The Brothers Miknovskych Street Synagogue was built in 1924 by the Tsori Gilad Society. Despite more than 100,000 Jews leaving the region in the last 15 years for Israel and elsewhere, the Jewish population is still between 5,000 and 10,000 and the only working Synagogue remaining is the one on Brothers Mykhnovskych Street. This courageous building, unprepossessing from the outside, survived 50 years of abuse from 1941 (when the Nazis seized it) until 1991 (when the Ukranian Government returned it to the Jewish Community).

Stripped of its fixtures and fittings, the Synagogue's magnificent handpainted interiors survived quite miraculously. Our restoration project is not just a matter of art conservation. By restoring the Synagogue we will help to restore the dignity of the Jewish community and return Lvov to its rightful position on the Jewish map.

Restoration update.

June 2008

Most of the building restoration of the Synagogue has now been completed.

We still require a donation of approximately (GB) £15,000 to complete the lighting and we would be grateful to talk to individuals or families who would like to help with the final phase in the synagogue.

Donations will be acknowledged with a plaque in the synagogue in Lvov (for example in memory of a loved one) and anyone wishing to contribute should email Gill Freedman

January 15th 2008

The furniture left the port on Monday and arrived in Kiev. It cleared customs in Kiev (without the need to pay duty - this was the Humanitarian Customs Clearing that we were hoping for) and is now on board the trucks en route to Lvov. A breakdown means that the trucks will arrive tonight (and not this afternoon) and then a team of men will be got out of bed to unload the containers and take the furniture into the synagogue. Of course after 3 months crossing and re-crossing the seas we don't know what sort of condition the furniture is in - but we live on hope in Lvov!

The craftsman from Israel will fly out next week to assemble the Aron Hakodesh ( the holy ark) which is also in the smallest container.

I will keep you all posted as to the progress.

Keep your positive thoughts focussed on the lorries, the containers, the furniture, the (sleepy) workmen, the craftsman, the weather and anything else you think might help.

January 13th 2008

I thought you would like to know the latest on the furniture that you have been davvenning for thrice daily since November.

IT DID FINALLY GET TO ODESSA! JUST IN TIME FOR THE TWELVE DAYS OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH'S CHRISTMAS!

It has been sitting on the dockside ever since.

Gill has learned a new word - 'demurrage'.

Zim Shipping have discovered hand-to-hand combat with Gill.

Zim Shipping are paying the demurrage!

The good news is that the furniture is expected to leave Odessa tomorrow or Monday, from there to Kiev and thereafter to Lviv. It could well be inside the Shul in Lviv before next Shabbat and all nicely installed in time for the following Shabbat. Pictures will follow shortly after that!

Keep davenning, don't stop now!

The Restoration of the Synagogue on Brothers Mykhnovskych Street (1mb PDF file)

The Synagogue on Brothers Mykhnovskych Street, reprint from HaGan, the magazine of the Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue

Other fund-raising activities