Iosefin Synagogue

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Iosefin Synagogue

| native_name = Sinagoga din Iosefin

| native_name_lang = ro

| image = Iosefin Synagogue - Timişoara - 2023 April - image 01.jpg

| caption = The synagogue in 2023

| religious_affiliation = Orthodox Judaism

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| rite = Nusach Ashkenaz

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| organisational_status = Synagogue

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| functional_status = Active

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| location = 55 Iuliu Maniu Boulevard, Iosefin, Timișoara

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| coordinates = {{Coord|45|44|39|N|21|12|20|E|region:RO_type:landmark|display=it}}

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| architect = {{ill|Karl Hart|ro}}

| architecture_type = {{nowrap|Synagogue architecture}}

| architecture_style = {{ubl|Eclectic|Moorish Revival|Romanesque Revival|Gothic Revival}}

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| established = {{nowrap|1871 {{small|(as a congregation)}}}}

| groundbreaking =

| year_completed = 1895

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| capacity = 150

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| dome_quantity = 4

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| materials = Brick

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| footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://historicsynagogueseurope.org/browser.php?mode=set&id=10032 |title=Iosefin Synagogue in Timişoara |work=Historic Synagogues of Europe |publisher=Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem |date=n.d. |access-date=29 August 2024 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.povestilesinagogilor.com/synagogues-ro/sinagoga-ortodoxa-din-iosefin |title=Sinagoga Ortodoxă din Iosefin |work=Poveștile Sinagogilor |last=Szekély |first=Gabriel |lang=ro }}

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The Iosefin Synagogue ({{langx|ro|Sinagoga din Iosefin}}) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 55 Iuliu Maniu Boulevard, in the Iosefin district of Timișoara, Romania. The synagogue was completed in 1895 in an eclectic architectural style, and it is one of the three large synagogues in the city, and the last still functioning.{{cite web |url=https://www.welcometoromania.ro/Timisoara/Timisoara_Sinagoga_Iosefin_r.htm |title=Sinagoga din Iosefin, Timișoara |work=Welcome to Romania}}

History

The community of Orthodox Jews in Iosefin, formed in 1871, met until 1894 in rented premises.{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/timisoara |title=Timișoara |encyclopedia=The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe |last=Haraszti |first=György}} The synagogue was inaugurated on 18 September 1895, on the eve of Rosh HaShanah.{{cite web |url=https://museum.jewishtimisoara.ro/sinagoga-din-iosefin/ |title=Sinagoga din Iosefin |work=Muzeul Virtual al Evreilor din Timișoara „Prim Rabin Dr. Ernest Neumann” |date=March 2, 2021 |lang=ro }} Rabbi Bernát Schück, as the leader of the community, made an effective contribution to its construction.{{cite book |url=http://www.diasporatm.ro/wp-content/uploads/temesvari-kalauz.pdf |title=Temesvári kalauz téridőben |last=Delesega |first=Gyula |publisher=Szórvány Alapítvány |date=2018 |page=192 |lang=ro }} Carol Telbisz, the mayor of Timișoara, was also present at its inauguration.{{cite web |url=https://adevarul.ro/locale/timisoara/foto-povestea-sinagogii-ortodoxe-timisoara-singurul-loc-capitala-banatului-mai-roaga-evreii-1_56001700f5eaafab2cd80dc7/index.html |title=Povestea sinagogii ortodoxe din Timișoara, singurul loc din capitala Banatului în care se mai roagă evreii |work=Adevărul |last=Both |first=Ștefan |date=24 September 2015 |lang=ro }} Built according to the plans of the architect {{ill|Karl Hart|ro}} in an eclectic style with neo-Moorish, neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic ornaments, the synagogue is modest in size compared to the other two large synagogues in the city. In 1910, the synagogue was enlarged, but photographs from 1914 and 1915 show that the synagogue had only one central dome. Later it acquired its current appearance, with two central domes and two smaller, lateral ones.

In the courtyard of the synagogue there were a cheder (kindergarten), a mikveh (ritual bath) and a shechita slaughterhouse.{{cite book |title=Memoria salvată: evreii din Banat, ieri și azi |last=Vultur |first=Smaranda |publisher=Polirom |date=2002 |isbn=9789736810800 |lang=ro }} The Orthodox primary school, established in 1918, moved ten years later to a new building at the end of the courtyard. The marble plaque inside the synagogue commemorates the construction of the school in 1928, honoring the names of those who contributed: First Rabbi Bernát Schück, Community President Jakab Rothbart, architects Arnold Merbl and Jakab Klein and others.

At present,{{when?|date=August 2024|reason=Use tl=asof}} the Iosefin Synagogue is used on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings and High Holidays.