Synagogues of Kraków

Interior view of Old Synagogue, Kraków, Poland

The synagogues of Kraków are an outstanding collection of monuments of Jewish sacred architecture unmatched anywhere in Poland. The seven main synagogues of the Jewish District of Kazimierz constitute the largest such complex in Europe next to Prague. It is a unique on the European scale religious complex prescribed on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites along with the entire city district in 1978, as the first ever.

History

Kraków was an influential centre of Jewish spiritual life before the outbreak of World War II, with all its manifestations of religious observance from Orthodox, to Chasidic and Reform flourishing side by side. There were at least ninety prayer-houses in Kraków active before the Nazi German invasion of Poland, serving its burgeoning Jewish community of 60,000–80,000 (out of the city's total population of 237,000), established since the early 12th century.[1] Most synagogues of Kraków were ruined during World War II by the Nazis who despoiled them of all ceremonial objects, and used them as storehouses for ammunition, firefighting equipment, and as general storage facilities. The post-Holocaust Jewish population of the city had dwindled to about 5,900 before the end of the 1940s, and by 1978, the number was further reduced in size to a mere 600 by some estimates. In recent time, thanks to the efforts of the local Jewish and Polish organizations including foreign financial aid from Akiva Kahane, many synagogues and prayer-houses underwent major restorations, while others continue to serve as apartments.[1]

Main synagogues

The synagogues of Kraków represent virtually all European architectural styles of the past millennium, including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism and Modernism. Among the most prominent are: the Old Synagogue, the High Synagogue, Remuh Synagogue, Wolf Popper Synagogue, Tempel Synagogue, Kupa Synagogue and the Izaak Jakubowicz Synagogue. At present, only two of them are still active, and only one serves as a house of prayer, the Remuh Synagogue.[1]

The Old Synagogue on Szeroka Street, is the oldest Jewish house of prayer in Poland, built in 1407. Nowadays, the synagogue serves as the Jewish History Museum, a Division of the Historical Museum of Kraków. The exhibits are divided into four sections: synagogue furnishings and paraphernalia, Jewish rituals and festivals, the history of Kazimierz District, and the Holocaust. The museum features numerous items related to religious ceremonies, for example, candle holders, Chanukah and menorot lamps, covers for the Torah, parochot Holy Ark covers, tallit prayer shawls, and kippahs or yarmulkes. The museum holds also a considerable collection of books including 2,500 volumes of Hebrew manuscripts and prints. On the walls, there are original oil paintings on display made by Maurycy Gottlieb, Józef Mehoffer, Tadeusz Popiel, Jerzy Potrzebowski and Jonasz Stern.[2]

The Remuh Synagogue (Hebrew: רמ״א‎) on the west side of Szeroka, currently one of the few functioning synagogues in the city, is perhaps the most interesting of all Kraków's synagogues, built along the old row houses (kamienice).[3] It was founded in 1556 by a royal banker, Izrael (Isserl) son of Joseph, for his own son the great rabbi Moses Isserles also known as Remuh, who already in his youth was famed for his erudition.[4] There are also a Remuh Cemetery named after him, and the mikvah. Located further down on Szeroka Street is the Synagogue of Wolf Popper, the father of Joachim Edler von Popper. It serves as an exhibition house, with artists in residence.

Equally notable are the High Synagogue on Jozefa Street, built in 1556-1563 in a Romanesque style, and the Kupa Synagogue, founded in 1643 by the Jewish district’s kehilla (a municipal self-government) as foundation for the local kahal.[5] The Isaak Jakubowicz Synagogue built in 1644, is located on Kupa Street.[6] Currently it houses Krakow's Chabad Lubavitch community. The Tempel Synagogue on Miodowa Street, was designed in the 1860s, on the pattern of the Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna, at a time when Kraków was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.[7] Right after World War II a mikvah was built at the side of the Tempel Synagogue, as the Remuh Synagogue's mikwah was no longer able to serve. (The mikvah at the Tempel Synagogue is currently serving men only). On Józefa Street, there’s the Kowea Itim le-Tora House of Prayer established in 1810 (probably built before this time). It was once owned by the Society for the Study of the Torah hence its name.

Active synagogues

Inactive synagogues

Gallery

List of Kraków synagogues by street name

For list of Synagogues in alphabetical order, please use table-sort buttons.

