Venetian buildings date back to the Venetians' conquering of Split in 1420.
We descend into the substructure of Dioclatian's Palace. "Split achieved fame when the Roman emperer Diocletian (AD 245-313), noted for his persecution of early Christians, had his retirement palace built here between 295 and 305." (LPlanet Croatia)
The Synagogue of Split is one of the oldest European synagogues and is still in its original use. The synagogue was created in 1510 in the then Jewish ghetto by the conversion of the second floor of two attached medieval houses.
Now a Croatian rabbi leads services here. Sometimes services are led by visitors who can read Hebrew. The Shm'a is transliterated into Croatian.
"The current appearance of the interior was formed around 1728. The most sacred part of the place of worship, the Aron Ha-Kodesh, facing Jerusalem and built in Classicist style of black and white marble, is built into the western wall of the DIOCLETIAN'S Palace.
The first Jews came to the region during Roman times and have continually lived here ever since."
(ref: zidovska-opcina-split@st.t-com.hr)
This collection of Judaica was hidden from the Nazis in the Split Museum and returned to the Jewish community after the Second World War.
Jews from Split were protected from the Nazis. There were 260 Jews in Split when the war started. There are now 100. There has never been significant ant-Semitism.
80% of Yugoslavia's 80,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis.
The Jewish cemetery dates from the 15th century. Rodrigo, 16th century influential figure amongst the Venetian authorities, is buried there.
Albert Alterac addresses us with comic flair.
No comments:
Post a Comment