Police believe they have the man responsible for a stealing a crown from a place of worship.
Authorities tracked down the silver crown at a North Miami Mr. Gold Buyer store. It was sold to the store back in June.
Police said 44-year-old Alexander Gesin stole the crown from the top of a Torah at the Chabad of the Ocean Synagogue in Hollywood.
Rabbi Dovid Kudan never thought he would get it back. It belonged to a Torah, Judaism’s holiest scripture, that was dedicated to honor Holocaust survivors. “He called me and said, ‘Guess what? They found your crown,” Kudan said with a laugh, “and the people in the shul. They could not believe it.”
Michael Kaplan of Mr. Gold Buyer knew something was wrong when he saw it in his store, after returning from vacation. “The minute I saw what it was I knew it had to be stolen,” Kaplan said over the phone.
With the help of detectives, Kaplan and his son traced the crown back to Kudan’s temple. Police arrested Gesin when he went back to the store to try to sell another holy item. Gesin faces several charges, including grand theft.
Rabbi Kudan is the best! What an amazing caring man! Only nachas to his family! We love you guys!
Something that is aquired through honest, hard, and sincere work will never be lost.
Best wishes from your pal.
i never knew torah crowns are real silver. how much do they cost??
Best sem teacher ever!
What the story didn’t say was that R Kudan had such emunah that he would get back the crown that he pledged not to cut his hair until it was found. You can see the picture is pre-haircut. It is hashgacha pratis the crown was found when it was otherwise he would have to have gone to his daughter’s chassnah with a shaggy coif.
Such a humble caring Rabbi. I’m very impressed.
rabbi kudan is the best, i hear his son is moving down there shortly Mazal tov to that,
Its similar to the story tape ‘the golden crown’ 🙂
is a real good humble yid may he be blessed