Beiteinu Chaj – 2004 Foundation

1875- 2015

140 years -  since the inauguration of the Synagogue

Dzierżoniów-  21.05.2015,  18.00

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A concert opening this year’s artistic season in Dzierżoniów’s Rutika synagogue took place on May 4.

The concert featured Kamila Kłos and the group Żwawi. 150 spectactors attended. The synagogue was filled with people, bustle – came alive. This is the goal of the Foundation Beiteinu Chaj, which takes care of the synagogue. Rafael and Dorin Blau want the building not being empty, only to host concerts, exhibitions, and other events.

To Sunday’s concert came another, unannounced, but a very nice person – the chairman of the Social – Cultural Association of Jews in Poland Mr. Artur Hofman.

No one who came to the concert got disappointed. The audience listened to Jewish songs in three languages: Polish, Yiddish and Hebrew.

Here are some recent photos from the work going on inside the Synagogue over the past months, as well as two photos of the exterior. We are very pleased with the progress, and as you can see the renovations have truly recaptured the beauty, dignity and historical richness of the Synagogue. They will make the Synagogue an even more suitable and meaningful setting for our Jewish cultural events and religious observations.

Particularly moving for all of us is that with the cooperation of the local Jewish Club, the Synagogue is once again home to the only original Chanukah Menora known to have been in the Synagogue in the entire Post-World War II era. We are thrilled with this. The Menora had fallen into disrepair over the decades – so this creates a further project for us to restore it.

Other photos show a recently acquired chandelier. We now have four such lamps hanging from the Synagogue’s ceiling, and we are looking for two additional lamps which, when hung, will complete a Star of David pattern.

On Saturday, August 3, we were also very pleased to host a visit by Israel’s Ambassador to Poland, Mr. Zvi Ravner, and his wife Diti. This was the second visit to the Synagogue by Mr. Ravner, a native of Poland who was born in Swidnica, near Dzierzoniow, emigrating to Israel when he was aged 5. He also served as vice-ambassador to the United Kingdom before appointment to his current position.

Mr. Ravner’s early August visit to us was part of a tour in which he visited Wroclaw and participated in a reunion of people born in Swidnica, who gathered from all over the world. Following their Synagogue visit, the Ravners attended a private dinner with Synagogue members in a very nice local restaurant. Mr. Ravner said he was impressed with the progress made on the Synagogue.