Fabric Synagogue

The Fabric New Synagogue in Timișoara, on Coloniei Street, is a Neologue synagogue in the Fabric quarter of the Romanian city of Timișoara, in the region of Banat. It was built when Timișoara (Temesvar) was a part of Transylvania and integrated in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The style is Neo-Moorish; it remains one of the most impressive buildings in the city.

The Fabric New Synagogue in Timişoara

History

The year of the foundation of the first synagogue on this site is disputed. Some opinions date it to the year 1838, others, to 1841. The temple was first opened for a Jewish community that, after 1870, joined the so-called "Status Quo Ante" trend of Hungarian and Transylvanian Judaism. A dozen years later, this community became Neolog. On September 3, 1899, the building we see today was inaugurated with a preach of the Rabbi Jacob Singer. Its construction was made possible by the contributions of donors, recruited by the head of the community, Alex Kohn. The opening ceremony was notably attended by the renowned mayor of the town, Carol Telbisz.

The building was designed by the well-known Hungarian architect Lipot Baumhorn (or Leopold Baumhorn), based in Budapest, and the construction itself was under the direction of local contractor Josef Kremmer. The synagogue's organ was built by a local master, Leopold Wegenstein. The reputation of the women's choir survives to this day.

As a result of massive emigration, especially during the postwar, communist era, the Jewish community dwindled to a critically low level, such that the synagogue is today in a state of decay and may be in danger of collapse.

See also

Bibliography

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