As Yom Kippur began prior to sundown earlier this evening, Sunday, September 24, 2023, this article pertains to the oldest synagogue in Kraków: Synagoga Stara, which is the oldest synagogue building that is still standing in the country of Poland.
Oldest Synagogue in Kraków. Synagoga Stara.
Located in the historic Kazimierz district of Kraków — which is also known as the Jewish Quarter — Synagoga Stara is also known as the Old Synagogue, which is now a museum.
Several sources contradict each other as to when the building was constructed: either 1407 or 1492. The original building was rebuilt in 1570 by Mateo Gucci, who was an architect from Italy. The synagogue may not look like much from the outside…
…but it is beautiful on the inside, as items for Jewish ceremonial use are displayed in the old prayer rooms for men and women on the ground floor. They are presented in three main groups:
- The synagogue
- Holidays and annual festivals
- Private life and family life
For example, this Ark that is along the east wall of the building contains several Torahs, which are sacred scrolls in Judaism that contain the text of the Old Testament in Hebrew. The text consists of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, which are first five books of the Hebrew Bible. They are written by hand on scrolls of parchment by trained scribes.
This large menorah is labeled as a brass candelabra.
The permanent exhibition in the main prayer hall is dedicated to the synagogue and the most important holidays of the religious Jewish Calendar — such as the Day of the Sabbath, the Feast of Tabernacles, Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, which is the Day of Atonement.
Many exhibits are connected with burial ceremonies and remembrances of the dead as illustrated by paintings and photographs.
Each exhibit is accompanied by a comprehensive description; and Jewish traditions are explained.
Among the items on exhibit is a tallit, — I pronounce it as a tallis — which is a fringed garment that is worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jewish men. Attached to the four corners of the tallit are tzitzit, which are special twined and knotted fringes. Jewish men will kiss one of the tzitzit and touch a mezuzah with it when entering a home. A mezuzah is a piece of parchment that inscribed with specific verses from the Torah in Hebrew that are mounted to the doorposts of homes.
The Old Synagogue currently operates as a museum as a division of the Historical Museum of Kraków, with particular focus on the Jewish people of Kraków. The building itself was renovated from 1956 to 1959.
Final Boarding Call
The Old Synagogue is only one of several synagogues in Kraków — specifically, in Kazimierz — and some of the synagogues are still in use today. Absolutely visit the Old Synagogue to learn more about Judaism.
You can read about another historic synagogue in Europe — namely, the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest, which I visited on the day before Erev Yom Kippur several years ago.
If you observe Yom Kippur — which is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar — then may you have had an easy fast; and may 5784 be the best year yet for you.
Old Synagogue or Synagoga Stara
ulica Szeroka 24
31-053 Kraków
Poland
Telephone: 12-422-09-62 or 12-431-05-45
Fax: 12-431-05-45
E-mail: starasynagoga@muzeumkrakowa.pl or info@muzeumkrakowa.pl
Admission Fee For Tickets
Regular: 18 Polish złoty, which exchanges for approximately $4.16 in United States dollars
Concessionary: 14 Polish złoty, which exchanges for approximately $3.24 in United States dollars
Family: 36 Polish złoty, which exchanges for approximately $8.33 in United States dollars
Group: 14 Polish złoty, which exchanges for approximately $3.24 in United States dollars
Concessionary for group: 12 Polish złoty, which exchanges for approximately $2.78 in United States dollars
Hours of Operation
Mondays — 10:00 in the morning through 2:00 in the afternoon; and no admission fees are charged on Mondays
Tuesdays through Sundays — 10:00 in the morning through 6:00 in the evening
The building is closed on certain days of the year — such as tomorrow, Monday, September 25, 2023 for Yom Kippur. Check the official Internet web site for further information.
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
