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Updated 01/24/2012 11:26 PM

Stolen Torah recovered

By: Christian Farrell

The Torah has turned up. Our Christian Farrell has more on the safe return of a Torah stolen from a Monticello synagogue.

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MONTICELLO, N.Y. -- "Looks like it's in good shape," said Monticello Police Chief Doug Solomon to Rabbi Ben-zion Chanowitz.

Chanowitz has been waiting more than three weeks to hear those words.

"Every day was torture. Every day was torture," said Chanowitz.

The torture though is now over for Rabbi Chanowitz and members of the Landfield Avenue Synagogue in Monticello. Police have recovered the Torah stolen from the synagogue in late December. They arrest Christopher Colvill, 41, of Woodridge, for criminal possession of stolen property. Police picked up Colvill Tuesday with the sacred scroll in the Town of Fallsburg.

The arrest and recovery is especially rewarding to retiring Monticello Police Chief Doug Solomon.

"Well, my marching orders to my detectives was that it would be very nice if this Torah could be recovered prior to my leaving my employment here. And they came through," said Solomon.

... in a big way, according to an elated Rabbi Chanowitz.

"This is incredible news. At the time when the Torah was lost, we all spoke about having that faith to be able to find the Torah. And we tried to keep up the faith. At times we were wavering a little bit. Are we going to be able to find it or not? I saw the police at work and they did tremendous, tremendous work," said Chanowitz.

Because the Torah is still considered evidence in an ongoing police investigation, it hasn't been returned yet to the Landfield Synagogue. But officials say when it is, you can be sure there's going to be a celebration.

"Celebration is when you get a present you need to thank the one that gives it. So we need to thank god and thank all the people that helped and were involved," said Chanowitz.