Beith Hamidrash Restoration Project News
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As reported in our July Newsletter, excavation work under the Beith Hamidrash building and its yard started on May 28, 2018. The work finished seven weeks later with exciting findings of old structures and an old cellar.
Although the work has been completed, we are still awaiting the official report by the Monument Board of Slovakia which needs to send a team of surveyors to measure the land and the findings for the commission’s final report.
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Numerous valuable artifacts were discovered during the digging. Among them, precious ceramics from the 18th century, decorated pipes from the 17th century and tiles with a big explanatory value, which demonstrate the involvement of the Jewish community in Bardejov’s urban industry. One precious finding was the military sign of a Jewish soldier who served in the Austro-Hungarian army.
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Ceramics from the 18th century were among the artifacts discovered during the excavation
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Last but not least, we would like to take the opportunity to thank the 36 volunteers who—together with Pavol Hudák— worked on the excavations at the Jewish suburbia site. The team, supervised by archaeologist Peter Harčár, did a tremendous job uncovering the past life of the Jewish Suburbia.
We are currently awaiting the official results of the excavation and we will be happy to share details with you very soon.
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The student volunteers from Leonard Stockel High School in Bardejov who worked on the excavations at the Jewish suburbia site
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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‘Jewish Wanderings’ Tour Focused on Beith Hamidrash Excavation
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On Sunday, July 15, locals and tourists joined Pavol Hudák and archaeologist Peter Harčár for yet another unique evening of 'Jewish Wanderings'. Neither the unsteady rainy weather nor FIFA World Cup finale discouraged the approximately fifty people who joined this yearly event - organized by the Bardejov Tourist and Information Center and Vita in Suburbia. This year, the tour was focused on the traces of the Jewish community of Bardejov as revealed by the recent excavation in the Jewish Suburbia.
As in previous years, the introduction to the tour took place in Bardejov’s Main Square where Pavol Hudák provided valuable insight into the history of Bardejov’s Jewish community. He stressed that Bardejov had been a tolerant town with many different religions and minorities cohabitating the small land. This can be seen by looking around the main square and observing the towers of various churches. This peaceful life was interrupted by Hitler in 1938 when Jews in Europe and in Bardejov were persecuted. The animosity culminated with the deportation of 1942, which resulted in the disappearance of the Bardejov Jewish community. From being the sixth largest community in town, today there is almost no trace of it.
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After the presentation of the exterior archaeological digs, participants moved inside Beith Hamidrash where a multimedia presentation was prepared by Pavol Hudák showing old pictures and details of old maps with a thorough historical description
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Pavol further explained that Jews had been living in Bardejov since the very early days of Bardejov’s establishment, and indeed the first mention of the presence of a Jewish community dates back to 1247. Over the centuries, they were able to develop and build three synagogues and about ten prayer houses, and they were actively engaged in the economic development of the town and its industry. As people walked from the town square to the Jewish Suburbia, Mr. Hudák showed them several remains and indications of the Jewish past.
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As people walked from the town square to the Jewish Suburbia, Mr. Hudák showed several remains and indications of the Jewish past
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The Suburbia was the center of the active community life as was uncovered and confirmed by the recent excavation work. As indicated in the available historical map, the yard behind Beith Hamidrash was hiding the structure of a previous building and of the first mikveh that once stood on the site.
Participants were honored to be the first to get a closer look at the excavation results accompanied by passionate and interesting speeches from Pavol Hudák and archaeologist Peter Harčár from the Monument Board of Slovakia. The findings show a rich and lively development on the limited piece of land which, due to its size, didn’t allow for expansion. Thus invention in rebuilding was enforced to help the community grow effectively.
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Archaeologist Peter Harčár, explains the meaning of the exterior digs to the interested participants
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Archaeologist Peter Harčár explains the value of the many artifacts discovered during the excavation work
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Summer Events
at the Restored Synagogue in Bardejov
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Since its restoration, the old Synagogue has been a center of cultural and educational events, supported by the City of Bardejov. In addition to gatherings of students and community groups which we have reported on in the past, concerts of both classical music and of Jewish music have been taking place in the synagogue as well. The concerts are subsidized with the support of the City and Vita in Suburbia (the organization operating the Synagogue) and have attracted many people.
In July, two concerts took place in the Synagogue. The first was part of the summer program dedicated to Béla Kéler’s music. The composer, born in 1820 in the City of Bardejov, was active in Hungary, Austria and Germany. He was very popular as a composer of orchestral and dance music, and was looked upon as one of the best writers of violin solos.
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A crowd of about one hundred people filled the four sides of the Synagogue to hear music by Béla Kéler- a famous composer born in Bardejov in 1820
Photo by Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Slovak soprano singer Mariana Pilárová and mezzo-soprano singer Erika Šporerová performed music composed by Béla Kéler, Antonín Dvořák and Mikuláš Schneider. Pianist Marie Horáčková accompanied the singers who provided a unique experience to more than one hundred people who attended.
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Slovak soprano singer Mariana Pilárová sings at the Béla Kéler Concert
Source: Ferdinand Hažlinský
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The three artists who performed the Béla Kéler concert stand in the entrance to the synagogue
Source: Ferdinand Hažlinský
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The second concert also filled the synagogue with enthusiastic listeners. Gergely Nógrádi, the cantor of the Frankel Synagogue in Budapest, is a phenomenal artist who enchanted audiences on all continents. His performance was an unforgettable experience of touching Jewish melodies.
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Cantor Gergely Nógrádi, who was awarded by the European Cantor Association for "Europe's Best Cantor Voice" sings in Bardejov's synagogue
Source: Ferdinand Hažlinský
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Our mission is to preserve Bardejov’s Jewish Heritage, memorialize and honor Bardejov Holocaust victims, and conduct educational outreach to school and community groups to teach tolerance and diversity. The Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee is not funded by any grants and depends solely on the support of generous individuals.
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