Synagogue, Khust

Khust is one of the most beautiful cities in Zakarpattia. It has always attracted people with its mystery and a large number of historical monuments. We should mention the Narcissus Valley (unique in that it is the only field in the world where the narrow-leaved daffodil grows), Khust Castle, which has long been destroyed, St. Elizabeth's Church and St. Anne's Church, , the old synagogue of 1872-1875. Maybe not as old as we would like, but very beautifully painted. It is said to be one of the few that functioned in Soviet times.

The Synagogue in Khust is the pride of the community and a monument of national importance, a religious Jewish building in the Ukrainian city of Khust, Zakarpattia region. It is located at 11 Nezalezhnosti Street. It is the only synagogue in Zakarpattia that has been operating since its construction and is still used exclusively for its intended purpose.

The first documentary mention of the synagogue was in 1878. During the Second World War, it housed the belongings of Jews who had been taken by the Germans. After 1945, when the Jews returned from the Gulag, they took them back. During the Soviet era, the synagogue managed to avoid a sad fate-it was not turned into a club or other institution. Although the authorities did try to take the synagogue by force to use it as a shoe factory club. The last time this happened was in 1970. But the resilience of the Jewish women who were on duty near the synagogue around the clock did not allow it to be occupied. Surrounding the building with a tight ring, they stood for 3 days, not letting the officials in. Local Christian residents also stood up, demanding that officials respect the religious feelings of their neighbors. The number of people who came to prayer was so large that the synagogue did not have enough space and Jews were forced to buy seats in advance. There is a Jewish Sunday school, where Jews study the following subjects: Hebrew, the history of Israel, and the culture of the Jewish people.

The synagogue is built according to all the canons of the Jewish religion. Its peculiarity is an unusual aura, as if you find yourself in another dimension: a spacious hall, high vaulted ceilings decorated with amazing mosaics. Near the eastern part there is an ark of the covenant (a wooden box upholstered in gold) with the Torah scrolls (the holy book of the Jews), and a raised platform for reading them.

The building has 9 domes covered with shingles, 2 spacious prayer halls, and a balcony for women's prayers. One of the walls has special niches for storing prayer books. The walls of the synagogue are decorated with magnificent Venetian paintings, which are perfectly preserved to this day. The community managed to preserve the old books.

The women's room is separated from the men's room by a lattice. The Ark of the Covenant is located in every synagogue, just like in Khust, and it is an exact copy of the Jerusalem Ark. A bathhouse was often built near the synagogue itself, which was an obligatory attribute of the rite. Ablution was performed here, i.e., cleansing various parts of the body with water before entering the synagogue or starting prayer. The synagogue is often visited by tourists from other countries. Its doors are open to guests both on weekdays and holidays.

The synagogue is often visited by foreign tourists. Its doors are open to all guests on weekdays and holidays.

The synagogue is located at 11 Nezalezhnosti Square, next to St. Elizabeth's Church. The train station is located nearby. The synagogue is easy to reach on foot - just a couple of blocks away.