The 17th-18th century synagogue in Nowy Korczyn, Poland, long a poignant symbol of the destruction of Jewish communities and the neglect and abandonment of Jewish heritage sites in eastern and central Europe, has undergone partial restoration and preservation as a ruin — by the town. Mazel tov!
Thanks to Tomasz Cebulski, of Polin Travel Guide and Genealogy Services,for sharing this information!
The case is similar to that in Dzialoszyce, not far away, where the town preserved the remains of the ruined synagogue as ruins, which (once a plaque is affixed) will stand as a monument to the destoyed Jewish community. The two cases demonstrate that ruined synagogues need not be totally restored to be preserved in a meaningful way — and, with proper memorial plaques affixed (which we hope will be the case), send a powerful message.
Tomasz writes that the local town authorities in Nowy Korczyn decided to partly renovate and secure the synagogue structure last year. The building had long stood derelict, in dangerous condition, covered with graffiti; though the distinctive colonnaded front portal and the Ark remained partially intact. The roof, however, collapsed several years ago.
Construction and cleaning works, he writes, cost 110,000 PLN (approx $35,000) and were covered by the community of Nowy Korczyn, the Marshal of Swietokrzyskie Region and the regional conservator’s office:
The local community very gradually was investing money into the local unique medieval churches now the time came for the ruined synagogue building. The structure for years was very dangerous as the roofing was half collapsed threatening occasional visitors. The cleaning and construction works were started last September. All the vegetation was removed from inside and outside the structure. The wooden beams of roofing were removed and the top part of walls was secured with bricks and metal sheds. The new roof was built [to] the cover the women’s section securing in this way the unique pillar facade. The men’s section floor was leveled to be accessible, this part of the building is not covered by roof. All it needs now is a small info plaque with text explaining what the building was and is now. The local community did great work protecting the site. Congratulations.
Tomasz notes that:
Nowy Korczyn was one of the most important shtetls in the Kielce district. The earliest Jewish settlement dated back to the early sixteenth century. The town was an important trading center on merchandising route from Cracow to Lublin and Vilnus. In 1921, the town was home to nearly 2500 Jews, who made up nearly 70 percent of total population. During World War II in 1940 the German Nazis established ghetto in Nowy Korczyn for over 4000 Jews from the town and its vicinity. In autumn 1942 all of Korczyn Jews were deported to the death camp in Treblinka. The historical sources indicate that the synagogue was built in the second half of the seventeenth century. Bricks and stones used for this purpose were recovered from demolished Royal Castle in Nowy Korczyn . In the eighteenth century the building was very neglected and partly demolished due to wars and lack of funding. The community managed to renovate the structure. During World War II the Germans separated the men’s praying hall with wooden floor and converted the building into grain storage. In communist Poland the building was used as agricultural storage and community center soon abandoned and falling into ruin.
30 comments on “Mazel tov! Nowy Korczyn synagogue has been saved!”
If anybody knows of a Yizkorbuch from any of the Societies connected to Nowy Korczyn I would greatly appreciate knowing where that might be accessed. My father Gedaliah Warga wrote some paragraphs about his family there. Would be a goldmine. Thank you, Chaim Warga
I have a story about a wedding in my family 2 weeks before the war started, with the whole jewish community participating, as it was told by my grandmother Sarah Kupfer:
Tzutel’s Wedding
Only two weeks before the outbreak of World War II, my sister Tzutel got married. It was the last great family celebration before everything changed.
The wedding took place on a Friday at the Great Synagogue in our town. We accompanied Tzutel to the wedding canopy, and the entire town came to celebrate with us. The synagogue was filled with people who had gathered to honor the bride and groom.
On Saturday, our entire family gathered at our home. After the synagogue service, we held a large festive meal in the house and in the courtyard. Our neighbors helped with the preparations, and everyone came to hear the Kiddush. My mother was assisted by her sister, Perl, who was always like a member of our household, and a cook also helped them prepare the food.
The tables were covered with food. There were many cakes, including lekach (honey cake), and on Shabbat we served cholent from large pots. There was also plenty to drink, cognac, whiskey, and vodka, and many of the guests drank and celebrated joyfully.
For the wedding, a seamstress made Tzutel a beautiful white dress. The groom was from the town of Pińczów, and on Shabbat his parents joined the celebration as well. Since so many guests had come, we distributed them among our neighbors’ homes so that everyone would have a place to stay.
