Sheimos for Genize

Every so often the Kehile publicizes that Sheimos can be brought to the garage next to the Oosten Shul. The Sheimos are sorted by special trained people. Most Sheimos get packed into boxes from the Kehile and the special items (e.g. mezuzos, t’filin …) are separately packed into earthenware Keilim; a considerable amount of what is brought in isn’t Sheimos at all, and doesn’t need Genize after all.

It’s also possible to make an appointment with the organisers to fetch bigger quantities of Sheimos or used Seforim.

Indeed, several times a year there is a sale where used Seforim can be bought cheaply so they don’t need to get buried.

After sorting, the boxes that need Genize get shipped to a designated place in Belgium that was bought by the Kehila for that purpose. They used to be buried in Putte, but after the authorities there expressed their concern about certain bacteria developing in the old, decaying pages, they are brought to that specific place in Belgium.