Prague has a rich Jewish heritage over the centuries, which is preserved in the Jewish Museum. Also, during those centuries, the Jewish community experienced discrimination and multiple expulsions. Prior to the Nazi “Jewish Question in Bohemia and Moravia,” there were more than 100,000 Jewish citizens in Prague. Over a period of a few short years, the Nazis answered that question by murdering nearly 80,000 of these individuals. The Jewish Museum in Prague tells and preserves these sobering statistics and the story of the ridiculous question that led to the despicable answer.
The museum consists of four historic synagogues, a cemetery, and an art gallery. Visitors can experience all or just parts of the museum. I spent one morning wandering through the four synagogues and cemetery. The historic spaces with the stories of those who worshipped there provided a beautiful yet tragic story of an amazing community.
Pinkas Synagogue
My wanderings began at the Pinkas Synagogue, which borders the Old Jewish Cemetery. This synagogue memorializes the nearly 80,000 victims from the Bohemian lands of the Holocaust. The simple and lovely architecture serves as the canvas on which their names have been lovingly painted. Prayers play quietly throughout the space.
Upstairs is a permanent exhibit about the children who experienced this terrible episode of history. The Jewish community moved from Prauge to Terezin, an old fort city set up as a model ghetto. The leaders of this community wanted to minimize the impact on the children by continuing education and other programs for them as best they could. Part of this included art classes. The exhibit at Pinkas Synagogue shows some of the drawings from these children who were uprooted and eventually murdered. Their memories of home, of Prague, were extremely sad to me.
Old Jewish Cemetery
Behind the Pinkas Synagogue lies the Old Jewish Cemetery with hundreds of headstones crammed into such a tight space. It is really quite an amazing sight. Jewish tradition dictates you don’t disturb a grave. This explains why so many markers crowd together. You build up if you can’t build out. Over the centuries, the cemetery grew taller, and markers were moved to the top of the mound. This means you’ll see headstones from hundreds of years apart right next to each other and why you can seemingly walk down into the cemetery where there are graves at head level or above.
At the other side of the cemetery stands an old building that is part of the museum. This Ceremonial Hall is just over 100 years old. The burial society prepared bodies for burial in this building including ceremonial washings. An exhibit inside talks about this society and include Jewish burial paraphernalia.
Maisel Synagogue
Another beautiful synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue houses an exhibition of Jewish history in Prague. The community grew and shrank many times through its history. Almost always there were special laws against the Jewish community, even when they were in favor with the rulers of the time.
Spanish Synagogue
As I previously wrote, the Spanish Synagogue is beautiful! As part of my wanderings of the Jewish Museum, I found my way back to this spectacular building. The late morning light showed the space differently from the night of the concert. After gawking for a few minutes downstairs, I went to the balcony where display cases tell more of the story of Jewish people of Prague. A higher vantage point brought me closer to the magnificent detailed decoration on the ceilings.
Old-New Synagogue
Historically speaking, the most significant building in the museum sits just a block away from the Ceremonial Hall. The Old-New Synagogue is a simple gothic landmark. Completed almost 750 years ago, the Old-New Synagogue still holds services as the oldest active synagogue in Europe. Technically, not a part of the Jewish Museum in Prague, a combined ticket can be purchased, or visitors can get tickets just to this lovely building. Unlike many of the medieval structures built in Prague, the Old-New Synagogue retains its original gothic style. The inside feels a bit like a very simple gothic church, in terms of design elements and motifs. This isn’t surprising since it was the same people who built those that built the synagogue because Jewish people were not allowed to be craftsman and builders at the time.
