A major exhibition about the discoveries made during the excavations of the site of the destroyed great Synagogue is under way at the Lithuanian Jewish Culture and Identity Museum in Vilnius.
Called Unearthing the Great Synagogue of Vilna. it opened on May 19 and runs until December 27,
It tells the story of the synagogue and its rediscovery through archaeological finds, works of art and surviving historical fragments.
We posted regular updates about the international archaeological research that was conducted between 2011 and 2021. Click HERE to see some of them.
During the work, the museum notes, “almost 5 thousand 16th–20th century artifacts were discovered at the synagogue site. One of the most significant discoveries was made in 2018, when fragments of the bimah — the synagogue’s central platform — were found. Archaeologists also uncovered remains of the ritual bath complex, floor sections, wall fragments, and decorative interior details.”
The exhibition, it says, “brings together archaeological finds, architectural fragments, coins, plaques bearing Hebrew inscriptions, historical photographs, interior reconstructions and plans, alongside works by artist Rafael Chwoles depicting postwar Vilnius. Together, these objects allow visitors to reimagine the Great Synagogue and the Jewish Vilnius that once surrounded it.”
The displayed finds are supplemented with detailed descriptions prepared by Dr. Jon Seligman,of the Israel Antiquities Authority who led the excavations together with archaeologists Justinas Račas, Zenonas Baubonis, and the late Prof. Richard Freund.
“These discoveries help to restore not only the architectural form of the synagogue itself, but also the daily life, religious practices and history of the Jewish community in Vilnius,” one of the exhibition curators, historian Dr. Dovilė Čypaitė-Gilė, said in a statement.
One of the exhibition’s most evocative objects is considered to be
a seating plaque — or possibly a small plaque once attached to an unidentified object — that may have been donated to the Great Synagogue by a Vilnius resident named Malka Shirvint. In 1851, she married Eli Shirvint, the son of the wealthy merchant Leizer Shirvint. In the 19th century, the Shirvint family traded textiles in several shops near the Great Synagogue, while their home stood on what is now Didžioji Street.
“This object reminds us that every exhibit can reveal not only the unique story of the Great Synagogue itself, but also the broader world of Jewish Vilnius and the people who once lived here,” Čypaitė-Gilė said.
See the page on the exhibit on the Museum’s web site
Watch a video of Dr. Jon Seligman describe the excavations and discoveries (in English):
The Museum of Jewish Culture and Identity in Lithuania (Pylimo St. 4A) is a branch of the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History and is located in the historic former Tarbut Jewish Gymnasium building in Vilnius. It explores the history, religion, languages, daily life, art, and music of Lithuanian Jews — the Litvaks.