Gemachs (free loan organizations) are a fixture in every Jewish community. There are funds for interest-free loans, of course, but there are also loan funds for wedding dresses, tefillin, even ones for refrigerators and washing machines. In a small office in Brooklyn, there’s another very special gemach that repairs Torah scrolls and allocates them to communities in need.
The Beis Yisroel Torah Gemach—a project of Merkos Suite 302 in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y.—is run on a daily basis by Bentzion Chanowitz in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. It began three years ago with the goal of getting much-needed Torahs to Chabad shluchim (emissaries) in the United States, in Israel and around the world who have none, as well as to repair older Torah scrolls and get them back into circulation. The agency has also helped commission brand-new Sefer Torahs to be lent out.
Chanowitz, 57, a pharmacist by trade, discusses the background, goals and details of this nonprofit entity dedicated to helping rabbis and synagogues have access to a Torah of their own.
Q: How did this idea come about?
A: It was born because of a real need. I saw that many shluchim weren’t able to secure a Torah, either when they were first starting out or even in other places, smaller or more remote places. And so, they couldn’t have a proper service when the Torah is supposed to be read in synagogue. The problem existed all over the place. So three years ago at Shavuot time, the project began. We started raising money to fix and get Torahs ready for deployment. We act as matchmakers for shuls with a Torah to shuls without.
Q: Where do you get the Torahs? Are they a mix of new ones and refurbished ones?
A: Yes, they are a mixture. Each one is unique in how it came to us. The first Torah was a used one that we got from a man’s father; this served to start the Gemach. The goal was to put Torahs back into service instead of having one sitting in a shul or around a house. After all, this was why a Torah was written to begin with—to be used and read from on a regular basis.
Q: How many Torahs have you lent out so far, and how many do you now have to distribute?
A: We have lent out 45 Torahs on short- and long-term loans. Although the Gemach started with the Chabad shluchim in mind, it became generic very fast. Once word got out, we got calls from all over and from Jewish entities of all kinds, even hospitals. These are all loans; they will come back at some point. It’s a temporary solution leading up to a permanent solution.
Q: How does one go about repairing a Torah, and how long does that usually take?
A: We have partnered up with a primary sofer (scribe) and some others along the way, depending upon the necessity, time frame and cost. The money we get to do this is donated money, so we are very careful as to how it is spent. Every Torah is different to repair and takes a different amount of time. For every $500 we put into a Torah, we ask that the donor allow it to be lent out for one year. Spending up to $3,500 on refurbishments is about the limit for an agency of our size.
Q: What are some of the parts that need to be repaired?
A: Since ancient days, a big problem has been mice, which chew on the parchment. To avoid that, plaster of Paris was put on the back of Torahs to protect it. That solved one problem, but caused others, such as the Torah becoming very heavy. There can be damage done from lifting it, knocking it, and when a Torah is rolled back and forth—especially those written 70, 80, 90 years ago, which are very large—the letters can rub off. Today, there are actually computer checks to go over the letters, but I don’t feel completely confident with that process; it’s not fool-proof. So for us, a sofer (professional scribe) checks from the end to the beginning. It can take two months or more—or it could take less time than that, depending on what he does or doesn’t find. We also usually replace the mantel (Torah coverings), unless it’s a brand-new Torah donated to the Gemach for loan. And we check the Atzei Chaim (Torah rollers) and replace them, if need be.
Q: How long does a rabbi get to borrow a Torah?
A: The arrangement comes with a lease, similar to a car lease, for example, and the borrower must purchase insurance for it. The actual owner is the loss payee, so he should feel confident when lending a Torah that it is insured properly. The contract is made for one year and is renewable. Basically, we are a management company for Torahs. Yet our eventual goal is that the borrowers find a permanent solution, so we also advise on how to get a permanent Torah—how to fundraise for that.
Q: How many requests have you had to get borrowed Torahs, and where are some of the most unusual places that have requested one?
A: We have a list of 180 shluchim who need primary and secondary Torahs. We have already satisfied at least 10 percent of that list. And there are a handful of rabbis over the past two years who have asked to borrow a Torah just for the summer, when they are the busiest. In terms of who needs one right now, Niagara Falls comes to mind, as does Hawaii. Torahs are also needed in Israel. You would think that they would be in abundance there, but no, there is a real need for them.
Q: How do you get the Torahs to their destinations?
A: It depends how far it has to travel. For example, one Torah was recently sent to Serbia. It was bubble-wrapped and placed into a large knapsack that we purchased and modified to accommodate the Torah’s size, then carried onto the plane. The report we got back, Thank G‑d, was that everything turned out just fine. So basically, a meeting is held between us and where the Torah is headed, and we work together to see what’s feasible. If it’s going anywhere in America, someone can pick it up. Internationally, it can go as carry-on luggage or, in some cases, be sent as a piece of artwork, insured for high value and treated with kid gloves.
Q: How have rabbis responded to this new service?
A: Rabbis have been grateful, appreciative. When everybody hears about this, they say, “This is great! You’re helping out Klal Yisroel—the Jewish people!” And that’s what I want to do. Somehow or another, I got this idea and am running with it. What I do is based on three principles: Ahavas Yisroel (“love of Israel”), Ahavas Torah (“love of Torah”) and Ahavas Hashem (“love of G‑d”). If you have all three, you’re good. I feel this is what I was meant to do—my reason for being here.
Q: What are the future goals of the Torah Gemach? And how big can it realistically get?
A: We do have other people helping out. It can be managed on a micro level once a Torah is out on loan; it’s very manageable. The Torahs come in and go out, and there is a waiting list. I have my work cut out for me; I feel like I have a long way to go and am trying to get the word out.
Q: How is this a mitzvah for the entire community? And how can someone be involved in helping the agency?
A: Why not help out a fellow Jew? Many people have Sefer Torahs not in use—sitting in shuls, in closets and attics, in homes or buildings. Surprisingly, many of them are right here in the New York area. So the goal is to have them be actively used; they have a higher purpose.
Q: How do people react when you approach them about participating with you in the Gemach?
A: Every person I see winds up hearing about the Gemach; it’s what I do. They think it’s a great idea. People travel all over the world and look up Chabad Houses to take care of their Jewish needs. What they don't realize is that Chabad Houses raise their own money. They need our help because they’re on the front lines of Yiddishkeit. And it’s not only Chabad centers, but all start-up minyans. So think of us as an auxiliary service for start-up companies who need to go to market—to be successful, they need our assistance. The great essence of this mitzvah–this Torah mitzvah—is that each dollar given is an investment. The Torahs get used over and over again; your help makes that continuous. Your help makes that happen.
To contact the Torah Gemach, visit www.bytg.org.
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