Israel – The Chabad Chassidic movement is helping Israelis prepare for the New Year by offering to check mezuzahs, the scrolls with select Torah passages that are traditionally attached to the doorposts of a Jewish home.
Young Chabad men told Channel 2 that they found an extreme case of a mezuzah not suitable for use this year. The scroll was found to contain the usual verse – but with Christian crosses drawn on various parts of the scroll, including on the name of G-d.
Overall, the Chabad volunteers have found that just 40 percent of the mezuzahs they check are “kosher,” suitable for use. In 11 percent of cases, mezuzah covers are found not to contain a scroll.