Jewish Heritage Europe

JHE Photo Essay: Shavuot 2021 — Images of the 10 Commandments to Mark the Holiday

The 10 Commandments above the Ark in the former synagogue in Kasejovice, Czech Republic, now a museum

(JHE) — The festival of Shavuot, which begins tonight, marks the reception of the Torah — and Ten Commandments — at Mt. Sinai. Jews traditionally go to synagogue on Shavuot to hear the Ten Commandments read out: 1. I am the … continue reading →

Poland: Remarkable chance discovery of a polychrome Aramaic prayer text in what appears to have been a pre-war Beit Midrash in a small Polish town

(JHE) — A fragment of a polychrome painting of a Kabbalistic text in Aramaic was discovered by chance under a layer of plaster in a public utility building in the town of Lipsko, in southeast Poland. Announcing the discovery on … continue reading →

Lithuania: Volunteer to take part in the archaeological excavations at the Great Synagogue and Shulhoyf in Vilnius — after last year’s session was cancelled because of the pandemic, this year’s will go ahead in August

After being cancelled last year because of the pandemic, the ongoing archaeological excavation of the Great Synagogue and Shulhoyf of Vilnius is back on track for this summer — with a session scheduled to take place August 9-27. Organizers welcome … continue reading →

UK: Manchester Jewish Museum to reopen July 2 after two years of expansion and redevelopment — read details of how its stained glass windows were restored

Logo of the Manchester Jewish museum

The Manchester Jewish Museum is counting down until it reopens July 2, after being closed for two years for a large-scale expansion and redevelopment, which has included construction of a modern new wing and full restoration of the Grade II … continue reading →

Greece Update: Renewed appeal (and video) to re-start the restoration of the threatened synagogue in Larissa

(JHE) — We wrote in December about the stalled campaign to restore the structurally threatened Etz Hayyim synagogue in Larissa, central Greece.  The restoration started in October 2019, but was halted two months later because of lack of funds and then Coronavirus … continue reading →