Posted on 06/11/20
| News Source: Vosizneias.com
SLONIM, BELARUS (VINnews) — The historic abandoned synagogue in Slonim, Belarus is up for sale. Belarus media report that the Slonim District Executive Committee Department of Culture has put it up for auction in Grodno on June 15. The starting price is €50,000.
Built in 1642 in the Baroque style, the synagogue, which is owned by the municipality, is the best preserved synagogue in Belarus, despite its precarious condition. Its interior preserves frescoes, a decorated Ark, and a four-pillar bimah, as well as other features.
Sale of the synagogue would be bound by certain restrictions due to the historic nature of the building, the media reports said.
It will be possible to reconstruct the synagogue as a religious building, or for cultural, educational or performance purposes. Moreover, “artistic, stylistic and design features” must be retained. A 5-year limit for carrying out the restoration process is also included in the terms.
The Slonim synagogue is currently the focus of a restoration campaign, initiated under the auspices of the Foundation for Jewish Heritage (FJH). Watch a video about the synagogue, prepared for the campaign: