Gloss of lights and tradition: CHANUKKA celebrated in the Baden Synagogue!

Gloss of lights and tradition: CHANUKKA celebrated in the Baden Synagogue!

Grabengasse 14, 2500 Baden, Österreich - On December 8, 2024, the Synagogue Baden opened its doors for the "open day" on the occasion of CHANUKKA. Visitors had the opportunity to visit the impressive building and to receive interesting information from the Jewish Infopoint, as meinbezirk.at . A special highlight was the lecture by Landesrabbi Schlomo Hofmeister, followed by a rousing CHANUKKA concert with Roman Grinberg and his Klezmer Bigband. The event attracted numerous interested parties, including Mayor Stefan Szirucsek and Peter Zanzinger, who were received by Rebecca Eder and Natanel Pretzel.

A look at the history of the synagogue

Baden near Vienna was once the third largest Jewish community in Austria, with places for community and religious practices. The synagogue in Grabengasse testifies to this eventful past. According to Jewishhistorybaden.com the synagogue was opened in 1871 and was able to grasp up to 500 people. Despite its destruction during the November pogroms in 1938, the building survived the time and was renovated after the war. In 2005 the synagogue was again handed over to the Jewish community. Today it not only acts as a prayer site, but also as a center for intercultural encounters in which events take place.

The synagogue has an important story that goes back to the time before the First World War when it served as a central place for the Jewish community. Today's use as a cultural and educational institution shows that Jewish history in Baden remains alive, while the community continues to play an active role in society.