Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator for New York: Senator Clinton Joins With Members of New York Board of Rabbis and the Jewish Educators Network to Send Torahs to Troops in Iraq

September 22, 2003

Senator Clinton Joins With Members of New York Board of Rabbis and the Jewish Educators Network to Send Torahs to Troops in Iraq

Four Torahs from congregations around New York City will be sent to Iraq to enable servicemen and women to celebrate the High Holy Days

New York, NY - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton last week joined with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, President of the New York Board of Rabbis (NYBR), Senior Rabbi of Congreation Mount Sinai in Brooklyn and FDNY Rabbinic Chaplain and NYBR Board members Rabbi Allan Schranz of Sutton Place Synagogue in Manhattan, Rabbi Robert Levine of Rodelph Sholom in Manhattan, and Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere and National President of Union for Traditional Judaism along with Rabbi David Lapp, Director of the Jewish Welfare Board to present three of four Torahs that were to be transported to Iraq and Kuwait. The full-size torahs are part of a project to allow the nation's Jewish servicemen and women stationed in Iraq to celebrate the coming High Holy Days. The Torahs were transported to Iraq over the weekend.

"I am so delighted that these Torahs will be carried to our soldiers in the Gulf so they may celebrate the High Holy Days," Senator Clinton said at the presentation last Thursday. "On the eve of these important holidays, we have a chance for not only Jews around the world, but for all people, to look back in a spirit of reconciliation and atonement and to look forward in a spirit of shared humanity. This is a very special moment and I thank everyone who has helped bring it about - particularly the congregations who have made the commitment to send these very precious Torahs to our soldiers."

Rabbi Potasnik thanked Senator Clinton for her efforts in expediting the project. "We had a conversation following the 9/11 memorial at ground zero. I talked to Senator Clinton about the problems we were having and almost immediately I received a phone call from her office offering assistance."

"What makes it very special is that Rabbis of different denominations are working collectively to ensure that the Torahs will be sent to Iraq and Kuwait. The important message this time of year is that we need unity of spirit, for the Jewish people and for all people," Rabbi Potasnik said.

"This is a great honor for me," Rabbi Potasnik said as he explained that one of the Torahs would be sent to Iraq in memory of his parents who were survivors of the Holocaust. "To be able to provide a Torah for soldiers who are involved in this war effort means a lot to me, because as I think of the soldiers who liberated my parents from the camps I know that they would do everything humanly possible to stand with those who served for this country."

"On behalf of our all of our Jewish military personnel stationed in Iraq and Kuwait- army, air-force and navy - I want to express our appreciation for this gesture on behalf of the Jewish Community Center Association," Rabbi Lapp said. "We were not sure whether this could actually happen. But I know they will certainly appreciate that the civilian communities, with the help of Senator Clinton, came through to undertake this wonderful and extraordinary act."

"Sending these Torah Scrolls to Iraq will make the holidays very special for our troops in Iraq and Kuwait and for all the participating congregations. On these High Holy Days we will know that we have an important part in helping our military personnel and in supporting our country," Rabbi Schranz said.

"I would like to thank everyone here, including the members of the New York Board of Rabbis. It is a great honor to participate in something like this - to help the troops and help the effort in Iraq," Rabbi Levine said. "The message of Torah - of human dignity, freedom and justice is precisely what our country stands for and I am pleased to be a part of this sacred cause."

Senator Clinton worked together with the New York Board of Rabbis, Jewish Educators Network under Meredith Weiss, and the US Army in order to secure the Torahs for the troops. The Senator finally received word on Tuesday 16 September that the transport of the Torahs had been finalized.

The Torahs were donated from four different congregations around New York State. The Torahs will be carried to the Gulf personally by Rabbinic Chaplain (Col) Jacob Goldstein, he will bring the fourth Torah with him, in time for the commencement of the Rosh Hashanah next Friday evening.

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	September 22, 2003 Senator Clinton Joins With Members of New York Board of Rabbis and the Jewish Educators Network to Send Torahs to Troops in Iraq Four Torahs from congregations around New York City will be sent to Iraq to enable servicemen and women to celebrate the High Holy Days New York, NY - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton last week joined with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, President of the New York Board of Rabbis (NYBR), Senior Rabbi of Congreation Mount Sinai in Brooklyn and FDNY Rabbinic Chaplain and NYBR Board members Rabbi Allan Schranz of Sutton Place Synagogue in Manhattan, Rabbi Robert Levine of Rodelph Sholom in Manhattan, and Rabbi Bruce Ginsburg of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere and National President of Union for Traditional Judaism along with Rabbi David Lapp, Director of the Jewish Welfare Board to present three of four Torahs that were to be transported to Iraq and Kuwait. The full-size torahs are part of a project to allow the nation's Jewish servicemen and women stationed in Iraq to celebrate the coming High Holy Days. The Torahs were transported to Iraq over the weekend. "I am so delighted that these Torahs will be carried to our soldiers in the Gulf so they may celebrate the High Holy Days," Senator Clinton said at the presentation last Thursday. "On the eve of these important holidays, we have a chance for not only Jews around the world, but for all people, to look back in a spirit of reconciliation and atonement and to look forward in a spirit of shared humanity. This is a very special moment and I thank everyone who has helped bring it about - particularly the congregations who have made the commitment to send these very precious Torahs to our soldiers." Rabbi Potasnik thanked Senator Clinton for her efforts in expediting the project. "We had a conversation following the 9/11 memorial at ground zero. I talked to Senator Clinton about the problems we were having and almost immediately I received a phone call from her office offering assistance." "What makes it very special is that Rabbis of different denominations are working collectively to ensure that the Torahs will be sent to Iraq and Kuwait. The important message this time of year is that we need unity of spirit, for the Jewish people and for all people," Rabbi Potasnik said. "This is a great honor for me," Rabbi Potasnik said as he explained that one of the Torahs would be sent to Iraq in memory of his parents who were survivors of the Holocaust. "To be able to provide a Torah for soldiers who are involved in this war effort means a lot to me, because as I think of the soldiers who liberated my parents from the camps I know that they would do everything humanly possible to stand with those who served for this country." "On behalf of our all of our Jewish military personnel stationed in Iraq and Kuwait- army, air-force and navy - I want to express our appreciation for this gesture on behalf of the Jewish Community Center Association," Rabbi Lapp said. "We were not sure whether this could actually happen. But I know they will certainly appreciate that the civilian communities, with the help of Senator Clinton, came through to undertake this wonderful and extraordinary act." "Sending these Torah Scrolls to Iraq will make the holidays very special for our troops in Iraq and Kuwait and for all the participating congregations. On these High Holy Days we will know that we have an important part in helping our military personnel and in supporting our country," Rabbi Schranz said. "I would like to thank everyone here, including the members of the New York Board of Rabbis. It is a great honor to participate in something like this - to help the troops and help the effort in Iraq," Rabbi Levine said. "The message of Torah - of human dignity, freedom and justice is precisely what our country stands for and I am pleased to be a part of this sacred cause." Senator Clinton worked together with the New York Board of Rabbis, Jewish Educators Network under Meredith Weiss, and the US Army in order to secure the Torahs for the troops. The Senator finally received word on Tuesday 16 September that the transport of the Torahs had been finalized. The Torahs were donated from four different congregations around New York State. The Torahs will be carried to the Gulf personally by Rabbinic Chaplain (Col) Jacob Goldstein, he will bring the fourth Torah with him, in time for the commencement of the Rosh Hashanah next Friday evening. ###