Alsatian Synagogues

The Jewish community of Alsace is one of the oldest in Europe, dating from around 1000 CE. At its height in 1870, the community included over 35,000 people. Most of the remaining synagogues were built in the mid-19th century in similar styles. As we visited villages between Mulhouse and Selestat, we looked for synagogues among the half-timbered buildings. Few of these synagogues are used as intended; many are cultural centers or are just vacant.

The synagogue in Bergheim, which is now a cultural center.
The large synagogue in Colmar, home to the Jewish community of that city.

The synagogue in Witzenheim; the community buried its dead at a cemetery within the village.

What we think is a former synagogue in Hattstatt. On the left side of the building is a stairway that goes to an upstairs gallery. 

The synagogue in Guebwiller.

The synagogue in Dambach-la-Ville, now a cultural center. Its restoration is being supported by the descendants of Theophile Bader, one of the founders of Galeries Lafayette, a famous French department store, who was born in this village.

The synagogue in Rosheim.