A newly formed network of landmark sites traces the roots of Jewish life in Slovakia.
By RUTH BELOFFSynagogue Malacky Slovakia big(photo credit: Slovak Jewish Heritage Center)
When I told people that I was being sent on a press tour to Slovakia for six days, the most common reaction was “Wow! That’s great!” followed by a pause and a slightly embarrassed, “Uh, where is that exactly?” A former part of (the former) Czechoslovakia, the Slovak Republic became a sovereign state in 1993. Located in Central Europe with an area of some 49,000 square kilometers and a population of more than five million, Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. It is part of the EU, the UN and NATO, its capital city is Bratislava, its currency is the euro and its official language is Slovak.Before World War II, it had a Jewish population of 136,000. Today, the number of Jews stands at 3,000, most of them living in Bratislava.Although the country has a very small number of Jews who survived the deportations and death camps of the Holocaust, there are many sites that remain to attest to the Jewish community life that once flourished there. It was those sites that formed the basis for our trip – a journey along what is called the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route.Made up of synagogues, cemeteries, monuments and museums, the route has 24 officially demarcated sites across the country that together tell the story of Slovakia’s proud and poignant Jewish heritage. The route, developed by Jewish heritage expert Maros Borsky and endorsed by the Slovak Tourist Board, provides a fascinating look into a world that once existed, integrated into the country’s vibrant life of today.Borsky was our guide on the trip, imparting a wealth of insights and information as we traversed his native Slovakia.WE STARTED our tour in Bratislava – a 40-minute drive from the Vienna International Airport, where the Israeli contingent of the group arrived from Tel Aviv. A medieval city situated on the Danube River, Bratislava has all the charm of old-world Europe plus the sophistication of a modern capital. Cobblestone streets, former palaces, outdoor cafes, trams and trolleys combine with gleaming office towers, high-rise apartment buildings, theaters and five-star hotels to create a multifaceted metropolis.A significant Jewish site in Bratislava is the Hatam Sofer Memorial. It is dedicated to Rabbi Moshe Schreiber, a 19th-century scholar and Orthodox rabbi who became the chief rabbi of Bratislava (then called Pressburg). Known as the Hatam Sofer, Schreiber headed a yeshiva in Bratislava that was considered one of the most prominent centers of traditional Jewish learning in Europe. The site of the memorial is located on what was once the burial ground of the Jewish community, dating back to the 17th century. Destroyed in 1943 when the nearby tunnel was built, the section containing the tomb of the Hatam Sofer and 22 surrounding graves was preserved, encircled by a concrete shell and covered with black panels. In 2002, the site was redeveloped as a modern memorial complex, and the gravestones were restored.Other places of Jewish interest in Bratislava include the Museum of Jewish Culture; the Holocaust Memorial; Eshel David, the only kosher restaurant and guest house in the country; and the Heydukova Street Synagogue.Built in the 1920s, this Orthodox synagogue is the only remaining shul in Bratislava that still functions as a house of worship. The community plans to open a Bratislava Jewish heritage museum in the unused section of the synagogue in June 2012.While many synagogue structures in Slovakia still stand, very few of them are used for religious purposes, as there are few if any Jews in many of the towns in which they are located. However, as landmark buildings, they retain their Jewish facades, inspiring architectural design and intricate interior ornamentation.Many of the buildings are used by the state as art galleries, museums, cultural centers or schools. But I have to say, even though it may function as a secular art gallery or concert hall in some little town, walking into a building that has a Magen David above the doorway, stained-glass windows that depict menoras and kiddush cups, and an enclosure inside that you know once held several Torah scrolls still fills you with an overwhelming sense of sanctity and serenity.We visited 13 synagogues in all, although there are many more that are not an official part of the route.Some structures have been fully restored, some are in the midst of being repaired, and some have parts deliberately left in shambles to show to what degree the holy places were desecrated during the war. Aside from the few shuls that are still used as places of worship, only synagogue structures that are earmarked for legitimate cultural or educational purposes are eligible for inclusion in the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route.ONE OF the most impressive functioning shuls in the country is the Orthodox synagogue in Presov, Slovakia’s largest city after Bratislava and Kosice. Built in 1898, this beautiful three-story, Moorish-style edifice was restored to its full grandeur in the 1990s, its imposing architectural design enhanced by splendid ornamentation.The immense synagogue contains the Barkany Collection, an invaluable exhibition of Judaica that was gathered from the large Jewish community in the 1920s. The number of Jews in Presov is now 50-60.The collection includes such evocative items as people’s personal paintings, books, serving plates, mezuzot, halla covers, candlesticks and hanukkiot.Synagogues on the route that are being used for cultural purposes include the Art Nouveau synagogues in Trenchin and Nitra; the Orthodox synagogue in Zilina; the synagogue in Liptovsky Mikulas; the Moorish synagogues in Senec and Samorin; the nine-bay synagogue in Stupava; and the Status Quo synagogue in Trnava, which houses the Jan Koniarek contemporary art gallery and concert hall.Across the street from the Status Quo synagogue is another landmark shul. Purchased by private entrepreneurs, who are not Jewish, this Orthodox synagogue was recently renovated to serve as the Max Gallery, a contemporary art gallery and concert venue. In fact, they did such a superb renovation job that the site won an award for the best restored religious building in the country.Much to our delight, the evening we went to visit the Max Gallery, the owners surprised our group with a wine and cheese party and a brief organ concert. On display at the gallery was an exhibition entitled “Empathia” by Italian photographer Lucia Gardin. The walls of the beautifully appointed interior were lined with color photographs of film stars and directors. As strange as it felt to be in a synagogue-turned-modern art