NorthPole

The Head Rabin of Poland Michael Schudrich reopened 11 February this year the Synagogue of Lublin, where famous great Yeshiva Hachmei was situated.

Yeshiva Hachmei Lublin (Jewish Rabbinical Academy in Lublin), was opened in June 1930 with 200 students. Unfortunately, Meir Shapiro, its founder, died at the age of 46 and did not live long enough to see the first class graduate four years later. The books in the library were confiscated by the Nazis, in 1940 and the equipment was stolen or destroyed. The dream of M. Shapiro was to make Lublin a "Jewish Oxford". Lublin was one of the biggest centers of Judaism in the world with history of Jewish citizens reaching as far as 1330 (first written sources about Jewish citizens of Lublin). There were many synagogues and yeshivas with well developed Hasidic cultural and religious life. Jews community formed about 40% of Lublin's population.
Lublin was known in Poland as "Jerusalem of Polish Kingdom".
Yeshiva Hachmei was second religious academy in Lublin (in 1918 the Catholic University of Lublin was opened). 1918 was a year when Poland regained suvereignty and Lublin was for short time capital of the reborn Polish state.

After 2WW and (caused by Polish anti-semitism) 2 waves of Jewish exodus (early 50's and late 60's) the building of Yeshiva served as an education room for Medical Academy and the accompanying synagogue served as academic hall, then small part was arranged as Jewish memorial and praying place.
In 2003 Jewish Community of Warsaw regained full control over the building (due to the special law on religious and communal historical property) and started renovation using founds from Jewish international community.
First it was unprobable to restore its sacral functions, as the Jewish community in Lublin is very small, but finally the synagogue rooms were renovated and 3 days ago solemnly restored into its primary function.
The number of Jews is still too small to restore the educational functions of Yeshiva Hachmei now, but the big inscription "Yeshiva Hachmei Lublin" was installed on the building, so with time, who knows...

The building will also serve as the first European Museom of Hasidism (first showpieces have been already collected).
Yeshiva was visited by some 20,000 Jews from

Historical pics:
Opening in 1930:


In 1930's:




2003, building goes to the Jewish Community of Warsaw (Branch in Lublin):


2004, World Hasidim Summit:


Unused rooms of the synagogue under renovation:


Front side of the building:


Here Radio Lublin transmission from the opening event (in Polish and only few sentences in Hebrew, sorry guys):
http://www.radio.lublin.pl/imgs_uplo...20mikrofon.mp3

NorthPole

Here in Polish public TV news:


"The Yeshiva existed only for 9 years, but was very famous in the world. To enroll, you had to learn 250 pages of Talmud by heart..."

First lessons were Jewish songs lessons


My "Hava Nagila" sounds much better

Herzeleid

hey northpolie how are those people who are finding jewish roots and converting to judaism doin?? many more are converting¿???

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Israeli Girls Thread

Silently Loud

yuck hassidim

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Tel Aviv:
94 approved
48 proposed
37 under construction

NorthPole

@Herzi: Hard to say. You should ask rabi M. Shudrich
But I think most young Jews today are "new Jews" returning to Judaism, but most of them knew they have Jewish roots. Not easy to determine how will it evoluate. I hope with time most people who will know their Jewish roots will have oportunity to return to Judaism.
Ask me after 10 years and I ill know