Photo exhibition of amazing Jewish cultural artifacts opened in Uzhgorod

On March 4, the exhibition hall of the Transcarpathian Museum of Folk Architecture and Customs hosted the mobile exhibition entitled “Synagogues in Central and Eastern Europe in 1782-1944,” which was arranged based on the eponymous book by Klein Rudolf, historian and architect of the Serbian city of Subotica, the result of his 20 year research activity, Day edition reports.

The exhibition in roll-up format was recreated by the Society of Hungarian artists, architects and Cultural Organization of Jews in Hungary under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Economy and Foreign Affairs of the neighboring country.

It displays photo exhibits, some of which have been destroyed, that were selected from the entire expanse of the former Austro-Hungarian empire and represent a wide range of architectural and construction trends of synagogues in different periods.

Opening the exhibition, Consul General of Hungary in Uzhgorod Jozsef Bacskai said that his country, which chaired last year the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, focused attention of the community on countering anti-Semitism, raising awareness of the Holocaust and the genocide of the Roma people.

“Honoring the memory of Hungarian Jews deported to concentration camps in 1944, our government has allocated significant funds for the reconstruction and restoration of Jewish monuments and synagogues both in Hungary and in neighboring countries, as a result, over thirty synagogues have been restored. Four of the buildings, shown in this exhibition, have been selected as part of the Synagogue Rescue Program in the cities of Kőszeg, Budapest, Debrecen and Subotica. After completion of reconstruction they will not only serve for cultural and ritual purposes but will be preserved as historical treasures for future generations,” the diplomat claims.

“A synagogue is not only a house of worship, a center of Jewish spiritual and social life, but a symbol of solidarity of the community and its desire for life. In the stone, brick, wood, and metal structure a synagogue embodies values, identity, dreams of the Jewish people,” said Head of the charity fund “Hesed Shpira” Mykhailo Galin.

Uzhgorod Mayor Andriy Bohdan, rector of the Transcarpathian Art Institute professor Ivan Nebesnyk and other participants spoke about the age-old traditions of coexistence of different nations and mutual respect for their cultural values. The museum visitors will be able to review the exhibits until April 1.