gallery, it was even more surreal to be in a synagogue in the midst of Slovakia, surrounded by life-size images of such celebrities as Helen Mirren, Imelda Staunton, Mickey Rourke, Omar Sharif, Yoko Ono, Roman Polanski, Joe Pesci and, to add to the mix, Italian film composer Ennio Morricone and Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko.AS OUR group of 10 made our way across the country by tour bus, we had a chance to view the scenic countryside.I was most struck by how much green there was – and how many shades of it. Dark green forests and mountains of pine trees, vibrant green meadows and fields and lush green lawns serve as the background for colorful A-frame houses, little brown thatched wells, stretches of the Danube and Vah rivers, majestic church spires and clock towers, and imposing stone castles perched high atop impenetrable hills. At the same time, I had to smile to myself as we also sped past the all-toofamiliar signage for IKEA and McDonald’s. Also visible on many of the mountains are ski tows and chairlifts just waiting for the winter ski season to begin.Aside from synagogues, we also visited museums, monuments and memorials along the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route. For example, the Park of Generous Souls in Zvolen is dedicated to the Slovak citizens who helped save Jews during the Holocaust. Its two outstanding features are the Threshold of Life and the Obelisk of Hope. The former is a short, narrow underground passageway covered with clear glass that is strewn with stones enmeshed in gold wire to commemorate those who lost their lives. As you go down a few steps, walk through the short tunnel and ascend at the other end, you hear Hebrew prayers being sung and see glimmers of sunlight through the glass ceiling above.The Obelisk is a sculpture made of thick green glass that stands five meters high. Playing with the varying qualities of sunlight during the day and the illumination of ground reflectors at night, this impressive piece is designed to symbolize life and hope; it is located next to the Zvolen Jewish cemetery and a mass grave of 140 Slovak citizens executed during the war.Another memorable site we visited was the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banska Bystrica.Although it is not on the list of Jewish Heritage Sites, the museum was well worth the visit. Built in 1969, the four-story museum chronicles the history of Slovak society between 1938 and 1945, focusing on anti-Nazi resistance and the 1944 Slovak National Uprising that attempted to overthrow the collaborationist local government.The rebellion was suppressed by the Germans, but there continued to be guerrilla warfare until the Soviets liberated Slovakia in 1945.The modern, well-organized museum features scores of showcases that display the uniforms, weapons, utensils and personal effects that characterized that period.Particularly compelling is the film shown before entering the exhibition halls, composed of black-and-white footage of the grim, dark days of dehumanization and deportation in the country.On a more cheerful note, the town of Banska Bystrica itself is totally delightful. With its town square replete with cobblestone streets, spired church, gushing fountain, rows of outdoor cafes, confection-like building facades, scenic mountains on the horizon and people amicably strolling by, it is everything you’d expect a charming Central European town to be.WHAT FAR exceeded my expectations were the hotels at which we stayed during our trip. Treated to five-star accommodation every night, we were pampered in the Slovak lap of luxury. On our first night, we stayed at the Arcadia Hotel in Bratislava, a lovely boutique hotel that evokes the elegance and opulence of old-world Europe.For the next two nights, in the High Tatras region in the North, we stayed at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Strbske Pleso. Grand indeed, this beautiful hotel, situated on the shore of Lake Strbske Pleso, has all the warmth and charm of an alpine chalet, coupled with modern, world-class sophistication. The hotel has a magnificent 1,300-square-meter spa. Among the many amenities it offers, the Zion Spa features an indoor pool area with glass chandeliers overhead and wall-to-wall windows that look onto the panoramic lake and mountains.The following night we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Trnava. The city is about 45 km. northeast of Bratislava.Although the hotel looks rather stark from the outside, inside the decor is chic and ultramodern. In fact, the bathroom facilities are so state-of-the-art that most of us confessed at dinner that night that we couldn’t figure out how to activate the shower head, so we used the bath instead.No such problem existed the next night back in Bratislava, where we stayed at the large and luxurious Kempinski River Park Hotel, situated right on the Danube. Sleek and elegant, the hotel has a massive lobby, large outdoor terraces, commodious guest rooms and the Zion Spa, this one with picture windows overlooking the capital. In our beautifully appointed rooms, the bath facilities were (to quote a Kodak commercial) so advanced, they were simple: Shower, bath, water temperature and towel warmer were each activated by the touch of a button. At dinner that evening, even the most seasoned travel writer in our group said he had never seen that feature before.And speaking of dinner, the food we ate during our Slovak sojourn was also first-rate. For starters, each of our hotels offered a sumptuous buffet breakfast that could easily rival the famous Israeli breakfast we have come to know and love. Dinner at our hotels and lunch every day at posh restaurants in the towns we visited were all delicious and beautifully served. Although, as I mentioned, there are no kosher restaurants in Slovakia except the one in Bratislava, there are fish, pasta and salad options on the menus.In addition to the sites on the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route, the country has many other attractions for the traveler to enjoy, including castles, caves, spa resorts, museums, folklore festivals, nature reserves, ski slopes, hiking trails, lakes, boat rides, water parks, rafting and outdoor thermal swimming pools. ■The writer was a guest of the Slovak Tourist Board.For more information about these and other opportunities, visit the websites below:• The Slovak Jewish Heritage Route: www.slovak-jewish-heritage.org • Slovak Tourist Board: www.slovakia.travel • Bratislava Information: www.bratislava.travel • Tatra Information: www.tatra.travel • Bratislava and Slovakia Hotels: www.slovakiatravel.com • Slovak Jewish Heritage Tour operator Enjoy Slovakia DMC: www.enjoyslovakia.com
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