# Street Synagogue
1
 Św. Agnieszki 5 Cypres Hirsch Michael Synagogue (Stowarzyszenia Modłów i Dobroczynności)
2
 Św. Agnieszki 11 Meisels Izrael Synagogue
3
 Augustiańska 22/12 Beit Shlomo Synagogue
4
 Augustiańska 22 Chasids from Radomsko Synagogue
5
 Augustiańska 25 Tiferes Israel Synagogue
6
 Bocheńska 4 Szejrit Bne Emun Synagogue
7
 Bonifraterska 1 Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
8
 Brzozowa 9 Ansche Chail Synagogue
9
 Brzozowa 6 Deiches Salomon Synagogue
10
 Brzozowa 17 Planczner Synagogue
11
 Celna 5 Rabi Skawiński Synagogue
12
 Ciemna 15 Chasids from Radomsko Synagogue
13
 Ciemna 17 Chewra Sandlers Synagogue
14
 Dębnicki Square
(pl. Dębnicki 6) 		Jedność Izraela Synagogue
15
 Dietla 17 Chasids from Działoszyce Synagogue
16
 Dietla 58 Chajotim Synagogue
17
 Dietla 64 Damash Synagogue
18
 Dietla 64 Chasids from Piaseczno Synagogue
19
 Dietla 107 Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
20
 Długa 22 Dorshe Shalom Synagogue
21
 Długa Grosmann Synagogue
22
 Estery 6 Chasids from Czortków Synagogue
23
 Estery 6 Chasids from Dzikowo Synagogue
24
 Estery 6 Talmud Torah Synagogue
25
 Estery 6 Chasids from Góra Kalwaria Synagogue
26
 Estery 12 Bobov Synagogue
27
 Estery 12 Chaim Halberstam Synagogue
28
 St Gertrudy 20 Lejw Tojw Synagogue
29
 Grodzka 28 Tigner Mordechaj Synagogue
30
 Izaaka 7 Chewra Szijur Synagogue
31
 Izaaka 7 Dajons Majer Synagogue
32
 Izaaka 5 Stowarzyszenia Bóżniczego Szir (Szijer) Synagogue
33
 Jakuba 21 Mosi Hamite Synagogue
34
 Jakuba ? Ansche Emes Synagogue
35
 Józefa 8 Aufim Synagogue
36
 Józefa 22 Ahawat Tora Synagogue
37
 Józefa 24 Chasids from Stropkowo Synagogue
38
 Józefa 5 Chewra Kadisza Synagogue
39
 Józefa 32 Chewra Ner Tamid (High) Synagogue
40
 Józefa 12 Etz Chaim Synagogue
41
 Józefa 42 Kowea Itim le-Tora Synagogue
42
 Józefa 16 Kromol Synagogue (annex)
43
 Józefa 16 Krymałowska Synagogue
44
 Józefa 22 Machsike Jesziwa Keter (Kejser) Tora Synagogue
45
 Józefa 33 Reb Aron Klaus Synagogue
46
 Józefa 15 Chasids from Radom Synagogue (New) (Stowarzyszenia Modlitwy i Dobroczynności)
47
 Józefa 26 Chasids from Żarki Synagogue
48
 Józefa 37 Epsztein Aron Synagogue
49
 Kalwaryjska 21 Chewra Thilim Synagogue
50
 Kalwaryjska 21 Nose Hamitah Synagogue
51
 Kalwaryjska 26 Rabi from Zielin Synagogue
52
 Kalwaryjska 29 Gmilus Chasudim & Menachem Aweilim Synagogue
53
 Katarzyny 5 Chasids from Husiatyń Synagogue
54
 Kościuszki 27 Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
55
 Krakowska 7 Bojaner Synagogue
56
 Krakowska 21 Chewra Sandlers Synagogue
57
 Krakowska 26 Bojaner Synagogue
58
 Krakowska Gmilus Chasudim Talmud Tora Synagogue
59
 Krakowska 51 Joller Synagogue
60
 Krakowska 29 Meisels Berisch Synagogue
61
 Krakowska 13 Susser Leib Synagogue
62
 Krakowska 21 Tomchej Orajse Synagogue
63
 Krakusa 7 Rabinacka Synagogue
64
 Kupa 16 Ner Tamid Synagogue
65
 Kupa 16 Mizrahi Synagogue
66
 Lelewela 5
(later Tatarska 4) 		Bnei Jeszurim Synagogue
67
 Limanowskiego 13 Bikur Cholim Synagogue
68
 Matejki Square
(pl. Matejki 4) 		Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
69
 Matejki Square 2 Adas Jeszurim Synagogue
70
 Mazowiecka Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
71
 Meiselsa 14 Aleksander Synagogue
72
 Meiselsa 17
(pl. Nowy 5) 		Bnej Emun Synagogue
73
 Meiselsa 18 Chewra Thilim Synagogue
74
 Meiselsa 14 Chasids from Aleksandrowo Synagogue
75
 Meiselsa 32 Lykower Synagogue
76
