Jewish Heritage Europe

Pipe Organs in Synagogues — Pride and Polemics. (See pix and access an article and music)

Ark in the Fabric synagogue, Timisoara, showing the organ behind and above it. Photo © Anna Szentgyörgyi

Having an organ in a synagogue is a fairly recent innovation, related to the emancipation of the Jews and spread of reform Judaism in the 19th century.  The introduction of a pipe organ into a synagogue sometimes sparked heated polemics. … continue reading →

Mourning the death, at 97, of Rivka Dorfman, who with her husband, Ben-Zion, carried out extensive documentation of synagogues in Europe

(JHE) — We mourn the death of Rivka Dorfman, who with her husband Ben-Zion spent years documenting the synagogues of Europe. She passed away in Jerusalem, aged 97. Starting in 1987, the Dorfmans, American-born Israeli educators, roamed central and parts … continue reading →

France: 2020 annual report summarizes restoration/preservation work on 15 Jewish cemeteries & 4 synagogues in the Bas-Rhin department of Alsace

Despite the pandemic, last year saw wide-ranging restoration and maintenance work on a score of historic Jewish heritage sites in the Bas-Rhin department of Alsace. A newly published report by the Heritage Department of the Jewish administrative umbrella Consistoire of … continue reading →

New Have Your Say: Photographer Jono David on his Never-ending Jewish Photo Tour — From the Trans-Siberian Railway to a Trans-African Trek

Since the late 1990s, the British-born photographer Jono David has traveled the globe to amass what is perhaps the most extensive archive of contemporary images of Jewish heritage and heritage sites in the world – a growing compendium of more … continue reading →

Foundation for Jewish Heritage: 2020 Annual Review

We are pleased to share the 2020 Annual Review of the London-based Foundation for Jewish Heritage. The Review summarizes the Foundation’s activities in 2020 and also looks back at its accomplishments since its establishment five years ago. We have written … continue reading →