We walked to the synagogue in a festive procession. The bride walked with the women, while the groom walked with the men until they reached the wedding canopy. The town’s orchestra led the procession. Violinists, drummers, clarinet players, and flutists played music while everyone sang and danced. The joy was unforgettable.
The celebration continued even after Shabbat ended. We danced until five o’clock in the morning. A rabbi, together with the cantor, led the ceremony, singing and calling out the names of those present. As a sign of respect, people threw coins to him.
After the wedding, Tzutel moved to Pińczów to live with her husband. Before they left, my father gave each of his children some money to help them begin their own lives.
It was our family’s last joyful celebration before the war broke out and changed all of our lives forever.
My father Berek Kupfer was born here in1902.His parents noved to Warsaw where there knitting factory was located.Luckily he spend the war as a soldier in the Russian army.His father Avraham and mother Rochel perished as well as his brother ans 2 sisters with their families.He was the grandson of Moishe Kupfer who was a cityhall official as well as a dayan.
I believe your father was my great grandmother Miriam (Chaia) Kupfer’s brother My great great grandfather was Moszek Kupfer and my great great grandmother is Liba Rojza Kupfer (born Frymer). They were all born in Nowy Korcyn too – as was my great grandfather Abraham (Honach) Helfand Chaia’s husband). The family emigrated to America along with my grandfather Harold Helfand and his brothers Irwin, Marshall, Fred (Fischel) Helfand. Two of Miriam Chaia’s children Bluma and Golda were left behind. The two sisters and their husbands and children were all murdered by the Nazis. (One family perished at Bergon-Belson.)
I believe we are related. I mapped all the names of the family member and relatives that my grandmother Sarah Kupfer, mentioned:
Father Dov Kupfer – lived in Nowy Korczyn and was part of the Jewish city council
Mother Devora Kupfer
Children from the father’s first marriage:
Hershl – later traveled and stayed in Warsaw to buy merchandise for the family store.
Tsutl – lived in Nowy Korczyn
Mushke – moved to Łódź, where he worked operating a knitting machine making stockings.
Children of the father and mother:
Libe-Tsilke (Libtsu) – lived in Nowy Korczyn
Peretz – lived in Nowy Korczyn; later traveled regularly to Tarnów to purchase merchandise for the store.
Sore Rivke (the narrator) – lived in Nowy Korczyn; later moved to Tarnów to attend a Polish gymnasium.
Khane-Miryem – lived in Nowy Korczyn
Meyer Berish (Mirele) – lived in Nowy Korczyn and the moved to El Paso
Yisroel Pinches (Srulik) – lived in Nowy Korczyn
Extended family:
Rokhl – relative who lived in Wiślica.
Mother’s sister (name not given) – visited often; her residence is not stated.
Mother’s brother Yosl – residence not stated; made stockings on a knitting machine.
Mother’s brother Avrom – lived in another town (name not given).
Unnamed uncle (husband of the mother’s sister) – sold fabrics in Wiślica.
Mother’s relatives (unnamed) – lived in Tarnów and hosted Sore Rivke while she attended school there.
Hi
I realize I’m replying to this message a few years late.
My Grandfather Szlama Dalezman was born in Nowy Korczyn as well. He married Golda Kupfer and moved to Warsaw working in a knitting factory. After the outbreak of the war he returned to Nowy Korczyn with his wife and 2 children, he was the only survivor. Do you know if Golda was related to your father?
my Answer to gayle Zaks
My great-grandmother’s name was rywka finkelstein & she was married to Szmelka cukeirman….Perhaps there is any connection between the families !!!
By the way, my mother was also born in 1921
Regards
orly adut galitzenstein
[email protected]
my mother adela ( alte fajga) fisz Daughter of fiszel fisz & rochla fisz ( nee cukeirman ) was born in nowy korczyn at 1921, If someone has any information on the fisz / cukeirman family,
kindly contact me
Has anyone heard of Charna and Avraham Alter Finkelstein of Nowy Korczyn? I have been trying so hard to help my husband find some info on his family. Charna and Avraham are Erikas (my deceased mother in laws) parents. Erika was born there in 1921. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
gayle Zaks
My great-grandmother’s name was rywka finkelstein & she was married to Szmelka cukeirman….Perhaps there is any connection between the families !!!
