Synagogue (Lukiw)

Synagogue in Lukiw before 1939

Support bima (left) and Torah shrine (in the background)

The synagogue of Lukiw in the Oblast Volyn in the Ukraine was built in 1781 and the Second World War destroyed.

history

The vestibule rooms were probably built at the same time as the main hall. Later extensions were added on the west side that were the same height as the main hall. On the upper floor there were the women's prayer rooms, which could be reached via an outer wooden staircase. Two floors with rooms were also added later on the south side. It is assumed that the entire roof was originally hidden behind a high parapet , which, however, was torn down in the course of the additions on the sides and that the parapets on the west and east sides were given additional gables.

The main hall also got a gable roof at the latest by this time .

The interior was renovated in the 1930s.

architecture

The main hall was almost square. Its outer walls (originally in the south and north) were divided into three fields by pilasters ; in each of these fields there was an arched window. The walls inside were richly decorated in a primitive Rococo style .

The wooden Torah shrine also had rich, multicolored decorations. It not only filled the middle field of the wall, but also covered the pilasters there with its wings. It was divided into three steps, which became narrower towards the top. The window there was framed by the upper step.

The bima was located in the middle of the main hall inside a tower made up of four octagonal columns, which reached up to the ceiling and supported the vault ( supporting bima ).

The ceiling was divided into nine fields; the eight fields outside the bimat tower had a cross vault and the field inside the bimat tower was covered by a small dome.

Figures above the front door

Entrance door ornaments

Above the lintel was a hand-held scroll that indicated the year of construction (1781) and the builder (Ezekiel from Sokal ). This was framed by a chained bear and a cow. This is interpreted as a representation of the prophecy and the cow and the she-bear will graze together ... ( Isaiah 11: 7). Since this relates to the future, the bear is still chained to be on the safe side.

Individual evidence

↑ Maria and Kazimierz Piechotka: Heaven's Gates. Masonry synagogues in the territories of the former Polish - Lithuania Commonwealth. Page 440 ff. Polish Institute of World Art Studies & POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw 2017, ISBN 978-83-942344-3-0 . Detailed description.
↑ Sergey R. Kravtsov, Vladimir Levin: Synagogues in Ukraine Volhynia. Volume 1, pp. 95, 96. The Center For Jewish Art, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ISBN 978-965-227-342-0 Interpretation of the representation above the entrance.

Web links

Commons : Synagogue (Lukiw) - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

[1] Maria and Kazimierz Piechotka: Heaven's Gates. Masonry synagogues in the territories of the former Polish - Lithuania Commonwealth. Page 440 ff. Polish Institute of World Art Studies & POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw 2017, ISBN 978-83-942344-3-0 . Detailed description.

[2] Sergey R. Kravtsov, Vladimir Levin: Synagogues in Ukraine Volhynia. Volume 1, pp. 95, 96. The Center For Jewish Art, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ISBN 978-965-227-342-0 Interpretation of the representation above the entrance.