Old Synagogue (Prague, Czech Republic)

The Old-New Synagogue built in the 13th century in early Gothic style, is the oldest preserved synagogue in Central Europe, and is one of the  main house of prayer for the Jewish community in the present day.

Old Synagogue- Jewish Quarter , Prague

Entrance to Old Synagogue

Pinkas Synagogue (Prague,Czech Republic)

1.Pinkas Synagogue 

Constructed in 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas, the Pinkas Synagogue was turned into a memorial to the 77,297 Czech Jews who died in Nazi camps.

Entrance to the Pinkas Synagogue

The walls are filled with their handwritten names and other information. The names are organized by communities, with family names in red, individual first names in black, and the individual’s birthdate and death date (if known). An audio recording reads each of the names , It gives you the chills when you realize how many Jews there were killed just from this area. On the east wall is a list of concentration camps. The upper floor consists of an exhibition of children’s art work , done by children held at the nearby Theresienstadt (Terezín) concentration camp, where Prague’s Jews were kept prior to being transported to the death camps.  For me, this was the most emotional part of the museum.  These art works look like those you would find displayed in any elementary school, until you read the wall plaques and realize the unthinkable circumstances it was created in. Each art piece has a small plaque accompanying it, giving the name of the young artist, and their birthdate and death date.  According to the guide, of the 8,000 children that were sent to Terezin, only 240 lived to see liberation.

The memorial walls filled with names.

   

Child’s painting of the Terezin camp courtyard.

A child’s drawing depicts life in the Nazi controlled Terezin Camp.

Jewish quarter (Prague, Czech Republic)

Jewish quarter (Prague, Czech Republic)

Surrounded by Old Town of Prague, the Jewish quarter of Prague is a small cadastral area, which of is mostly converted into Jewish Museum. Jews are believed to have settled in Prague as early as the 10th century. This area of the city is one of Europe’s oldest and best preserved Jewish neighborhoods.  Ironically, during World War II, Hitler decided that this would be the site of his “museum” to the very race he was seeking to exterminate.  Consequently, Jewish artifacts from destroyed synagogues and communities throughout Europe were sent here to be catalogued and kept.  While most Jewish neighborhoods were destroyed during Nazi occupations, this one was saved, though most of it’s inhabitants were not. Today, walking through Prague’s Jewish quarter is a poignant reminder that this place has been home to the Jewish community for over 1000 years.  Prague’s Jewish museum is made up of several beautiful synagogues scattered throughout the area.

 

The Jewish Quarter has six synagogues, including the Spanish Synagogue and Old-New Synagogue, the Jewish Ceremonial Hall, and the Old Jewish Cemetery, the most remarkable of its kind in Europe. A Single ticket to Jewish Museum would allow access to all the synagogues and exhibits on Jewish culture and customs. The Jewish Quarter is also the birthplace of the celebrated writer Franz Kafka.