Jewish Heritage Europe

Happy Hanukkah 2019 from JHE!

Jewish Heritage Europe wishes all our readers and friends a Happy Hanukkah! Thank you for your interest and support — and thanks especially to those of you who have contacted us with questions and comments, with news of publications and … continue reading →

Jewish cemeteries: ESJF gets new €1 million grant for mapping in 7 countries; recent desecration in Slovakia is latest in spate of vandalisms, raising concerns and questions

Days after a vandal attack that toppled dozens of headstones in the Jewish cemetery in Namestovo, Slovakia, the European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF) announced that the European Commission has awarded  €1 million to a consortium it leads to continue the … continue reading →

Hungary: the exterior of Szeged’s majestic New Synagogue was restored two years ago, but continuing water damage threatens the sumptuous interior

The lavishly ornate interior of the grand New Synagogue in Szeged awaits much-needed restoration, two years after the multi-million euro restoration of the exterior of the enormous domed building was completed. On Monday, JHE director Ruth Ellen Gruber toured the … continue reading →

Update: See the Rumbach st synagogue in Budapest, restored to its glory — and watch a video of the retractable Bimah!

Restoration is complete on the historic, Moorish-style Rumbach street synagogue in Budapest. The project entails the conversion of the synagogue and its entire building complex into a multi-purpose arts, culture, prayer, and education center, and work is still going on … continue reading →

Hungary: The convoluted saga of a grandiose Budapest synagogue that never got built

A number of major synagogues in Europe were built according to designs that were chosen after competitions that drew architects who were often prominent nationally and/or internationally. The grand synagogues in Szeged, Hungary and Trieste, Italy are only two of … continue reading →