JEWISH AND KOSHER FRANCE: SYNAGOGUES IN REIMS, FRANCE

Synagogue of Reims, neo-Moorish style, inaugurated in 1879, designed by architect Ernest Brunette. Above the gate is inscribed in Hebrew, the biblical verse Genesis 28:17:
אין זה כי אם בית אלוהים וזה שער השמים

Synagogue de Reims - Inaugurated: 1879
Association Culturelle Israelite de Reims (Rheims)
Jewish Community of Rheims
49 Rue Clovis, Rheims
Tel: 03 26 47 68 47
Fax:
Email: acsirinfo@free.fr
Website: http://cjreims.free.fr/
Mikveh: Yes.
Rabbin: Yigal Amar, 06 16 43 23 10
President: Marc LAGACHE
Présidente de l'ACSIR: Julianne UNTERBERGER, 06 67 36 41 97, acsirinfo@free.fr
Guy LEVY: Représentant de la communauté , 06 60 96 62 79
The Synagogue is the subject of a classification as historical monument since October 25, 1989
Last updated on: November 7, 2010
Please update us!

About the Synagogue of Reims:
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH TO ENGLISH WITH GOOGLE TRANSLATION TOOL.

The Synagogue of Reims is located at 49 rue Clovis at Reims in the Marne (51). The synagogue was inaugurated today in 1879. It celebrated its centenary in 1979

Architecture:

Its architect was Ernest Brunette, son of Narcisse Brunette, famous architect of the city of Reims. Its architectural style is neo-Byzantine. Inside is horseshoe arches, lush deco. Brisset Augustine, an organist Reims, makes the organ in 1901. The decoration was carried out by Brand-Fogel, a local artist, author of stained glass and wall patterns. Hispano-Moorish style, interior Orientalist. In the middle of the chancel is a large Hanoukkia (candlestick with 8 branches).

The facade is oriented west-southwest (in general, the synagogues are oriented west-east, it is slightly offset from this axis). It is pierced with windows, including a rose window with a Star of David in the center. The Hebrew inscription above the portal is the biblical verse Genesis 28.17: "This place is none other than the house of God, and that heaven's door", the same as on the pediment the Synagogue de la Victoire, as well as the synagogue of Bar-le-Duc. Its summit is surmounted by the two Tables of the Law.

It is listed on the Inventory of Historic Monuments since April 13, 1989.

The synagogue is still in business. However, it is now Rite Sephardic (when it was originally Ashkenazi) and the present community, small, mainly originating from North Africa. It is possible to visit during Heritage Days.

Front of the synagogue is a monument erected to the memory of the 253 Jews Deported from Reims and the area opened Oct. 23, 1949. On this stele the names of 214 people (some formulations are imprecise, for example, "Melles CAVAILLON" does not specify exactly how much they were) overcome the biblical verse in Lamentations 5:16 Hebrew נפלה עטרת ראשנו, "Crown of our heads dropped. "

The synagogue has acquired in 1991 of a Mikvah.

Jewish Cemetery

There is no separate Jewish cemetery in Reims, but a square in the Jewish cemeteries of the North (1 bis rue du Champ de Mars), East (241 Avenue Jean-Jaurès) and Neuvillette (access: 17, rue de Bétheny or 42 Avenue Maurice Plongeron).

The Synagogue is the subject of a classification as historical monuments since October 25, 1989.

History of the Jewish presence in Reims

The Jewish community is present in Reims from the XI^th century. These are mentioned for the first time in 1077. From 1103, the community is established in a street which is called "Vicus Judaeorum" and "street Gieu (Jews)" and finally street Elect. The old synagogue was at n^o 3 or n^o 18 rue of the Chosen, which was called "Street of Jewry" until 1305. Following the publication of the edict of the Parliament of Paris of 1270, Jews were expelled from the Jewish community and of Rheims disappeared during the XIV^th century until the French Revolution.

There is a return of the Jews in Reims in the late XVIII^th century. Some Jewish families are reported in Reims in 1820. But it is mostly from 1870 qu'arrivent many Jews of Alsace and Moselle, and community organizing. In 1875, the community of Reims appointed its first rabbi. It had a small chapel located at 7, rue des Capuchins, while it had nearly 650 members. The construction of the new Synagogue became a necessity.

During the 1960s, Jews from North Africa have settled in Reims. In 1979, the Community celebrated the centenary of his synagogue.

---