reprinted from "The American Israelite"

When the Atlantis Space Shuttle landed successfully this past Thursday morning,  Sept 21. 2006, it was carrying an unusual miniature passenger. It was a Torah scroll that belong to local Holocaust survivor, Henry Fenichel, a physics professor emeritus from the University of Cincinnati. Only four inches high, made of paper, wood and cloth, the remarkable journey of this Torah symbolizes deep friendship brotherly love and cultural and religious understanding. The Torah was carried on Atlantis as a tribute to Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut who perished with a similar Torah in the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy Feb.1., 2003.

On that fateful journey, IIan Ramon himself the son of a Holocaust survivor, chose to bring a small Torah that survived the concentration camp in possession of Dutch Jewish boy. That boy grew up to be Ramon's mentor and friend, the astrophysicist Joachim Joseph (know to all as Yoya) of Tel-Aviv University. While in space, aboard the Columbia, Ramon was able to dramatically fulfill the promise to 'tell the world' about faith and hope even in midst of human suffering during the Holocaust. He broadcast the unusual story of the Torah down to earth. The image of the Torah floating in space among the astronauts was a poignant memory for many, but above all for Rona Ramon, Ilan's wife.

Since then, Rona Ramon has participated in many tributes and memorials to honor Ilan Ramon and the Columbia crew across the world. In April, 2006 she was particularly impressed by a videoconference dialogue between children from Netanya, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati's Jewish Agency Partnership 2000 City, Israel and children from Cincinnati, Ohio. The videoconference was the culmination of a unique project designed by The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education and the Jewish Federation, where the children 'met' and spoke with Rona Ramon and Yoya at the Israel site. From the Cincinnati site, a special guest was Prof. Fenichel, who brought his yellow Dutch star and also an almost identical small Torah scroll, which was given to him by an elderly cousin who escaped Nazi Germany. Fenichel showed the Torah to the children.

The impact on Rona and Yoya, realizing the many parallels and similarities to the lost Columbia Torah, was profound. For Rona the image of this sister Torah in Cincinnati continued to preoccupy her. She asked Fenichel for a special favor: to allow his Torah scroll to be a passenger on a future space shuttle mission, as homage to the values and goals of Ilan Ramon. For Rona and her four children, it might also be an important step on the road to healing.

Kathy Kanter, videoconference committee member, states "learning that Henry Fenichel's Torah made it back safety with the space-shuttle, filled me with hope.  During the videoconference last year , I felt the emotions of Rona Ramon as she found herself looking at a little Torah that was so much like the one her husband Ilan took up to space with him. We can only hope that as out New Year begins, this little Torah will serve to be a symbol of hope and peace for the state of Israel."

With Fenichel's wholehearted willingness, the Torah was sent into space. The successful return of the Atlantis with the Torah on the eve of the Jewish New-Year is an inspiration for Henry Fenichel who believes that "the Torah represents the survival of the Jewish People, the ability to rise from the depth of despair in the Holocaust and reach for the stars. It symbolizes a hopeful promise for a new beginnings and shining example of respect between cultures and religions"