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NOŻYK ORTHODOX SYNAGOGUE

The Nożyk Synagogue, located at 6 Twarda Street, is the only pre-war synagogue in Warsaw to have survived the Second World War and to continue serving its original purpose to this day. Of the approximately four hundred synagogues that once existed in Warsaw, it remains a unique testament to the city's history and the continuity of Jewish life in the Polish capital. It is not only an important architectural monument but, above all, a living place of worship and the religious, social and cultural heart of Warsaw's Jewish community.

For centuries, synagogues stood at the centre of Jewish neighbourhoods, towns and villages. They formed the focal point of religious and communal life, around which the most important institutions of the community developed. The Nożyk Synagogue continues to fulfil this role today. Jews from Warsaw, throughout Poland, Israel and many other countries gather here for prayer. The building also houses the office of the Chief Rabbi of Poland, a position held by Rabbi Michael Schudrich since 2004.

The synagogue was founded by the Warsaw merchant and philanthropist Zalman Nożyk and his wife Rywka. In 1892 they purchased an empty plot on Twarda Street and, between 1898 and 1902, built what was then one of the most modern synagogues in Europe. The building was designed by architects Władysław Kozłowski and Jan Pianko, while construction was supervised by Leon Czosnowski. It was built in the Neo-Romanesque style with Byzantine and Moorish influences.

The synagogue was constructed on a T-shaped plan, with a vestibule slightly wider than the main hall. Some researchers believe this layout reflects attempts to recreate the plan of the Temple in Jerusalem based on descriptions found in the Books of Kings. At the time of its inauguration, it was considered one of the most advanced synagogues in Europe. The interior originally accommodated around 800 worshippers (today approximately 350) and featured gas lighting, central heating, ventilation and large windows providing excellent natural light. The women's gallery is supported by cast-iron columns, while the dome, crowned with a Star of David, rests on eight columns of Carrara granite. The eastern wall (mizrach), containing the Aron ha-Kodesh (Holy Ark), is faced with marble.

The synagogue was officially inaugurated on 25 May 1902, during the festival of Lag BaOmer (18 Iyar 5662 according to the Hebrew calendar). The opening service was led by Rabbi Perlmutter, with the distinguished cantor Lewinson accompanied by a sixty-member choir conducted by Abraham Zvi Dawidowicz. In the years that followed, the synagogue became renowned as a major centre of synagogue music and cantor training. From 1933 onwards, its cantor was the internationally acclaimed Gerszon Sirota.

After the deaths of the founders—Zalman in 1903 and Rywka in 1914—the synagogue was transferred, in accordance with their will, to the Warsaw Jewish Community. The benefactors stipulated that the synagogue should permanently retain its full name and Orthodox character, and that the prayer El Male Rachamim should always be recited in their memory during Jewish festivals, as they had no descendants. To this day, the anniversary of the synagogue's inauguration is commemorated during the festival of Lag BaOmer.

During the German occupation, the synagogue stood within the so-called Small Ghetto. Although it was vandalised and damaged, its structure survived. The building was used, among other purposes, as a storehouse for horse fodder. Because its structure remained intact, a provisional reconstruction completed in 1951 allowed Holocaust survivors and Jews returning to Warsaw after the war to gather there once again for prayer.

Following the events of March 1968, the synagogue was closed and religious life within Warsaw's Jewish community came almost to a standstill. After an extensive six-year restoration, it was reopened on 18 April 1983, marking the fortieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Since then, it has remained the principal place of Jewish worship and the centre of Jewish communal life in the Polish capital.

Today, the Nożyk Synagogue hosts daily services, Sabbath and festival prayers, and family celebrations. Jewish weddings are held beneath the chuppah, children are welcomed into the community, and during Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies young people formally assume responsibility for observing the mitzvot. The synagogue also hosts services commemorating important anniversaries and events significant to the Jewish community.

The synagogue is also an important centre of Jewish cultural and social life. It is home to the Jewish Religious Community in Warsaw, the moral and legal successor to the pre-war Jewish communities. Concerts, exhibitions, theatre performances, lectures and numerous events devoted to Jewish history and culture are organised here throughout the year. The synagogue welcomes both worshippers and visitors from Poland and abroad who wish to learn about the history and contemporary life of Jewish Warsaw.

In 2024, the synagogue's northern façade underwent conservation and restoration, financed with funding provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of the Republic of Poland.