History

A Jewish community is documented to have been established in Przedbórz by 1570. At the beginning of the Second World War, the town was 60% Jewish.

The building was erected after the previous synagogue burnt down in 1754, but completed by 1760, the date given on a wall painting.

It was destroyed in 1939.

Architecture

The synagogue of Przedbórz, regarded as one of Poland's "most beautiful" wooden synagogues, once drew tourists to the small town.

The synagogue, built on a stone foundation, featured a main hall 14.20 meters long with a women's balcony above a large vestibule or side hall. The barrel vault

Barrel vault

A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...

ed main hall rose to a height of 8.80 meters. The wooden, barrel vaulted ceiling was paneled in wood in an intricate lunette and star motif that gave something of the impression of an intricate, curved lattice-work. An elaborate, octagonal, Baroque

Baroque

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 Bimah

Bimah

A bimah A bimah A bimah (among Ashkenazim, derived from Hebrew בּמה , almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim) is the elevated area or platform in a Jewish synagogue which is intended to serve the place where the person reading aloud from the Torah stands during the Torah reading...

 rose in three tiers almost to the ceiling, but ended in a decorative finial topped by an eagle with wings outspread, and did not touch or support the roof. The Baroque Torah Ark was elaborately carved with lions rampant, floral decorations, and animals.

The walls were elaborately painted with a menorah, an illustration of Psalm 137

Psalm 137

Psalm 137 is one of the best known of the Biblical psalms. Its opening lines, "By the rivers of Babylon..." have been set to music on several occasions....

 featuring trees beside the river of Babylon with musical instruments hanging form the branches, landscapes of towns, the texts of prayers surrounded by garlands of leaves and flowers, and other motifs. High on the north wall a painted legend read, "This is the work of Yehuda Leb's own hands, 1760."

Reconstruction project

In 2002, Congregation Beth Israel (Berkeley, California)

Congregation Beth Israel (Berkeley, California)

Congregation Beth Israel is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Berkeley, California. Established in 1924 as the Berkeley Hebrew Center, it traces its origins to the First Hebrew Congregation of Berkeley, founded in 1909. It was Berkeley's first synagogue, and remains its oldest...

, in need of a new building, began a campaign to construct a replica of the Przedborz Synagogue. The project had to be abandoned when fundraising fell short.