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World Jewish News
Belarus Synagogue from Early 20th Century Demolished
08.05.2009
Head of the Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities (UBJPAC) Leonid Levin has met with the administration of the town of Liuban regarding the demolished synagogue which dated to the beginning of the 20th century.
"In the conversation with Levin, representatives of town authorities explained that, according to the general layout developed in 1980, the building of the former synagogue, which dated to the beginning of the 20th century, had been subject to demolition. In spite of certain project adjustments added in succeeding years, it was decided to pull down the building," Veronika Rusakova, a press-secretary of the UBJPAC reported.
According to the explanation of Liuban's authorities, the municipal government applied to the regional superior bodies regarding this issue and met with approval for pulling down the building, since the former synagogue had not been put in the list of historic and cultural monuments because of scarce basic data.
"Legally, authorities had just cause for pulling down this building," Mr. Levin explained. "But the moral, ethic and political sides of this issue do still exist."
The synagogue was built at the beginning of the 20th century on the money of Liuban's Jewish community. The town's population was 76% Jewish before the Second World War. Practically all of these Jews were exterminated in flames of the Holocaust. This synagogue was a unique monument of wooden architecture. It is connected to the
life and work of outstanding rabbi Moshe Feinstein."
Unfortunately, this historic building does not exist today. As it is specified in the final report of the municipal commission, the building was in the state of failure and was not subject to reconstruction.
In the course of the conversation, Mr. Levin particularly emphasized that town authorities, unfortunately, had not informed the Jewish community.
He also mentioned that measuring drawings, engineering survey sheet and other necessary documents usually drawn up at the demolition of such historic objects had not been made.
In the course of the meeting, the parties listened to each other attentively. At the suggestion of town authorities, they agreed to establish the museum of history and Liuban Jews' memory as well as of Rabbi Feinstein in the remaining
building of the second synagogue.
Leonid Levin on behalf of the Jewish community of Belarus expressed a wish that town authorities take responsibility for the demolished building and do their best to preserve the remaining elements to enable their further use in
commemorating of the destroyed.
Under any variants of this site's development, the history of this place should be marked with a commemorative sign.
Agreement on the next meeting for making final decision on this situation was reached.
Besides, the Jewish community of Belarus made a request to urgently enter the building of the second wooden synagogue into the list of historic and cultural monuments.
Both parties noted the mutual constructive approach to solution of the problem in the circumstances concerned.
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