The exhibition about Jakub Egit and his Yishuf / settlement in Lower Silesia had its first showing in der Landesvertretung des Landes Niedersachsen (seat of the representative of Lower Saxony) in Berlin during December 2010. (see also Jacob Egit and the Jewish Community after 1945 page under History).

Following the showing in Berlin, the exhibition travelled to Krzyżowa / Kreisau, Sitz der Stiftung Kreisau für Europäische Verständigung / Fundacja Krzyżowa dla Porozumienia Europejskiego during February-March 2011, and during April 2011 to Wroclaw / Breslau in the Edith Stein Haus / Dom Edyty Stein. Finally, the exhibition will find its permanent home in our synagogue. Opening date will be rosh hashana (September 29, 2011).

Other developments

Much has been accomplished or is still happening, in order to make the synagogue not only a dignified place of worship, but also a place for exhibitions and meetings that is safe, climate controlled offers esthetically a dignified environment.

Recent important installations

Security / Alarm System:

We installed a new internet connection and increased the number of roving cameras from four to six.

Rehabilitation of the foundation of the synagogue building:

The synagogue is more than 135 years old. As in the case of other buildings of such age, one had to expect that the foundation was seriously damaged by moisture and shifting soil. Fortunately, thanks to the conscientious work of the original builders, the damage turned out to be much less than expected. But important rehabilitation work on the building had to be done. We were fortunate. As our president Rafael Blau gratefully acknowledged, “the workmen [in the pictures] are ‘our’ prisoners!! They are still helping us very much !! Without their help, most of the work and the projects now in progress would not have been possible without their dedicated, skilled work!! (“Our prisoners” are inmates of the local penal institution and work for our synagogue as volunteers under the honor system).

More Summer Activities

A special Day!

The installation of the aron hakodesz (the ark) in the synagogue. Here are the detailed photographs taken before the installation of the aron hakodesh in our synagogue. This is a historic piece from an unknown Silesian synagogue; it has found a new home in our synagogue.

AND ON WE GO!
We thank you for your interest and your generosity.

Ceiling repairs

After years of decay, the broken windows and the leaky roof of the synagogue are now repaired, but the interior plaster walls and the ceiling from 1875 remained in very bad shape, until a crew of inmates of the local penal institution volunteered to knock off the old plaster, replacing it with insulating panels and fresh plaster.

Inmates – Lunch break

In return and as recognition of the good work, the Jewish community offered a number of lectures about Jewish history to the inmates.

Mr. and Mrs. Brasack spent more than four hours in and around the old synagogue, enjoying a rich program that included a luncheon served in the synagogue. The City of Dzierżoniów was represented by Mrs. Ostrowska, deputy mayor. The Lutheran Church was represented by Pastor Leszek Wierzbicki, the Catholic Church by Vice Deacon Father Jarosław Leśniak.

Further guests of honor included :

Dr. Annemarie Franke, Director Kreisau Foundation
Mrs. Dorin Blau Vice President Fundacja Beiteinu Chaj-2004
Mr. Marcin Olczyk, Chairman of the Board, Fundacja Beiteinu Chaj-2004
Mr. Itzak Gingold, Chairman of the Jewish community Dzier?oniów
Mr. Lucian Węgel, former mayor of the City of Dzierżoniów
Dr. Ryszard Bielawski, honorable member, Fundacja Beiteinu Chaj-2004

Highlights of the visit were:

1. Opening and welcoming addresses by Rafael Blau, president of the foundation, Mr Marek Pioruń, Mayor of the City of Dzierżoniów, and Consul General Mr. Bernhard Brasack.
2. The planting of trees around the old synagogue, replacing the original trees planted after 1875 that had to be removed on account of age and disease.The guests planted a number of trees dedicated to persons who had played an important part in the history of the synagogue and its current restoration. A list of persons remembered will be placed in the website shortly.
3. Presentation by mgr. Anna Grużlewska on “Jewish Life in Dzierżoniów 1900 – 1940”.
4. Musical Interlude.
5. Presentation by mgr. Ewa Śliwa, cordinator for our youth program, “Our Synagogue – its past and present and our plans for its future.”
6. Presentation by Dr. Dominik Kretschmann, International Meeting Place Krzyżowa, on “Reminiscences of the Jewish Settlement in Lower Silesia 1945-1948”, about the international seminar for students from Germany, Poland and Israel, jointly organized and presented by the Krzyżowa Foundation and the Beiteinu Chaj Foundation of the synagogue of Dzierżoniów (summer 2010).
7. Second musical interlude.
8. Summary and Commentary by Consul General Bernhard Brasack.
9. Questions and Discussion.
10. The guests also had the opportunity to view two exhibitions in the synagogue:
    • “Our Synagogue – its past and present and our plans for its future”
    • “The History of the Jewish Community of Norway” courtesy of the Bente Kahan Foundation

The visit is considered a full success bringing various communities together and presenting the restoration project of the Dzierżoniów synagogue to a wider audience. The event was reported in the local newspaper in two articles and also by TV Sudecka (see under Videos).

Excerpts from the event that was video-recorded in its entirety will be entered in this website within the next few weeks.