The Jewish community repaired the only fully functioning synagogue in Moravia

source: jewishmuseum.cz

Brno - The Jewish community in Brno has renovated and newly equipped the only fully functional synagogue in Moravia. The interior of the functionalist building in Brno's Skořepka has been brought closer to its original appearance thanks to an investment of 12 million crowns from subsidies and the community's own resources. The Jews of Brno also commissioned a new set of prayer textiles and acquired a Torah for the holy ark, the fundamental document of Judaism.

The building, constructed in 1936, is an architectural unique. While most synagogues had a historicizing appearance, Otto Eisler designed a modern square building for the conservative community Agudas achim. It is inconspicuous from the street, which corresponds to the circumstances of the time it was built, while the interior is treated in a purist manner. During World War II, it served as a storage space and lost all its furnishings. After the war, the surviving Jews began to use it again, but the furnishings were acquired from various other prayer houses, so they did not correspond to the original style.

Now, the synagogue features liturgical textiles designed by artist Marek Podwal, new, again functionalist wooden benches, and also large chandeliers that match the original state. Old photographs helped in the renovation. The architectural project, however, has not survived.

Currently, it is the only synagogue in Moravia where services are held and which has its own rabbi. "The synagogue primarily serves as a holy place for the members of the community, that is its main purpose," rabbi Menaš Kliment told CTK today. However, the Jewish community is prepared to make the synagogue accessible to those interested in architecture. "We will provide guidance for organized groups upon request," described project leader Petr Špunar.

The current Jewish community in Brno has approximately 300 members in South Moravia, said its chairman Jáchym Kanarek to CTK. A symbolic moment for the community members was especially the recent introduction of a new Torah, a parchment scroll with the Five Books of Moses. "The acquisition of the Torah is of immense significance for the Jewish community, because by acquiring it, you are signaling to the world that the Jewish community intends to live and prosper for at least another hundred years," added Špunar.

Before World War II, there was a Jewish community in Brno numbering in the thousands that significantly contributed to the cultural and industrial development of the city. Many Jews fled from the Nazis abroad, and thousands fell victim to the Holocaust.