President Roosevelt has agreed to accept a copy of “Israel’s greatest treasure,” the Scroll of the Law, which will be presented to him by the National Council of Young Israel in recognition of his humanitarianism and defense of human rights, it was announced tonight by President Jacob O. Zabronsky at the 27th annual youth foundation dinner of the organization at the Hotel Commodore, attended by more than 1,500 persons.
This is believed to be the first time that a President of the United States will receive a Sefer Torah. It will be covered with a velvet cloak on which Mr. Roosevelt’s name will be embroidered in gold and will be housed in an especially constructed cedarwood ark. The presentation will be made at some future date at the White House. In accepting the award, the President wrote to Mr. Zabronsky: “I am deeply touched by the action of the National Council of Young Israel in presenting to me the second annual award of that organization. And I appreciate from the bottom of my heart the generous terms of your letter conveying to me your decision to take this action as well as your desire to present me with a copy of Israel’s greatest treasure, the scroll of the Torah.”
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