Jewish Heritage Europe

Important New Book on Synagogue Architecture by Sergey R. Kravtsov

An important new book on synagogue architecture has just been published. Titled In the Shadow of Empires: Synagogue Architecture in East Central Europe, it is a collection of essays by JHE friend Sergey R. Kravtsov, of the Center for Jewish Art … continue reading →

Persistent “symbolic mezuzahs”; and why photograph ruined traces of Jewish life?

  JHE friend, the Cologne-based photographer Christian Herrmann, spends his free time traveling to eastern Europe to photograph the surviving traces of pre-Holocaust Jewish life that still stand across the region. We have highlighted his work a number of times, … continue reading →

Simchat Torah! Rejoicing 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 Monday-Tuesday. To mark the occasion, here are some images of the Aron ha Kodesh, or … continue reading →

Rosh Hashana synagogues: Warsaw’s destroyed Great Synagogue, virtually reconstructed

Continuing our series of posts about synagogues dedicated on Rosh Hashana, we  recall Warsaw’s monumental Great Synagogue on Tłomackie street, which was inaugurated at Rosh Hashana 140 years ago this week — on September 26, 1878. Attending the ceremony were Russian … continue reading →