Jewish Heritage Europe

Update: Synagogue complex & Renovation in Włodawa, Poland

As we anticipated last year, renovation is under way at the important synagogue complex in Włodawa, in southeastern Poland on the border with Belarus. Current work, expected to be completed by 2019, entails repairs to the exterior of the Great … continue reading →

On the road in CZ: the secret synagogue in Terezin (crosspost)

Take a deep dive into the history of the so-called “secret synagogue” at Terezin, the town and historic fortress north of Prague that the Nazis turned into a ghetto/concentration camp — Theresianstadt. Along with JHE Coordinator Ruth Ellen Gruber, the … continue reading →

Poland: art reveals Tykocin synagogue before restoration

A 50-year-old drawing  reveals the ravaged interior of the 17th century synagogue in Tykocin, Poland — nearly a decade before it was renovated and reopened as one of the very few Jewish museums that operated in Communist-ruled east-central Europe. The … continue reading →

Ukraine update: New video shows dramatic progress at Ostroh’s Great Maharsha Synagogue; restoration of interior columns

We’ve been following with great interest the progress of the restoration of the Great Maharsha Synagogue in Ostroh, Ukraine. This new video, showing the restoration of the capitals of the columns, is, well, thrilling — given the state of the … continue reading →

Genealogy: IAJGS conference is more than lectures

Warsaw is gearing up for the annual conference of the International Association of Jewish Genealogy Societies (IAJGS), which begins on Sunday at the Polin museum and other venues. There are scores of presentations, on all sorts of topics of interest … continue reading →