Holocaust remembrance organization arranges preservation of sacred parchment and enlists former Dead Sea Scrolls curator Adolfo Roitman to advise on its care and exhibition
SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 22, 2026 / A Holocaust-era Torah fragment that drew international outcry when it was offered for sale in Oslo will be donated to Remember Us The Holocaust (RUTH), a San Diego Holocaust remembrance organization. After Valkyrie Historical Auctions canceled the sale following the condemnation, RUTH worked through collaborators over 48 hours to secure the fragment for preservation and Holocaust education.
According to reporting by Ynet, the parchment was taken from a Polish synagogue during the Holocaust and used by an SS soldier to wrap a package sent to Germany. Military unit information and the recipient's address reportedly remain on the backside. Israel's Foreign Ministry called the planned sale a "moral atrocity" in a post on 'X', while the World Jewish Restitution Organization urged Norwegian authorities to intervene and secure the fragment's restitution.
"We recognized the importance of this fragment and the urgency of helping secure its donation," said Sandra Scheller, founder, curator, and president of RUTH - Remember Us The Holocaust. "Once it has been inspected and appropriately restored, we will be honored to display it alongside the histories of Holocaust survivors. As we grow from an exhibition into a museum, we hope this effort will open doors to collaboration with organizations around the world dedicated to preserving and respectfully exhibiting Holocaust artifacts."
"We acted because this Torah fragment deserves preservation, careful study, and a place where people can learn from its history," said Dr. Moises Salinas Fleitman, executive director of RUTH. "Our responsibility now is to care for this fragment as both a sacred Jewish text and historical evidence, and to ensure that its exhibition respects both."
RUTH has also enlisted Dr. Adolfo Roitman, expert and former curator of the Dead Sea Scrolls and head of the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, to advise on the appropriate treatment and respectful exhibition of sacred artifacts of this kind.
The fragment will undergo inspection and appropriate conservation and restoration before transportation and public display. The timing of the display will depend on the condition of the parchment and the guidance of specialists. RUTH will announce the timing once the parchment has been inspected.
About RUTH - Remember Us The Holocaust
RUTH - Remember Us The Holocaust preserves Holocaust survivor stories and authentic artifacts through education and public engagement. Rooted in the stories of survivors connected to San Diego and Southern California, RUTH is working to establish a permanent Holocaust museum in San Diego. Guided by the beliefs that "Memory needs an address" and "Never again for anyone, anywhere," RUTH uses the lessons of the Holocaust to confront antisemitism, bigotry, hatred, and indifference. 619-728-RUTH | www.rememberustheholocaust.org
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SOURCE: RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/consumer-and-retail-products/holocaust-era-torah-fragment-at-center-of-international-outcry-to-be-p-1239794
