removed
a minimum of 6 columns at various places get scanned
If the report says the safes were unlocked , who knew the safes were unlocked if not an insider. If the safes were always left unlocked ( again probably only a insider would know this but even if not) that is gross negligence. ( maybe no insurance on something like this).
[ just thinking, the onlytime one may sell a sefer torah is for pidyon shvuyim. If the rubashkin case is considered pidyon shvuyim, that may be another lead].
this will only help if the buyer is not in collution with the thief,but if he is then of course nothing is acomplished with the fingerprints,
99% that this was an inside job ,just hope no CHILLUL HASHEM will come out of this