Overview

• The Di Gara Text, consisting of a Hebrew Torah and Haftarot from the 16th century, was looted by Nazis in 1944 from the Budapest Rabbinical Seminary.
• The book was found listed for sale online for $19,000, prompting Hungarian officials to seek U.S. government intervention for its return.
• The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York facilitated the book's return after a legal agreement with the seller, who unknowingly possessed the looted text.
• The book is part of a larger effort to recover cultural artifacts looted during World War II, with increased success due to digital library records.
• The return of the Di Gara Text highlights ongoing global efforts to restore historical and cultural heritage to rightful owners.