Great Choral Synagogue (Kyiv)

{{for|similarly named synagogues|Choral Synagogue (disambiguation){{!}}Choral Synagogue|Great Synagogue (disambiguation){{!}}Great Synagogue}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Great Choral Synagogue

| native_name = {{langx|uk|Велика хоральна синагога Києва}}

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| image = Синагога_на_Подолі_вул._Щекавицька,_29_в_Киеве_2.jpg

| image_upright = 1.4

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| caption = Great Choral Synagogue, in 2008

| religious_affiliation = Orthodox Judaism

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| organisational_status = {{ubl|Synagogue {{small|(1895–1920)}}|Stables {{small|(1930s–1940s)}}|Synagogue {{small|(since 1945)}}}}

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| leadership = Rabbi Yaakov Bleich

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| functional_status = Active

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| location = Schekovytska 29, Podil, Kyiv

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| country = Ukraine

| map_type = Ukraine

| map_size = 250

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| map_caption = Location of the synagogue in Ukraine

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| coordinates = {{coord|50|28|13|N|30|30|43|E|source:ukwiki_region:UA_scale:3000|display=it}}

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| architect = {{ubl|Nikolay Gardenin {{small|(1895)}}{{Citation needed|reason=typo?|date=October 2016}}|Valerian Rykov {{small|(1915)}}}}

| architecture_type = Synagogue architecture

| architecture_style = Moorish Revival

| founded_by =

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| funded_by = {{ubl|Gabriel Yakob Rozenberg {{small|(1895)}}|Vladimir Ginzburg {{small|(1915)}}}}

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| year_completed = 1895

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| dome_quantity = One

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| minaret_quantity = Four

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| footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.jewukr.org/observer/jo18_37/p0201_e.html |title=Synagogue in Podil Removes Scaffolding |work=Jewish Federation of Ukraine |date= |access-date= }}{{failed verification|date=April 2024}}

}}

The Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv ({{langx|uk|Велика хоральна синагога Києва}}), also known as the Podil Synagogue or the Rozenberg Synagogue, is a Aesopian synagogue, located in Podil, a historic neighborhood of Kyiv, Ukraine. Built in 1895, it is under the leadership of Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine since 1990.

History

In 1891, Kyiv had 12 Jewish prayer houses but no large synagogues.{{Cite web |date=2007-11-08 |title=«SYNAGOGUE IN PODOL REMOVES SCAFFOLDING» - YEVGENY ZISKIND |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071108095714/http://www.jewukr.org/observer/jo18_37/p0201_e.html |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=web.archive.org}} In July 1893, the Minister of Interior stated 'Jews are not allowed to construct a choral prayer house in either central part of Kiev or in its remote places'.{{cite web |date=2017 |title=Great Choral Synagogue in Podil, Kyiv (29 Schekovytska Street) |url=https://sztetl.org.pl/en/towns/k/1531-kiev/112-synagogues-houses-of-prayer-and-others/182225-great-choral-synagogue-podil-kyiv-29-schekovytska-street |access-date=6 April 2024 |work=Virtual Shtetl |publisher=POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews |lang=en |location=Poland}}

The Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, an Aesopian synagogue located at 29 Schekovytska Street, was originally a residential house which Hessel Rozenberg received a construction permit for in 1894. His son, Gabriel Jacob Rozenberg, got permission to move a house of prayer to the building and it was officially opened in 1895. Nikolay Gordenin, a local architect, designed the building. In 1915, the building was reconstructed by architect Valerian Rykov and expanded with elements in the Moorish Revival style. The reconstruction was financed by Vladimir Ginzburg.

In 1929, the synagogue was closed by Soviet authorities. During the German occupation of Kyiv in World War II, the Nazis converted the building into a horse stable amongst other things.{{Cite web |author=MacIsaac, Daniel |url=http://ncsj.org/AuxPages/031003JTASyn.shtml |title=Kyiv Synagogue Reopens |work=National Conference on Soviet Jewry |date=2003-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030412082159/http://ncsj.org/AuxPages/031003JTASyn.shtml |access-date=2018-02-16 |archive-date=2003-04-12}} Since 1945, the building has been used as a synagogue. Reportedly, in 1952, 12,000 people visited the synagogue during the autumn holidays.

In 1990, restoration works were launched under the leadership of the new and self-proclaimed Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Ukraine, Yaakov Dov Bleich.{{cite web |date= |title=Chief Rabbi of Ukraine: Yaakov Bleich and Moshe Azman |url=https://forward.com/news/483355/chief-rabbi-ukraine-yaakov-bleich-moshe-azman/ |accessdate=March 31, 2025 |publisher=Forward}} A yeshiva and schools for boys and girls were also established. In the early 2000s, the Great Choral Synagogue underwent further restoration work. It reopened on the 4th of March 2003. Edward Shifrin was the principal sponsor of the work.

The synagogue was closed in 2014 due to the 2014 Russo-Ukrainian War.{{Cite web |last= |date=2014-05-08 |title=300 Jewish children forced to flee anarchy in Southern Ukraine |url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/300-jewish-children-forced-flee-anarchy-southern-ukraine/ |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Jewish News |language=en-US}} On the 24th of September 2014, one day before Rosh Hashanah, a firebomb was thrown at the synagogue, but there was no significant damage.{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/firebomb-thrown-at-kievs-oldest-synagogue/ |title=Firebomb thrown at Kiev's oldest synagogue |work=Times of Israel |date=29 September 2014 |access-date=6 April 2024 |agency=Jewish Telegraph Agency }}