The Jewish Heritage of Belarus

The Great Synagogue in Bykhov was built in the 17th century and reconstructed later in the 18th century. It is one of the best-preserved synagogues in Belarus. Around the year 1990, the building was abandoned. The documentation undertaken in 1993 lead to the discovery of the remains of stucco decoration and paintings in the dome of the bimah support. The only preserved painting was a depiction of a vase located on one of the piers of the bimah.

The Great Synagogue in Stolin was built in 1790-1793 in the neo-classicist style with help from the owner of the town, Kashtan Kozenewski. In 1827 the building was damaged by fire and later restored. After World War II the building was used for grain storage until it was abandoned in the 1980s. It currently is in disrepair and missing its roof.

The Great Synagogue in Indura is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1883-84. The synagogue in the historicist style was damaged during the Second World War and then misused. In the post-war period, the building of the former synagogue was given to the collective farm, which adapted it for a fertilizer warehouse. During this time, the appearance of the synagogue was changed, several wooden outbuildings appeared, and the interior was almost completely destroyed. The synagogue is now abandoned.

The Volozhin yeshiva (centre for the study of Torah and Talmud) was built around 1803. In the 19th century, the Yeshiva had a great influence and welcomed more than 100 students during its heyday. It remained in operation for almost a century, until 1892, when Rabbi Netziv closed the yeshiva, refusing to introduce secular studies like the government asked. Today the synagogue serves as a cultural centre.

The Great Synagogue or simply known as the Slonim Synagogue is a 17th-century former synagogue building in a baroque style. It was erected in 1642 as part of the town’s fortification system. In 1881 the synagogue was heavily damaged by a fire. It is now the subject of a restoration project under the Foundation for Jewish Heritage.

The Great Beit Midrash in Ivianets was likely first established in 1792. The current wooden building was built around 1912. After WWII, the building housed a cinema, and later a cultural centre. In 2005, old frescoes were found on the walls of the building. In 2010, the synagogue was transferred to a Jewish religious association.