Buynaksk Synagogue
History
During the Caucasian War, Jews found refuge by taking refuge in fortified fortresses built by soldiers of the tsarist army. In one of these fortresses, in Temir-Khan-Shurá (now Buynaksk), Jews moved from different villages: Madzhalis, Dorgeli, Erpeli, as well as from Qırmızı Qəsəbə and Derbent.
In the 1850s, a community of Mountain Jews arose in the fortress, whose rabbis sent a petition to the tsar to build a synagogue. Permission was received and in 1860, with funds collected by the entire community, construction began on a building according to a project sent from Lithuanian Kovno, nowadays Kaunas. Not only residents helped, but also wealthy Jews from Derbent and Qırmızı Qəsəbə. By the holiday of Passover in 1862, the community celebrated the opening of the synagogue.
The synagogue building served the Jews for over a century. In the 90s of the 20th centuries, Mountain Jews began to leave Buynaksk, which led to the closure of the synagogue. Since the building is not in use, it is constantly exposed to sudden temperature changes and therefore inevitably deteriorates and collapses.
Acts of vandalism were committed against the synagogue building: windows were repeatedly broken, property was destroyed, and arson was committed. In 1995, an explosive device was placed under the gates of the synagogue. In 2021, Molotov cocktails were thrown into the windows of the synagogue. On May 21, 2022, another arson of the synagogue was committed. As a result, the walls of the building, its original interior decoration, including characteristic ornaments and stained-glass windows, are under threat of complete destruction.
Jewish organizations in Russia, with the participation of local and republican authorities, discussed the restoration of the synagogue, but the problem was never resolved.
See also
- History of the Jews in Buynaksk
- Judaism in Dagestan
- History of the Jews in Russia
- List of synagogues in Russia
References
- ^ "Открывая синагогу "Темирхан-Шура"". alanicamuseum.art.
- ^ "Буйнакская синагога — историческая реликвия евреев Кавказа". STMEGI.
- ^ "Синагога Темир-Хан-Шуры | Журнал Дагестан". September 3, 2024.