Synagogue

Balbronn Synagogue
Balbronn SynagogueAs early as the 17th century, a Jewish community was reported in Balbronn. This can be seen from census records. The former synagogue is located at 47-48 rue Balbach in the so-called "Maison des Juifs" building, which dates back to 1638. Nevertheless, the building was not used as a synagogue until around 1730.
The second floor housed the worship hall, while the mikveh, now filled in, was located in a neighboring house. This was a ritual bath used for the ablution necessary for family purity rites, which is one of the central places in Jewish community life.
In the town center, it's possible to observe medieval houses that still bear the trace of the notch left by the mezuzah on the door dials. These are Jewish cult objects affixed to the frame of a home's front door.
Today, two synagogues exist in Balbronn: the 17th-18th-century one and the new modern one on Rue des Femmes. The Jewish population sometimes reached a fifth of the village, with 207 inhabitants in 1882 at its peak, out of a total of 995 inhabitants.
The modern synagogue dates from the 19th century, 1895, and is in a neo-Romanesque style. The building has been listed as a historic monument since 1999, and has not been used since 1989. The synagogue was restored in the 1960s after being ransacked by the Germans during the Second World War. At the time the buildings were constructed, Alsace was part of the German Empire and therefore inherited the Rundbogenstil style that appeared there in the 19th century. The Holy Ark, the ark containing the Torah scrolls, faces the entrance, but has now been emptied of its scrolls. Between 100 men and 60 women could sit in the synagogue. &nbsp