A memorial to World War II’s murdered Jews is part of the Pinkas Synagogue in Prague. Hauntingly, the names of 78,000 victims of the Holocaust (Shoah) line its walls. The synagogue stands next to the Old Jewish Cemetery with its 12,000 tombstones dating to the 15th century. There are more burials than tombstones, though, as additional soil was added over the years to accommodate new graves placed over older ones. The result is a minor mountain range of tombstones, tangled and twisted together.
At a shop near the cemetery, I bought a mezuzah, a portion of Scripture rolled into a tight scroll inside a small glass case. Mine is about the size of my finger and features a caricature of a rabbi. Observant Jews affixed the mezuzah to the doorposts of their homes in obedience to God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 6, These commandments . . . write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates. My mezuzah contains a portion of the Amidah, a series of daily prayers which includes the words of Psalm 51: Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. Why should we praise God? Because, as one of the Amidah’s prayers says, He is our King, Helper, Savior and Shield.
(The ELS relationship with our sister-church in Czechia is conducted by the Europe Committee of the Board for World Outreach.)
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Steve Petersen