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Brooklyn's Bizarre Biblical Animal Museum Is Closing
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 29, 2013
Modified Dec 29, 2013
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 29, 2013
Modified Dec 29, 2013
Share
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Have you ever visited Torah Animal World in Borough Park? The museum, which has over 350 stuffed animals, has every animal mentioned in the first five books of the Old Testament to give children a taste of that authentic fire-and-brimstone flavor. Well, if you have any interest in a little biblical taxidermy, you better get down there quick, because it's closing soon.
"I tried to work through the terrible economy that we're in, but it just came to a point that we now had to make a decision to sell it," Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, who owns and operates the museum, told the Post today. Deutsch thinks the entire collection, which is housed in a private home on 41st Street, is worth about $1.5 million. "All the animals died naturally, either in zoos or gaming reserves," Deutsch added. "We don't kill any animals for our exhibits."
"A kid who is learning in school can come here and, in an hour, get to see the animals of the bible. Get to see the birds of the bible. He can see the creepy animals of the bible," Deutsch said. "This is the only place for them to go and see the animals in a biblical context." One animal you won't see there: the pig. "Some people are disgusted by looking at pigs," Deutsch explained. That's an understatement.
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animals
biblical
borough park
brooklyn
kosher
money
torah animal world
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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