CHEVRA LOMDEI MISHNAYOT SYNAGOGUE – AUSCHWITZ SYNAGOGUE

Preserving the Legacy of Oświęcim's Jewish Community

The Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot Synagogue, constructed circa 1913, stands as the only remaining synagogue of the 20 that once served the vibrant Jewish community of Oświęcim. 



This sacred site was desecrated during the Nazi occupation, repurposed as an ammunition warehouse, and later used as a carpet store under the Communist regime. After communism’s fall, it was the first Jewish communal property returned to a Jewish community in Poland in 1998, restored by the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, and reopened to the public in 2000.

As a living testament to the nearly 98% of Oświęcim’s Jewish community lost during the Holocaust, the historic synagogue now serves as a center of hope, resilience, and remembrance. It hosts a range of activities, from prayer services to cultural events, helping to educate visitors about the rich Jewish life in Oświęcim that once flourished here.

Today, as the only Jewish house of worship near Auschwitz, it continues to draw visitors from around the world for prayer, reflection, and celebrations like b’nai mitzvah, despite lacking a local congregation or rabbi. Each visit breathes new life into its walls, underscoring the importance of maintaining this sacred site as a testament to Jewish heritage and resilience.

 

Here, the impact of the Holocaust on small-town European Jewish communities becomes something tangible and real, highlighting that hundreds of synagogues just like this one were obliterated by intolerance.

By preserving this lone surviving synagogue, we keep the memory of Oświęcim’s beautiful Jewish community alive and educate future generations on the dangers of hatred and the power we have to fight it.

The Synagogue has been open for prayer and reciting Psalms since 2000, following its long closure during the Holocaust and the communist era
We host Bar and Bat Mitzvahs from people all over the world, as well as group prayers, workshops, seminars, and events in our synagogue.

Visit the synagogue in Oświęcim virtually from your home

We are counting on you

to help preserve Oświęcim’s Jewish community. Please help us sustain this peaceful place of prayer and education for countless future generations.


get in touch

Pl. Ks. J. Skarbka 5
32-600 Oświęcim, Poland

Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation

57 West 57th Street, Rm 424 New York NY 10019