The opening of the new tradition of the Speaker of the Knesset: Yitzhak Katzenelson's book with which he taught the Bible in the concentration camp • Levin: "A tradition that will symbolize the proper respect for the book of books"
The Rare Bible Book
Photo:
Danny Shem Tov / Spokeswoman for the Knesset
The Speaker of the Knesset, Yariv Levin, initiated a new tradition in the swearing-in ceremony of the MKs that will take place today, and as part of each swearing-in ceremony of a new Knesset, a number of Psalms of historical importance will be recited.
The first book chosen is a rare 130-year-old Bible book, which survived the Holocaust and was used by the poet and educator Yitzhak Yechiel Katzenelson, who used it to secretly teach the Bible in the concentration camp.
Levin said: "This is an important tradition that will symbolize the proper respect we place on the book of books and its place in our lives as a nation, as well as the power of significant events in our shared history."
According to the Knesset Law, at every opening session of a new Knesset, together with the passages from the declaration of the establishment of the State of Israel, the Psalm 22 is also read in Psalms.
The decision to choose this year in this particular book was made due to the closeness that this year has in the Hebrew calendar between Holocaust Martyrs 'and Heroes' Remembrance Day and the swearing-in ceremony.
The book was loaned to the Knesset in honor of the ceremony from the archives of the Ghetto Fighters' House Museum, named after Katzenelson.
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Katzenelson was a poet, writer, playwright and educator, who founded the Hebrew Stage Theater in Lodz in 1912 and established a network of Hebrew schools.
At the Vital concentration camp in France, even in difficult and inhumane situations, he gave the campers lessons in the Bible book, which belonged to his friend in the Ruth Adler camp, who received it with a personal dedication.