Poland: Commemorative Plaque to be Unveiled on Former Przemysl Synagogue

Poland: Commemorative Plaque to be Unveiled on Former Przemysl Synagogue

(ISJM) On June 22, 2009 a commemorative plaque will be unveiled at the former Scheinbach Synagogue building (today the town library) in Przemyśl, Poland. The building was designed by Stanislaw Majersji (1872-1926) a graduate of the Lwów Politechnical School, and built between 1910 and 1918. Majerski had also designed the Rundbogenstil Reform Synagogue built in 1890.

The Scheinbach Synagogue survives, although much of it exterior decoration was stripped off in the post-War period, and its vivid interior painting of biblical scenes are view of the Holy Land (especially on the vaulted ceiling) is no longer visible (unknown whether was destroyed or is merely covered over). According to Diana Muir Appelbaum writing about the synagogues on the Jewish Przemyśl Blog, the building also had notable stained glass windows; both windows and paintings were by a Jewish Przemyśl artist named Adolf Bienenstock (1888-1937), a graduate of the Krakow Fine Art Academy who taught art at the Przemysl Gymnasium. I will try to post more information about this artist, until now unknown to me.

The ceremony begins at 12:30 PM at 15 Slowackiego St.

The plaque is a joint project of the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland and Mr. Michael Freund of Raanana in Israel.