 Meiselsa 1 Tycziner Synagogue
77
 Miodowa 11 Assiriri (Machsi Ke-Choklim) Synagogue
78
 Miodowa 15 Beit (Bet) Israel Synagogue
79
 Miodowa 13 Chasids from Cieszanowo Synagogue
80
 Miodowa 12 Temichas Narej Bnej Israel Synagogue
81
 Mostowa 8 Chana and Abraham Lednitzer Synagogue
82
 Mostowa 2 Nosei Massu Haszejno Synagogue
83
 Na Przejściu 2/77
(Dajwór 23) 		Gewoha Bargiel Synagogue Na Górce
84
 Nowy Square 1
(pl. Nowy 1) 		Chaduzim Synagogue
85
 Nowy Square 7 Chowewe Tora Synagogue
86
 Podbrzezie 4 Horowitz Aszer Synagogue
87
 Podbrzezie 6 Mcyjrim Imizgagim jad Charucium Synagogue
88
 Podbrzezie 6 Reichenberg Chaim (from Zaleszczyki) Synagogue
89
 Podbrzezie 6 Rosenbaum Synagogue
90
 Podgórski Square
(pl. Podgórski 3) 		Benzion Halberstam Synagogue
91
 K. Brodzinskiego 8 Schornstein Synagogue
92
 Prądnik Czerwony Landesdorfer Synagogue
93
 Rakowicka 14 Bejt Jehuda Synagogue
94
 Rękawka 30 Anszei Chail Synagogue
95
 Skałeczna 3 Bach Synagogue
96
 Skawińska 2 Synagogue in Jewish Hospital
97
 Starowiślna 37 Agudas Achim Synagogue
98
 Stroma 11 Bikur Cholim Synagogue
99
 Szeroka 16 Ner Tamid Synagogue
100
 Szeroka 40 Ner Tamid Synagogue
101
 Szeroka 28 Gmilus Chasidim Debais Hakneses Synagogue (Stara)
102
 Szeroka 2 Landau Szaul Synagogue
103
 Szeroka 40 Mekarwin Latora Synagogue
104
 Szeroka 28 Reichenberg Synagogue
105
 Szeroka 25 Szezarim Synagogue
106
 Szeroka 24 Szomrim Laboker Synagogue
107
 Szeroka 24 Szywe Kryjim Synagogue
108
 Szewska 1/2 Chasids from Bobowa Synagogue
109
 Szlak 13 Merkaz Jeszyja Synagogue
110
 Szpitalna 24 Ahawas Rajim Synagogue
(now Eastern Orthodox church)
111
 Tatarska 4 Bnei Jeszurim Synagogue
112
 Trynitarska 18 Bet Hamidrash Synagogue
113
 Twardowskiego 15 Ansche Emes Synagogue
114
 Warszauera 8 Ner Tamid Synagogue
115
 Warszauera 1 Zauwche Zywche Cedek Synagogue
116
 Św. Wawrzyńca 9 Ahawat Szalom Synagogue
117
 Węgierska 6 Bnei Emun Synagogue
118
 Węgierska 6 Bnei Chinim Synagogue
119
 Węgierska Zucker Synagogue (Podgórze)
120
 Węgierska 7 Chasids from Góra Kalwaria Synagogue
121
 Węgierska 7 Benzion Halberstam Synagogue
122
 Węgłowa 3 Chasids from Bełz Synagogue
123
 Wolnica Square
(pl. Wolnica 14) 		Chasids from Husiatyn Synagogue
124
 Zwierzyniec 21 Cendeszim Synagogue
# Street
As per Krakow.Jewish.org.pl [8]

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 Adam Dylewski, Where the Tailor Was a Poet... website created under the aegis of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Warsaw; chief editor: Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywinski. Editorial assistance: Dr. Anna Marta Szczepan-Wojnarska, and Kaja Wieczorek from Jewish Historical Institute, Warsaw
  2. ↑ The Jewish Krakow, Old Synagogue. A guide to Kazimierz. Page stored at Internet Archive
  3. ↑ "Remuh Synagogue, A relic of Kazimierz's golden age". Cracow-Life.com. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
  4. ↑ "The Remuh Synagogue of Krakow, Poland". Beth Hatefutsoth. Archived from the original on 2006-08-22. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
  5. ↑ Hebrew University of Jerusalem: "Exploring the Synagogues of Poland: Wall Painting and Decoration" from the Internet Archive
  6. ↑ Isaak Synagogue, Krakow, Poland
  7. ↑ JewishKrakow.net, A guide to Tempel Synagogue as well as the Krakow's old Jewish quarter
  8. ↑ List of synagogues in Krakow between the wars

External links

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