The former synagogue in the Luxembourg town of Ettelbruck is currently undergoing a restoration process to transform the building into a cultural and events venue that will also include a permanent exhibition on the history of the local Jewish community.
The project is managed by the “Al Synagog Ettelbréck” (“Old Ettelbruck Synagogue) Association, with the active involvement of both the Luxembourg Jewish community and the municipality, which owns the building and, according to the Association, has allocated around €1.7 million to the project.
A small compact building with a peaked roof and arched windows, the synagogue was inaugurated in 1870, five years after the local Jewish community acquired the land on which it was built.
The Jewish community was nearly annihilated by the Nazis, but the synagogue remained intact. Its interior, however, was devastated. After the war, the building was used again for religious ceremonies until 1962. It later served as a furniture warehouse and carpet dealer. In the 1990s, it became a place for meetings administered by the municipality.
In 2017, the synagogue and the adjacent residential building (formerly the Jewish school), were designated a national monument managed by the municipality and the Jewish consistory.
The Al Synagog Ettelbreck association was established in 2019. Its goal, its president, Abbes Jacoby told local media in 2021 was “to create a place for cultural and educational events that foster living together in tolerance and respect.”
Restoration work began last year and is expected to be completed within two years. It encompasses both the interior and exterior of the building, which currently is shrouded in scaffolding. Restoration of the façade is being carried out by the company Entreprise MOLA, which specializes in historic restoration.
Archaeologists and other researchers carrying out preliminary work on the interior discovered a mikveh dating back to the construction of the synagogue that had been concealed for years. Abbes Jacoby described this revelation as “unique” in the region.
Also discovered was a Hebrew inscription on the Eastern wall, above where the Torah Ark once stood, with a Star of David and floral motifs. This inscription, from Leviticus 20:8, is translated as “Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.”
Watch this video from 2021 showing plans for the transformation of the building.
In addition to managing the former synagogue, the Al Synagog Association is dedicated to raising awareness about the history of the local Jewish community through guided tours and other activities.
The town has a Jewish cemetery, established in 1881 and owned by the Luxembourg Jewish community. Thanks to a successful public crowdfunding campaign launched in 2019, the cemetery recently underwent restoration, ensuring the preservation of the site.
In addition to the synagogue in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg has three other synagogues: in Luxembourg City and Esch-sur-Alzette, (both active synagogues and built after WWII), and Mondorf-les-Bains, built in 1908 and now used as a cultural center.
Read about the restoration on a web site run by the municipality
Read an article about the restoration project