Synagogues Without Jews

In the face of claims that synagogues no longer remain in the smaller cities and towns of central, eastern, and southern Europe, the authors (retired Americans living in Jerusalem) went in search of these lost synagogues and found their remains -- and often, to their delight, their magnificent renovations. Through words and more than 300 exquisite photographs, Synagogues Without Jews tells the colorful histories of over thirty Jewish communities - in Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, northern Italy, Greece, and the Czech and Slovak Republics - that thrived before World War II. It is filled with floor plans, elevations, full-color photographs, and descriptions of the synagogues that were the pride and joy of their congregations. And there are stories of people - Jews of the past who helped their communities flourish, and Jews of present who remain, safeguarding their beloved synagogues and passing their memories onto the next generation. This stunning book deserves to be in every Jewish home as a treasured reminder of how precious our history is.