Peitav Synagogue

The Peitav Synagogue (Latvian: Peitavas ielas sinagoga) or Peitav-Shul (Yiddish: פאייטאוו שול) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 6/8 Pietavas Street, Vecrīga, in Riga, Latvia.

Designed by Wilhelm Neumann in the Art Nouveau and Egyptian Revival styles, the synagogue was completed in 1905. It was devastated by Nazis and was partially destroyed on 4 July 1941. Used for profane purposes during World War II and damaged by bombings in 1995 and 1998, the synagogue was restored and reopened in 2009.^[1] It is a center of the Latvian Jewish community and recognized by the Latvian government as an architectural monument of national significance.^[2][3][4]

The synagogue was built 1903-1905, designed by architect Wilhelm Neumann in an Art Nouveau style with Egyptian Revival elements.^[5] When Riga's synagogues were burned in 1941 by the Nazis and their Latvian collaborators, the Peitav Synagogue was the only one to survive because of its location in the Old Town, adjacent to other buildings. Subsequently, during World War II, the synagogue was used as a warehouse.^[3]

Under Soviet rule, the synagogue was one of the relatively few allowed to remain open in the Soviet Union. After Latvian independence was restored in 1991, the synagogue was damaged by bombings in 1995 and 1998.^[6]

A restoration of the synagogue, partly funded by the European Union and by the Latvian government, was completed in 2009. The dedication ceremony was attended by Latvia's president Valdis Zatlers and prime minister Valdis Dombrovskis as well as by Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli-Yoel Edelstein.^[7]

1. ^ ^{a b} "Peitavas Synagogue in Riga". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
2. ^ Jewish Community of Latvia. "The Riga Synagogue on Peitavas Street (Peitav Shul)". jews.lv. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
3. ^ ^{a b} "Latvian president and prime minister join in celebration of Historic Riga Synagogue Renovation" (PDF). The Latvian Institute. August 27, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
4. ^ Shamee, Maureen (August 28, 2009). "Reopening of the renovated sole synagogue in Riga". European Jewish Press. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
5. ^ Morton, Paul (February 22, 2006). "Riga Synagogue sees new life ahead". Baltic Times. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
6. ^ "Latvian police chief sacked over Riga synagogue bombing". BBC News. April 2, 1998. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
7. ^ Rettig Gur, Haviv (August 30, 2009). "25 years and a Soviet prison sentence later". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved January 2, 2014.

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• History of the Jews in Latvia
  • The Holocaust
    • Jungfernhof concentration camp
    • Kaiserwald concentration camp
    • Salaspils camp
    • Burning of the Riga synagogues

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• Peitav Synagogue

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