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Exclusive: Damaged Torah Discovered On Sidewalk In Pico-Union Area

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - While driving in LA's Pico-Union area Saturday, something caught the eye of Evan Conway, and when he stopped to get a closer look, he realized it was a Sefer Torah.

Discarded Torah 2
Feb. 23 (CBSLA)

"It was pretty unmistakable really," said Conway.

He spotted the Torah at around 9 p.m. on the sidewalk near the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Vermont Avenue.

"It was a sad scene really. It was next to a broken baby bouncer. Then, there was a trashcan next to it," he said.

Conway text his close friend Adam Schwartz, who is Jewish, and brought the unrolled and damaged to Torah to him.

"I was shocked to see a Torah in the street in that condition, but I was also quite relieved that we were able to retrieve it," said Schwartz.

Schwartz said the Torah did not have any of its traditional ornamentation, which is commonly made of silver. He said that may be why someone stole it, then dumped it in the first place.

"It was also, I think, an act of ignorance. I'd like to hope that whoever did that didn't know fully what they were doing," he said.

Seeing the Torah in the damaged condition it was found was devastating to Schwartz and, he said, the Jewish community.

"It's the root of all Jewish law and thought. It's the most significant scripture, and this is the physical manifestation of that," he said.

Both Conway and Schwartz are hoping that by coming forward, they can find out who the Torah belongs to.

"I don't want to see a Torah ever in that condition or under those circumstances," said Schwartz.

Schwartz also said that he and many others have reached out to Jewish organizations in the area to find the owner of the discarded Torah. They've also reported it to the police. Anyone with information regarding the lost Torah is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.

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