Jewish Heritage Europe

Turkey: German grant for rescue work on Izmir’s long-ruined Forasteros synagogue

(JHE) — Cleanup and first-stage rescue work at the long-ruined Forasteros (Orahim or Kedosha) synagogue in Izmir will soon begin, funded by a €67,000 grant from the German Foreign Ministry. Izmir Jewish Heritage said work on the building — today … continue reading →

Slovakia: Magnificent synagogue in Trenčín to be restored as cultural center and Jewish community space

The synagogue in Trencin before renovation

(JHE) — The magnificent domed synagogue in Trenčín, western Slovakia, will undergo major restoration as a cultural center and Jewish community space, with first steps financed by the EEA and the Slovak state. Construction work will start in the autumn … continue reading →

Bulgaria: The long-awaited restoration of the long-derelict synagogue in Vidin has officially begun

(JHE) — The long-stalled, long-awaited restoration of the long-derelict synagogue in Vidin, a historic town overlooking the Danube, has officially begun. The building will become a multipurpose cultural center dedicated to the Vidin-born Jewish artist Jules Pascin, to include a … continue reading →

Lithuania: Watch a video recounting the recently competed, 4-year restoration of the synagogue building in Alytus

We’ve written and posted pictures about the four-year, more than €1 million restoration of the former synagogue in Alytus, Lithuania, which was completed in January.  Work on the project started in 2016 and entailed structural restoration as well as restoration … continue reading →

Poland: Two new virtual tours of note — the gorgeously decorated synagogue in Łancut and the Jewish Museum in the Old Synagogue in Krakow

Summer is approaching, and thanks to the vaccine rollout, travel restrictions in Europe are, in many places, being eased — at least somewhat. It’s clear, though, that virtual tours and online exploration of cultural heritage will continue to play a … continue reading →