Until the Second World War, 12 synagogues and houses of worship functioned in Liepaja (Libava). The most significant was the Great Choral (1) synagogue on 13 Petera St( now Kuršu 11/13) It was a very beautiful building and the largest and most artistically appreciated synagogues in Latvia
The Liepāja Great Choral Synogogue
The Choral Synagogue in Liepaja was built from 1870 to 1873 in the neo-Renaissance style, following the model of the Oranienburger Strasse synagogue 4) ( now the Neue Synagoge) in Berlin. The western side of the synagogue was crowned with three domes. Photos of the Great Choral Synagogue in Liepaja were replicated on postcards as a landmark of the city.
The construction of the Choral Synagogue caused a bitter conflict with the followers of its traditional construction. Gaon r. Eliyahu Leader, who was then a Rabbi in Zhagori (now Žagare, Lithuania) and a Rabbi from Goldingen (now Kuldiga), imposed a ban, because there was a Star of David on a dome of the ridge of the roof which looked like a cross from a distance. The bima (pulpit , elevation) was located next to the aron kodesh (cabinet for storing the Torah) – a holy place. In addition, the women’s gallery of the synagogue was built very low so that women were half visible.
For three years the synagogue was empty because of this prohibition, and the hired minyan (2) of German Jews was going to disperse from day to day. It is said that in the hard times of hunger they promised to pay well the Jews from the market is they would go to the synagogue to pray, but no one went there. In 1876, the Lithuanian Orthodox rabbis Hillel and Eliyahu (Eli Dov Ber Levinson) intervened in the matter, as a result of which a peaceful agreement was concluded. Thanks to their efforts, the Star of David was removed from the dome, the bima was moved to the center, and the gallery for women was raised higher.
The Liepaja Great Choral Synagogue had a high-level cantor (3) choir and a boys ‘choir, which accompanied the cantors’ singing on holidays. On such days, the Choral Synagogue was full of people, and not only Jews came to listen to their singning, but also representatives of other nationalities – lovers of liturgical music. Well-known European cantors, such as Moshe Koussevitsky and others, often came on tour to Liepaja.Abram Michelson, born in Liepaja in 1919 performed in the Choral Synagogue already from the age of 3. Later he became the most outstanding personality in cantor singing.Alan Michelson passed away on September 29, 1991 in Woodland Hills (California, USA).
Liepaja Great Choral Synagogue Cantor and Boys’ Choir
The Liepāja Great Choral Synagogue was destroyed on 13-15 July 1941 during the Nazi occupation.
Distruction of the Liepāja Great Choral synagogue