Jewish Heritage Europe

Simchat Torah! Celebrating the Torah with images of Arks

Simchat Torah — Rejoicing in the Torah, the Jewish festival that celebrates the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings (and beginning of the new cycle), falls on Thursday-Friday, Oct. 16-17. To mark the occasion, here are some images of the Aron ha Kodesh, … continue reading →

New permanent Jewish exhibit in Pécs, HU, synagogue

  A new, permanent exhibit on the history of Jews in Pécs and surrounding Baranya County, from the 18th century to the present, has been opened in the city’s synagogue. According to the Hungarian news agency MTI, the exhibit, which opened just … continue reading →

Posing the question — in 1990: should old synagogues in eastern Europe be saved

  Our previous post highlighted an article by Phyllis Myers in this month’s Moment Magazine in which she poses the old question: should old synagogues in eastern Europe be saved? Her answer was a decided YES. It is important to remember, however, … continue reading →

Revisiting an old question: Are the old synagogues of eastern Europe worth saving?

In a compelling essay for Moment Magazine, Phyllis Myers,  a conservation policy and politics adviser to governments and private groups, returns to consider a question she first addressed some 25 years ago — a question that we at JHE feel has long been answered: … continue reading →

Inauguration of newly restored synagogue in Debrecen, Hungary

  Mazel tov! Just in time for Rosh Hashana, a ceremony in Debrecen, Hungary on Sunday celebrated the re-opening of the city’s 104-year-old Kápolnás street synagogue, after a fullscale renovation financed as part of a  more than €1.41 million grant from the European Union’s … continue reading →