Neukirchen
General information: First Jewish presence: 1646; peak Jewish population: 113 in 1885; Jewish population in 1933: 88
Summary: Neukirchen Jews initially worshipped in a private residence,
but in February 1832, with the permission of the local
authorities, the community managed to purchase a twostory
house and convert it into a synagogue. The building
also accommodated a mikveh, a schoolroom, and living
accommodation for teachers, the most prominent of whom
was Benedikt Hause, who served the congregation for 33
years and also functioned as chazzan and shochet.
Local Jews were engaged mostly in trade—at first in cattle
and horses, later in general merchandise. Several young
Jewish men died fighting for Germany in World War I, and
records also tell us that Neukirchen Jews were active in their
town’s communal and charitable endeavors.
The anti-Jewish boycott of 1933 was the signal for Jewish
residents to leave town: some managed to emigrate, and
others sought anonymity in larger towns (they were, of
course, later caught). The synagogue building had been sold
before Pogrom Night, but the mob nevertheless wrecked
its interior and burned the remaining contents, including
Torah scrolls, in the marketplace. Used as a shelter for French
POWs during the war, the building was later converted into
residential apartments.
A memorial stone has been affixed to the former synagogue
building. At City Hall, visitors will find a book of remembrance.
Author / Sources: Harold Slutzkin
Sources: AJ, DJGH
Sources: AJ, DJGH
Located in: hesse