Israeli archeologists find remains of Great Synagogue of Vilna
Israeli archeologists announced on Wednesday they have unearthed remnants of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, one of the most treasured landmarks of European Jewry destroyed by the Nazis.
Using underground detection radars and equipment, scientists searching near a school in Vilnius found what they believe to be pieces of the synagogue that is widely considered to have been the most important institution of Lithuanian Jewry.
The Great Synagogue was built between 1630 and 1633, on the site of a synagogue built in 1572 (the location had first been used for a Jewish house of prayer in 1440), and remained an important fixture within the Jewish community until it was severely damaged during the Holocaust. The ruined synagogue and the “schulhof” complex that had grown around it were demolished by the Soviet authorities in 1955 to 1957.
The discovery was led by Dr. Yochanan Zeligman and Dr. Richard Freund from the archaeology department at the University of Hartford in the US state of Connecticut.
Archeological excavation on the site is slated to begin in 2016. Researchers hope that the site will give them a glimpse into how Jewish live thrived in Vilna post-World War I.
“We are very excited about this discovery, as this synagogue stands as a grand memorial to the Jewish community of Vilna,” the team of researchers said.