HOLOCAUST TORAH: Members of Congregation Beth Kodesh...

HOLOCAUST TORAH: Members of Congregation Beth Kodesh in West Hills on Sept. 19 will dedicate a Torah that was captured in Czechoslovakia by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

The 100-year-old scroll is one of many warehoused as part of Adolf Hitler’s plan to create museums to display the “religion of a defunct people,” according to David Pfefferman, past president of the synagogue’s men’s club. The club spent two years working on the Torah project.

The synagogue had the Torah brought here from London, where it had been since the end of World War II. The 600-family Conservative congregation raised about $8,000 to cover the cost of shipping the Torah and making it kosher for religious services, Pfefferman said.

But instead of placing the scroll in a display case as many American synagogues have done, the Torah will be added to the eight others the temple uses regularly for bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah ceremonies, weddings and High Holy Days services.

“I don’t want to give Hitler the satisfaction that it’s being used as a museum piece,” Pfefferman said. “It is a bigger honor for the 6 million,” he added, referring to Jewish deaths in the Holocaust. “This is something that should be used.”

A scribe, who has meticulously gone over the Torah to ensure that all the Hebrew characters are clearly printed, will be present at the dedication ceremony to fill in the last few lines on the parchment. Those wishing to participate can make an $18 donation to the men’s club to have the scribe write a letter in their honor.

The ceremony will begin at 9:30 p.m., followed by the Selichot service, which ushers in the High Holy Day season. The synagogue is located at 7401 Shoup Ave.

SEMINAR: “Changes That Heal: How to Understand Your Past to Ensure a Healthier Future” will be presented from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Northridge. The seminar will help participants recognize destructive behavioral patterns and learn how to effectively deal with them. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, co-directors of Minirth-Meier Clinic West, will speak. Tickets are $45 at the door. More information is available by calling (800) 877-4673.

BIOETHICS: A seminar, “Fragmenting and Reassembling the World: Problems in Bioethics,” will be presented Wednesday by the LifePlus Clergy Network. Michael Shapiro, professor of law at USC, is the keynote speaker. A panel discussion will follow that includes the Rev. Karl Kniseley, president of UniHealth America Foundation; the Rev. Harry Adams, former pastor of the Friendly Valley Methodist Church, and Rabbi Eli Schochet of Temple Beth Kodesh. The event at Holy Spirit Retreat, 4316 Lanai Road in Encino, will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a buffet lunch and conclude at 2 p.m. with the announcement of silent auction winners. Admission is free. Reservations, due by Monday, can be made by calling (818) 753-7171.

LEADERSHIP GROUP: Adults between 25 and 40 years old are invited to participate in the Leadership Development Group sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Region Jewish Federation Council. The program aims to create an awareness of Jewish community needs and provide participants with leadership skills. In addition to nine monthly educational programs, running this month through next June, community service activities and social events are also planned. Orientations are scheduled for Monday and Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Bernard Milken Jewish Community Campus, 22622 Vanowen St. in West Hills. The fee is $50, and reservations can be made by calling (818) 587-3219.

RECOVERY RETREAT: The second annual Celebration of Recovery Retreat for Christians who have experienced chemical addiction or compulsive behaviors and who are now clean will be held next weekend in Glendale. Themed “The Joy of Serenity and Salvation,” the weekend will include open speaker meetings, closed support group meetings, workshops and leisure activities. The event is sponsored by the Assn. of Adventist Parents for Drug-Free Youth, the Adventist Health and Temperance Department of the Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Glendale Adventist Medical Center chaplain’s office.

The retreat runs 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 19 and 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 20. The location is the former Voice of Prophecy auditorium, 1500 E. Chevy Chase Drive, next to the medical center. The cost is $25 per person or $30 per couple, which includes a manual and breakfast on Sunday. Participants should make their own arrangements for lodging and meals. Reservations, due by Thursday, can be made by calling (818) 546-8460.

FUND-RAISING FESTIVAL: St. Mary’s Church will hold its annual fund-raising festival next weekend in the church’s schoolyard and parking lot, 1600 E. Ave. R-4 in Palmdale. Activities include carnival games, family-style meals, multiethnic food concessions, a handicrafts booth, entertainment and a white elephant booth. The event is scheduled from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 19 and noon to 7 p.m. Sept. 20. Admission is free.

OPEN HOUSE: Temple Aliyah, a Conservative congregation at 24400 Aliyah Way in Woodland Hills, will offer a membership open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 20 and 7:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 22 and Sept. 24.

News and announcements for this column can be sent to Religion Desk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311.