Ancient synagogues destroyed in Belarus (Photo)

In Lyuban local authorities have destroyed a wooden synagogue despite of the protests of local dwellers.

Now leaders of religious and public associations try to preserve one more religious building from destruction, Radio Svaboda informs.

The timber building of the synagogue in Lyuban is a unique monument of religious Jewish architecture of the early 20th century. There are just a few such buildings in Belarus now. The synagogue is unique because it is connected with activities of Moshe Feinstein, one of the renowned rabbis of the 20th century.

Demolition of the synagogue was preceded by unsuccessful address of the head of the Yakau Gutman, the head of the World Association of Belarusian Jewry, to Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The president of the Union of Belarusian Jewish associations and communities Leanid Levin explains the building’s demolition in the following way:

“Local authorities undoubtedly are responsible for what have been done. But there is a general lay-out of the city dated by the 1980ies, where these buildings were planned to be knocked down. And the city is build according to the general layout. Moreover, they addressed the regional executive committee asking for help in protecting the building, but received no answer. And they did what they could at their level”.

As said by Levin, now preservation of another unique wooden synagogue of the 19th century in Lyuban is in question. Moshe Feinstein worked there too, and a children’s arts school is situated in it now.

One hundred years ago there were 44 synagogues in Hrodna, for instance. Now only 100 such buildings have survived in Belarus. There are only a few of wooden ones among them. Over the recent years former synagogues in Dzimitrau (Dimitrov) and Nyamiha Streets in Minsk have been destroyed, Jewish cemeteries in Hrodna and Mozyr.