As we reported in April, the more than €8 million restoration of the Carlebach Synagogue in Lübeck, Germany is complete, but the gala rededication has had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic — the plan now appears to be to open an exhibition about local Jewish history there in May 2021.
The mayor of Lübeck, Jan Lindenau, toured the synagogue last week with representatives of the Jewish community.
Back in April, we posted a 3D video by Israel’s Lavi Furniture about the reconstruction of the ark in the Lübeck synagogue.
We post here, now a video showing the actual installation of the ark and other furnishings in the restored synagogue interior:
To remind you of the process, here’s the original video we posted, showing how the Ark was designed and built:
Built in 1880 and designed by local architect Ferdinand Münzenberger as an impressive Moorish-style building with a towering dome, the Carlebach Synagogue was damaged but not burned down on Kristallnacht.
Its dome and other elaborate exterior elements, however, were destroyed, removed or simplified, and the building now is a rather austere-looking red brick structure.
In 1994 the synagogue was firebombed by neo-Nazis. Its condition deteriorated in subsequent years.
Restoration work began in in 2014 but was halted for a time in 2015 due to funding issues.
Read our April 2020 story with details of the renovation