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Synagogues of Kraków - Wikipedia

  • ️Mon Dec 11 2006

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Interior view of Old Synagogue, Kraków, Poland

The synagogues of Kraków are a collection of monuments of Jewish sacred architecture in Poland. The seven main synagogues of the Jewish District of Kazimierz constitute the largest such complex in Europe next to Prague. These are:[1][2]

  1. The Old Synagogue
  2. Wolf Popper Synagogue
  3. Remah Synagogue
  4. High Synagogue
  5. Izaak Synagogue
  6. Temple Synagogue
  7. Kupa Synagogue

Two other houses of prayer, both from the 19th century, could be classed as synagogues, both of them on Meiselsa street: the B'nea Emun prayer house and the Hevre Tehillim, psalm brotherhood house of prayer.[citation needed]

It[clarification needed] was put on the list of UNESCO world heritage sites along with the entire city district in 1978.

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.[3]

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.[3]

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, Remah 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.[3]

The Jewish History Museum

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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.[4]

The Remah Synagogue

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The Remah Synagogue (Hebrew: רמ״א) on the west side of Szeroka, is one of the few functioning synagogues in the city, built along the old row houses (kamienice).[5] It was founded in 1556 by a royal banker, Izrael (Isserl) son of Joseph, for his own son the rabbi Moses Isserles also known as Remah.[6] There are also a Remah Cemetery named after him, and the mikvah (ritual bath). Located further down on Szeroka Street is a bookshop that was formerly the Synagogue of Wolf Popper, the father of Joachim Edler von Popper.

The High Synagogue on Jozefa Street was 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.[7] The Isaak Jakubowicz Synagogue built in 1644, is located on Kupa Street.[8] Currently it houses Kraków'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.[9] Right after World War II a mikvah (ritual bath) was built at the side of the Tempel Synagogue, as the Remah Synagogue's mikvah was no longer able to serve. The mikvah at the Tempel Synagogue is for men only. On Józefa Street, there is the Kowea Itim le-Tora House of Prayer established in 1810. It was once owned by the Society for the Study of the Torah.

Inactive synagogues

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  • Old Synagogue

  • Tempel Synagogue

  • Tempel Synagogue, interior

    Tempel Synagogue, interior

  • Remuh Synagogue

  • Remuh Synagogue, interior

    Remuh Synagogue, interior

  • Wolf Popper Synagogue, Kazimierz

  • Kupa Synagogue

  • Kupa Synagogue, interior

    Kupa Synagogue, interior

  • Mizrachi Synagogue, Kazimierz

  • Izaak Synagogue, Kazimierz

  • Hevra Shir Prayerhouse, Kazimierz

    Hevra Shir Prayerhouse, Kazimierz

  • Kowea Itim le-Tora

  • Zucker Synagogue, Podgórze

    Zucker Synagogue, Podgórze

  • Chewra Ner Tamid Synagogue

    Chewra Ner Tamid Synagogue

  • Chassids from Radomsko

  • Bne Emuna Prayerhouse

    Bne Emuna Prayerhouse

  • Ahawat Tora

    Ahawat Tora

  • Ahawat Raim

    Ahawat Raim

  • Bobov Synagogue

  • Chewra Thilim Synagogue

    Chewra Thilim Synagogue

  • Salomon Deiches Synagogue

    Salomon Deiches Synagogue

  • High Synagogue

  • High Synagogue, interior

    High Synagogue, interior

  • Cypres Prayerhouse

    Cypres Prayerhouse

  • Lednitzers Synagogue

    Lednitzers Synagogue

  • Chassids from Radomsko

  • Damasz Prayerhouse

    Damasz Prayerhouse

  • Talmud Torah Synagogue

    Talmud Torah Synagogue

  • Szejrit Bne Emun Synagogue

    Szejrit Bne Emun Synagogue

List of Kraków synagogues by street name

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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 [10]

Notes and references

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  1. ^ "Synagogues of the Kazimierz historic district in Krakow". krakow-info.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Welcome to Kazimierz!". jewishkrakow.net. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b c 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
  4. ^ The Jewish Krakow, Old Synagogue. A guide to Kazimierz. Page stored at Internet Archive
  5. ^ "Remuh Synagogue, A relic of Kazimierz's golden age". Cracow-Life.com. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
  6. ^ "The Remuh Synagogue of Krakow, Poland". The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
  7. ^ Hebrew University of Jerusalem: "Exploring the Synagogues of Poland: Wall Painting and Decoration" from the Internet Archive
  8. ^ Isaak Synagogue, Krakow, Poland
  9. ^ JewishKrakow.net, A guide to Tempel Synagogue Archived 2007-10-08 at archive.today as well as the Krakow's old Jewish quarter
  10. ^ List of synagogues in Kraków between the wars Archived 2012-02-09 at the Wayback Machine