During the night of October 22, a powerful blast wave from Russian Shaheed drone strikes hit the historic synagogue in the Podil district of Kyiv. The damage does not appear to have been extensive — it mainly seems to have shattered some windows and blown out doors.
But — the colorful ensemble of stained-glass windows in the synagogue’s main prayer hall also suffered, incurring damage that will be difficult and delicate to repair.
We are cross-posting here reflections from Dr. Eugeny Kotlyar, the artist, art historian. and Jewish heritage researcher who designed the stained glass windows, which were installed in 2002 and focus on holy places of the land of Israel and the tribes of Israel.
His work in this synagogue (and elsewhere) was featured in an exhibition called “The Light of the Revival: Stained-Glass Designs for Restituted Synagogues in Ukraine by Eugeny Kotlyar” that was held in the U.S. at Fordham University from September 10 to December 10, 2023 and last year was mounted in Ukraine.
In his reflections, Eugeny — who has written in the past for JHE — writes about the post-communist symbolism of the windows and the synagogue itself, and about the challenges for their restoration.
On behalf of the Jewish community, he appeals for aid in carrying out the repairs.
If you would like to donate, please contact him at this email: [email protected]
Even in darkness, light endures — and through our unity, it will shine again through the stained glass of Kyiv’s synagogue
By Eugeny Kotlyar, Kyiv
The synagogue in Podil, which dates back to the late 19th century, holds a unique place in Ukrainian Jewish history: known internationally as the Shchekavytska Synagogue or the Rosenberg Synagogue, it was the only synagogue in Kyiv that remained open during the Soviet era, and it miraculously survived the Nazi occupation. For generations, it has been the heart of Jewish spiritual life in Ukraine’s capital.
Following Ukraine’s independence, the Jewish community—together with generous donors, skilled architects, and artisans—restored the synagogue to its former beauty.
In 2003, after years of work, it was reopened as a magnificent center of worship and cultural pride, serving as the seat of the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine. It has since stood as both a house of prayer and a symbol of resilience and faith.
That sanctuary has now been shaken once again. The latest Russian attacks have damaged not just walls and windows, but something deeply symbolic.
As an artist, scholar, and Jew, seeing the fragments of my own stained glass work lying in ruins felt hauntingly reminiscent of Kristallnacht. Though this destruction was not targeted at the synagogue, the image of broken windows in Jewish sanctuaries across Ukraine—from Kyiv to Mariupol, Kherson, and Odesa—speaks to a shared tragedy.
The restoration ahead will be complex and painstaking.
It will require repairing warped frames, reconstructing lead profiles, replacing cracked or shattered panes, sourcing matching textured and colored glass, and delicately restoring the stained-glass modules that define the synagogue’s beauty. Some of the stained glass modules have sagged and bent, and here we need to look for the optimal technological solution so that it does not destroy the graphic aesthetics of the contours and frames.
This restoration is possible—and it will be done. But we cannot do it alone. Each step will demand both technical expertise and financial support.
Despite the challenges, we remain determined. And we hope that, with help, the light will shine more brightly than ever.
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If you would like to donate, please contact Dr. Eugeny Kotlyare at this email: [email protected]
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Download or read online the catalogue to the exhibit“The Light of the Revival: Stained-Glass Designs for Restituted Synagogues in Ukraine by Eugeny Kotlyar”
Read Eugeny Kotlyar’s July 2024 photo and text JHE essay“The Ukrainian Shtetl: Homecoming to Places of Strength”
Read Eugeny Kotlyar’s May 2022 JHE Have Your Say essay: “Safe In Jewish Places: The Journey Of A Jewish Researcher, Now A Refugee In War-Wracked Ukraine”
