Century-old siddur found during preservation of Siberian synagogue

During preservation work this month on a rare wooden synagogue in Siberia – originally built nearly 120 years ago – workers uncovered a century-old prayer book that had remained hidden in the attic since the Soviet regime closed the building in 1930.

The scripture, found at the Soldiers’ Synagogue in Tomsk, is an annotated siddur, containing a set order of daily, weekly and special prayers, Levy Kaminetsky, a Chabad emissary who moved to the Russian city with his wife Gitty in 2004 , told JNS.

The Soldiers’ Synagogue is one of just a few dozen wooden synagogues that dot Eastern Europe and Russia, many of which are falling into disrepair. Earlier this year, the Russian government allocated tens of thousands of dollars toward renovating the building, which it gifted to the Jewish community in 2018, thought it has not served as a synagogue since its closure.

Beyond its architecture, which features elaborate Jewish-themed wooden reliefs in the exterior and interior spaces, the Soldiers’ Synagogue has historical and symbolic significance because it’s a testament to the determination of Russian Jews to retain their identity and faith despite persecution.