The Synagogue of Fontainebleau is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the southeast end of Rue Paul-Séramy, before Place du Bois-d'Hyver and not far from downtown Fontainebleau, in the southwest of Département of Seine-et-Marne, France. The building and its land are adjacent to the gardens of the Palace of Fontainebleau.
| Synagogue of Fontainbleau | |
|---|---|
Synagogue de Fontainbleau | |
 The synagogue in 2021 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Year consecrated | April 4, 1965 |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 38 Rue Paul-Séramy, Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne |
| Country | France |
  Location of the synagogue in France | |
| Geographic coordinates | 48°24′12″N 2°42′15″E / 48.403401°N 2.704092°E |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | c. 1840s (as a congregation) |
| Completed |
|
The modern-day synagogue was completed in 1965, to replace an earlier synagogue, completed in 1857, which was burned down during the Nazi occupation of France in 1941.
History
editThe first religious site for Jews in the city was created by the Wahl brothers in a Hôtel particulier on Rue des Trois-Maillets and then later in a house close to Rue des Maudinés (today Rue des Pins) behind Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs. In 1845, the Jews of Fontainebleau requested money from Queen Amélie to repair their house of prayer.[citation needed]
First synagogue
editGroundbreaking on the synagogue began on May 21, 1856.[1] The synagogue was financed through a raffled organized by Baroness Rothschild.[citation needed] The synagogue was consecrated occurred on August 23, 1857.[2] On this occasion the torah scrolls were transferred to the Rue des Pins location.[citation needed]
Following the invasion of Nazi forces in 1940, the synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. The synagogue was burned April 10–12, 1941, not by the Nazis, but by French collaborators, who were not identified.[3]
A memorial plaque to the first synagogue was placed on the wall a building at 36 Rue Paul-Séramy.
Modern synagogue
editA new synagogue was rebuilt following the war.[4] The synagogue was consecrated on April 4, 1965, with Chief Rabbi of France Jacob Kaplan, Chief Rabbi of Pairs Meyer Jaïs and Alain de Rothschild, President of the Israelite Central Consistory of Paris.[5][4]
The building adopted a rectangular design. The Ten Commandments are mounted above the entrance.
Gallery
edit-
Aerial view of the first synagogue, April 1935 -
Memorial plaque to the first synagogue. Text: Here sat the Israelite Temple constructed in 1861, profaned and burned in 1941 by the Nazi barbarians.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Pose de la première pierre de Fontainebleau". L'Abeille de Fontainebleau (in French). May 25, 1856.
- ^ "Inauguration du nouveau temple israélite". L'Abeille de Fontainebleau (in French). August 30, 1857.
- ^ Association culturelle israélite de Fontainebleau-Avon (ACIFA). "Destruction de la synagogue à 1941". acifa.org (in French). Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ a b Association culturelle israélite de Fontainebleau-Avon (ACIFA). "La reconstruction à 1965". acifa.org (in French). Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ "L'agenda de Combat - Divers". Combat (in French) (6466): 10. April 6, 1965. Retrieved July 14, 2022.