The restoration of the 17th century Great Synagogue in Iaşi, Romania is progressing — but slowly, and more problems are found as the process goes on, reports Lucia Apostol, who is responsible for property and built heritage at the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FEDROM).
One of the most recent daunting discoveries, she tells JHE, is that the fine wooden art work on the Ark, “which is heavily deteriorated anyway, is also attacked by pests.”
She notes that ICOMOS Romania has provided some help, recently carrying out a laser scan for free, which — it is hoped — will show a clearer picture of the state and extent of destruction, apparently from both insects and fungus. “Who know what else we will find on the back side of it,” she asks.
The synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in Romania, was placed on the World Monuments Fund 2014 watch list, and in February it received a grant toward restoration from the David Berg Foundation, through the WMF.
Lucia says that FEDROM has received an estimate for the full restoration of the Ark amounting to $120-140,000 USD — and thus is urgently looking for financing; the WMF/Berg Foundation grant covers only a fraction of this.
She and FEDROM are turning to the international community for help and advice.
She says the Ark complex needs an emergency intervention to dismantle it and remove it from the wall — work that should be carried out by a restorer licensed by the Ministry of Culture.
But, she adds, “It is unlikely that someone like that will agree to take over a contract for the emergency intervention only, while we cannot assess when we will have the funds to complete the restoration.”
3 comments on “Update on restoration of Great Synagogue in Iaşi, Romania”
I will be in Iasi next week, and I would like to know if the Great Synagogue is open for Friday night services? Thank you.
I think it is clear from the photos and our post that the Great Synagogue in under restoration that will not be completed for some time….. The most recent contact for the small Jewish community in Iasi that we have can be found here http://www.jewishfed.ro/index.php/date-de-contact-comunitati
See our most recent post about the synagogue restoration here https://jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2015/06/05/significant-progress-at-restoration-of-iasi-great-synagogue/”