Synagogue in Vel. Meziříčí, where the shop is located, the city can take over for a symbolic price

Velké Meziříčí – The new synagogue in Velké Meziříčí, built in the second half of the 19th century, is being offered by the Jewish community to the city for a symbolic price, if the city council finds a suitable use for it. A trader currently rents the neo-Gothic listed building, which is home to a market. According to Táňa Pelíšková, the vice-chairperson of the Jewish community in Brno, the rental income has allowed for the synagogue to be saved until a better purpose is found for it. She stated this during today’s two-hour debate on the potential transformation of the synagogue, which took place in the concert hall of the Jupiter club. About a hundred people attended. A concert in the synagogue followed.

Pelíšková described the decision to rent out the synagogue as rational but also very painful. "The function is not happy, but in a way it's saving the building, as it is in good condition, which we have confirmed," she said. According to her, the rental income has allowed the roof of the synagogue to be repaired, and its structural integrity is also sound. "But whenever money and willingness to do something about it arise, to make it once again a part of the public space in Meziříčí, that process can be initiated," she said, citing examples of other synagogues used as libraries or cultural halls.

Mayor Alexandros Kaminaras (for Společně VM) stated that the synagogue has had a very undignified function since World War II. According to him, tonight’s concert on the upper floor of the synagogue is the first social event that has taken place there since then. "This is the first, I hope, of a series of happenings that will serve as a tool to remind us of this building, that it is here and has some value," he said.

A survey of the New Synagogue was conducted two years ago by the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Brno University of Technology, according to earlier information from the city. The mayor told ČTK that before deciding to take over the monument, it is necessary to remind the public of its significance. "I think that decision will be on the agenda in some time, once we manage to prove that the building is indeed usable," he said. The last estimate of the costs for repairs to the synagogue last year was around 50 million CZK.

The New Synagogue was built from bare brick masonry between 1868 and 1870 and has been a listed monument since 1999. According to available data, this synagogue last served its purpose in 1940. Later, a floor was installed for storage, obscuring the view of the vault. In 1992, the synagogue was returned to the Jewish community of Brno through restitution. During today’s debate, it was mentioned that local people only re-entered the building in 1993, when a shopping center was established in the synagogue.

Next to the New Synagogue, the Old Synagogue, dating from the end of the 17th century, has been preserved. According to Pelíšková, repairs to this smaller Baroque building, costing around six million CZK, are now nearing completion. Gardens from both buildings lead to the Oslava River, and there are views of the castle from them.