Jewish Heritage Europe

UPDATED with new material: The Origins of the Women’s Gallery (and pictures)

View from the women's gallery, the monumental Zion Synagogue in Oradea, Romania, built in 1878 and designed by Dávid Busch, the city's chief architect

(JHE) — We have posted in the past about women’s galleries in the synagogue, mainly focusing on the architecture and physical sites. Two recent publications trace the origin of of the separation of women during prayer and the evolution of … continue reading →

Kristallnacht anniversary 2022: countering memories of destruction with images of wonderful surviving — and restored — synagogues

Zion Synagogue, Oradea, Romania JHE Instagram September 11, 2022

We’ve made it a JHE tradition. Tonight —the  night of November 9-10 — marks the 84th anniversary of the so-called Kristallnacht pogrom — Reichspogromnacht — in 1938, when the Nazis launched coordinated violent attacks on Jews, Jewish property and Jewish … continue reading →