The Brașov Synagogue, officially the Beth Israel Synagogue in Brașov (; ) is a former Neolog, currently

Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tra ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located at 29 Poarta Șchei Street in the center of

Brașov Brașov (, , ; , also ''Brasau''; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the county seat (i.e. administrative centre) of Brașov County. According to the 2021 Romanian census, ...

, in

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

. Designed by

Lipót Baumhorn Lipót Baumhorn (, , 28 December 1860, Kisbér – 8 July 1932, Kisbér) was a Hungarian people, Hungarian architect of Jewish heritage, the most influential Hungarian synagogue architect in the first half of the 20th century. He drew blueprints ...

in the Hungarian

Secession Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...

style, the synagogue was completed in 1901, and is situated behind the street front, on a plot surrounded by houses. The synagogue plays a ritual role and the building complex includes a community seat and a

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

restaurant. The synagogue is included on the

National Register of Historic Monuments in Romania The National Register of Historic Monuments () is the official English name of the Romania government's list of national heritage sites known as Monumente istorice. In Romania, these include sites, buildings, structures, and objects considered wo ...

History

Although practitioners of Judaism had lived in Brașov as early as the 15th century, they did not receive an official settlement permit until 1807. The Brașov Jewish community, which initially comprised four families, was formed in 1826. They initially used the Chapel Street Hospital, established by Saxon Lutherans, as a religious building. The prayer house relocated to the Lakatos-Zwinger area (where the museum is today), and a school was established. From 1856, the community's house of worship was in the Joiner-Zwinger, at the site of the later reformed church (where the Aro Palace stands today). Brașov was the first

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

city in which Jewish merchants also played a role: They wrote a petition which later allowed Jews to settle in other cities in Transylvania. Established as an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

congregation, after 1868 the community affiliated with Neologicism. In 1877, it split into an innovative Neologist faction led by Aronsohn Löbl and a nationalist Orthodox group led by Adler Bernhard. Each community built its own prayer house. The Neolog Synagogue was built between 1898 and 1901, at 29 Orphanage Street, according to the plans of architect

. It cost 1.2 million crowns to build, more than the magnificent Szeged Synagogue. Rabbi Ludovic Pap-Rosenberg inaugurated the synagogue on August 20, 1901. Hundreds of soldiers were deployed to maintain order during the ceremony because of the blood blazing charge. During the first four decades of the 20th century, the city's Jewish community more than quadrupled to 3,494. In 1912, an organization was set up to envision the future of Jewry in Argentina. In 1921, a Jewish sports association was founded under the name Ivria, and soon another was founded under the name Hakoach. In November 1940,

Iron Guard The Iron Guard () was a Romanian militant revolutionary nationalism, revolutionary Clerical fascism, religious fascist Political movement, movement and political party founded in 1927 by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu as the Legion of the Archangel M ...

s damaged the synagogue, smashing the stained glass, furniture, and organ. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the building was used as a gym. After the war, it was renovated, and in 1949 the Neologist and Orthodox factions reunited. After the establishment of the

State of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

, the majority of the Jews in Brasov emigrated. In 2001, on the centenary of its opening, the synagogue was renovated again. Because the community had become more Orthodox, the bane was moved to the center of the main ship by moving the benches and cutting them back. In August 2014, a monument was unveiled in the courtyard to commemorate the Transylvanian victims of the Holocaust. In October 2014, the synagogue was renamed Beth Israel (House of Israel). The community currently has approximately 225 members and the cemetery is on Crișan Street.

Description

The synagogue is built in a three-nave

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style with

Moorish Revival Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticism, Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mi ...

elements. Stained-glass windows show the coat of arms of 32 Israeli settlements. The facade's windows emit sunlight, and the top of the roof represents the stone tablet of the Ten Commandments. Memorial plaques in the lobby list the names of the presidents of the Jewish community and the Jews from Brasov who died during World War II. The main

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

is separated by rows of columns from the aisles; these pillars have balconies where women can sit. The synagogue is open Monday through Friday; an entrance fee is required. The building complex, at 27 Orava House, includes a community headquarters, kosher restaurant, medical office, and aid organization.

Gallery

20140627 Braşov 158.jpg 20140627 Braşov 160.jpg 20140627 Braşov 159.jpg BRAS-SinanogaNeologa01.jpg Sinagoga Neologă (interior).jpg Synagogue brasov inside.jpg Synagogue - panoramio (4).jpg Sinagoga Brasov Vitraliu.jpg

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brașov Synagogue 1868 establishments in Austria-Hungary 20th-century synagogues in Romania 20th-century attacks on Jewish institutions Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Romania Ashkenazi synagogues Gothic Revival architecture in Romania Gothic Revival synagogues Historic monuments in Brașov County Jewish organizations established in 1868 Lipót Baumhorn buildings Moorish Revival architecture in Romania Moorish Revival synagogues Neolog synagogues in Romania

Synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

Synagogues completed in 1901

History

Description

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links