By the way, my mother was also born in 1921
Regards
orly adut galitzenstein
[email protected]
My great – great grandfather Michiel Shmucklierz left Nowy Korczyn in the 1880s and settled in England where he changed his name to Michael Salter. Any others in this family? We have photos of him just before he left and later in England – a remarkable transformation.
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS BORNED IN THIS TOWN, SHE SIMPLY COULDNT SPEAK ABOUT THE ATROCITIES THEY ENDURED THERE AT THE BEGGINING OF 1900. SHE WAS REIZL CZERNY ZIETEL Z”L.
Bonjour, Naftali Lixenberg was a witness at the wedding of my greatgrandparents Sarah Wilczyk and Alter Lazenga. This was in Nowy Korczyn in 1898. Polish archives (Kielce) mention “Naftali Lixenberg, student, 45 years old”. The rabbi was Haïm Maizelkorn.
Naftali was my Great G Grandfather.
Do you know any more about him?
Answer to chaia Lior, to her message posted on November 5 th 2015, on the page related to the renovation of the synagogue in Nowy Korcyn, on the jhelive.oo web site
Hi Haya
My father, Leib Wajcberg, was your father’ s first cousin. He was born in Nowy Korcyn in 1901 and lived in France.
He visited you in Israel in 1960.
I have tried several times to contact you in Raannana, during my visits in Israel, in vain.
Hoping to hear from you,
Regards,
Aline Wajcberg Bitan ( I live in Herzliya now)
[email protected]
tel in Israel: 054 35741104
Hi Chaya, I am also researching the Wajcberg family from Nowy Korczyn and Czestochowa. Perhaps we have names in common? My grandfather, Daniel Wajcberg, was born in Czestochowa in 1911, but his father, Szaul Janus Wajcberg was born in Nowy Korczyn in 1885. Let’s work out if we have names in common! Thanks, Naomi.
My father , Gedaliah Warga, son of Chaim Warga, came from this town. I saw the house he and his 9 brothers and sisters were born in, and where my grandfather sold horses and grain for horses from. I have former mayor, Jerzy Weiss to thank for this. The man is a fountain of wisdom and an amateur historian of the town. Any body that knows or knew my family please contact me at [email protected]
Did you know natan pieprz from nowy korchin?
Hello, I’m also trying to research people from the Pieprz/ Pilpel family – my great grand parents.
Hello, my name is jacqueline Pieprz. My father was David Pieprz, he was born in Nowy Korczyn in 1902. His father had a small factory by the river where he cut wood trunks. I know very little about my grand-father. Before she died my mother told me that my father had been married in Poland, in Nowy Korczyn and had had two daughters but that they had been deported and died in a camp. My father had two sisters, Léa and another sister which went to live in the States before the war.
my father, Perec Wajcberg, son of Mendel &chaya’ was born in Nowy Korczyn in 1914. If someone has any information on the Wajcberg (weitzberg) family, kindly contact me/
I spent two years of the War (1940 – 1942) in Novy Korczyn. The Kupfer family was well known in the community. My father was born there. My grandfather was on the Board of the town and was a country lawyer. Before the War we lived in Warsaw.
Hi Allen. Where are you from? My mother was Esther helfgot from nowey korczyn. She was related to kupfer. I don’t know if you have any info. Would love to hear from you.
Hello, I’m also trying to research people from the Pieprz/ Pilpel family – my great grand parents. Was
Hi Cheryl, Allen Kupfer was my father’s cousin. Allen and his sister have both passed away. The Kupfers , including Allen, were related to the Helfand family in Nowy Korcyzn. My grandfather, Harold Helfand’s mother was a Kupfer, his father was a Helfand. Helfgot sounds similar- could Helfand be the Anglicized version? He emigrated to Chicago and brought over his parents andall of his siblings -except for Golda and Bluma and their families – who perished. After the war my grandfather sponsored Allen and his sister- the only members of their family to survive- to come to Chicago, where they settled. They were all from Nowy Korcyz.
Muzeltov I believe my grandparents came from Nowy Korcyn – the family name was Lixenberg.
He was mine too.
Can we please be in touch
[email protected]
My grandparents were from Nowy Korczyn.
My grandfather, Szlama Blumenfeld, lived there as seen by a stamp with his name in a book.
If you have any information regarding this posting or of any information on the Blumenfeld family in Nowy Korozyn, Kielce or Chinciny Poland kindly contact me. No commercial people please.
DB
Thank you for the good news!