Brooklyn, NY – Police officers are investigating the theft of nine antique seforim valued at approximately $223,000, pilfered this morning from a Borough Park synagogue.
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Police said that two men and one woman were involved in the theft which took place at the Kozlov synagogue, Congregation Maase Rokeach, located on 12th Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets.
The trio arrived on scene in a white SUV and Motty Brauner, coordinator of Boro Park Shomrim, said that surveillance video shows the robbery taking place at 3:11 AM.
The robbers bypassed the synagogue with its Sifrei Torah on the main level and headed instead for Rabbi Meir Rokeach’s basement library. After breaking through a locked door, the thieves removed nine volumes before exiting the premises.
The items taken include three Shla Siddurim, one Rav Yaakov Emden Siddur, a Tanach, a Lublin Zohar and two volumes of Slavita Zohar.
According to the YIVO Encyclopedia, the Slavita printing press was only in operation from 1791 to 1836 and was known to produce extremely high quality seforim on premium paper.
Police said that they were notified of the incident at 2 PM this afternoon and are continuing to investigate the robbery.
Those books would be hard to sell as by now everyone knows that they were stolen.
really weird! some one must have told some low level Jews about these rare and valuable manuscripts.
terrible! I hope the robbers are apprehended and the valuable books returned to their rightful owner.
Inside job.
Any video? please post if it becomes available?
They knew exactly what to steal! Inside job!
I guess they know what they came for…would u think….
Heimisha ganuvim perhaps?
probaly some mentally disturbed mishpuchoh
Ganovim who can learn
Any chance these sforimm were insured?