Synagogue and Jewish Museum, Worms
The Alte Synagoge in Worms. Photo © Planetware.
Location map and satellite view of the Alte Synagogue in Worms. For a
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North of the Altstadt is the restored old Jewish Quarter of Worms. Before World War II, Worms had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Germany. Today it is home to a rebuilt Romanesque synagogue and Jewish museum.
History
This area around Judengasse has been home to a Jewish community since at least the 10th century. The first synagogue was built in 1034, on the site of the Rashi-Haus (which now houses the Jewish museum). The original inscription left by the founder has been placed in the wall next to the entrance of the current synagogue.
A school was a built next to the synagogue, one student of which went on to achieve great fame as a scholar: Rabbi Salomon ben Isaak of Troyes (France), also known as Rashi, who studied here around 1060. A modern monument to him stands in the courtyard and the school is now called the Raschi-Haus. The original synagogue was destroyed during the Crusade of 1096.
At the same the Romanesque Kaiserdom was being constructed in Worms, a new Men's Synagogue (now called the Alte Synagoge) was built. Completed in 1175 in a Late Romanesque style, it employed the same masons as the cathedral and used many of the same designs.
A mikveh (ritual bath) was added to the complex in 1186 and In 1212, an early Gothic women's room was added to the north end.
The synagogue was damaged and restored a number of times throughout the Middle Ages, especially after pogroms in 1349 and 1615. Other modifications were made to keep up with the times. Since the Middle Ages, the Raschi-Haus was used variously as a school, a meeting house, a dance hall, wedding hall and a hospital.
The Alte Synagoge was tragically burned to the ground on Kristallnacht in 1938 and further destroyed by World War II bombing and malicious destruction on the ground. The Jewish community was also destroyed and scattered, and there is no longer a substantial community of Jews in Worms.
Nevertheless, because of the historic nature of the synagogue, it was rebuilt using the old stones and rededicated in 1961. It is officially owned by the Jewish community of Mainz, who occasionally uses it for services. Jewish members of the American army also worship here. A Jewish Museum was founded in 1982 in the Raschi-Haus.
What to See
The Alte Synagoge was rebuilt in 1961 using the original stones. Among the survivals from the original building are the original brickwork up to about 1.5 meters high, the Romanesque portal carved by the cathedral's masons, and the founder's inscription of the 1034 synagogue, in the reconstructed wall next to the entrance.
Next to the synagogue is the Talmudic teaching room known as the Raschi-Kapelle and the underground mikveh (ritual bath). Both are open at the same times as the synagogue (see below) and free to enter.
Housed in the Raschi-Haus (the former school where the famous scholar studied) is the a Jewish Museum, with models, documents, plans, religious objects, pieces from the original synagogue, and photographs that provide insight into the long and rich history of Judaism in Worms.
A staff member inside can point you in the direction of the Heiliger Sand (Jewish Cemetery), in the southwest corner of town off the Lutherring, which is one of the oldest and largest in Europe.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Alte Synagoge; Wormser Synagoge; Old Synagogue; Worms Synagogue Jüdisches Museum; Jewish Museum; Raschi-Haus Museum |
| Type of site: | Synagogue; Jewish museum |
| Dates: | Synagogue: In use 1175-1938; rebuilt 1961 Museum: 11th-century school; museum founded 1982 |
| Status: | Synagogue: Active |
| Address: | Hintere Judengasse, Worms, Germany |
| Phone: | 06241/8534701 |
| Bus: | 2 |
| Hours: | Synagogue: Apr-Oct: daily 10-12:30, 1:30-5pm; Nov-Mar 10-noon, 2-4pm Museum: Tues-Sun 10am-12:30pm, 1:30-5pm |
| Cost: | Synagogue: Free Museum: €1.50 |
Sources
- The Rough Guide to Germany 6 (April 2004).
- Synagoge und Mikwe - Judenviertel - Worms.de
- Worms - JewishEnyclopedia.com
- The Synagogue at Worms - The Occident and American Jewish Advocate
