For thousands of years, the Hebrew Torah scroll has been the most cherished object in the Jewish faith, and its message forms the historical foundation for Christianity. Containing the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) Torah represents the spiritual heritage upon which our faith is built.

The Torah scroll at SCS is a stunning display of the passion and precision of those who gave their lives for the preservation and transmission of God’s Word. Meticulously hand-copied on the skins of over 35 cattle, the scroll stretches 83.6 feet long on 46 panels and contains the entire Pentateuch. Every letter in every line reflects the devout practices of the scribes whose dedication ensured that God’s Word would be passed on to future generations with utmost accuracy.

This particular scroll originated in central Czechoslovakia in the 16th century. The scroll follows the Ashkenazi tradition. It and was protected and preserved through the sweat, tears and blood of those who lived, and often died, for the message it contained. This scroll survived the Nazi’s attempt to destroy the Jewish Scriptures during the Holocaust before being taken to Israel for safe-keeping. Now, through the generosity of the Ken and Barbara Larson family, this scroll will find new life and purpose in our community.

The SCS Scroll was a generous gift from Mr. & Mrs. Ken and Barbara Larson and presented to Dr. David Jeremiah, Chancelor of Southern California Seminary.

Learn More