Moving: Names of Worshipers Revealed at Synagogue Burned in the Holocaust

In archaeological excavations at the Great Synagogue of Vilna, the central bimah was uncovered in its entirety, along with colorful floors and seat plaques bearing the names of worshipers and the Ten Commandments. The excavations, ongoing since 2011, have revealed findings attesting to the life of the Jewish community in the city before the destruction.

In archaeological excavations conducted over the past month at the Great Synagogue of Vilna in Lithuania, the large central bimah of the synagogue was fully uncovered. The synagogue, associated with the Vilna Gaon, was destroyed by the Nazi and later Soviet authorities about 70 years ago. The excavation revealed parts of the prayer hall and the women's section, colorful terrazzo floors decorated with floral and geometric patterns, and seat plaques bearing the names of worshipers and the Ten Commandments. The excavations have been ongoing since 2011; this is the sixth season conducted by the Lithuanian excavation company and the Israel Antiquities Authority, funded by the Good Will Foundation and in partnership with the Jewish community of Lithuania. According to the excavation directors, Dr. Jon Seligman of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Justinas Račas of the Lithuanian excavation company, the removal of the old school building allowed for the exposure of extensive and continuous parts of the heart of the structure. Among the notable findings: a plaque marking a seat donated by "Gitl Klatzko, wife of the late Yehezkel, shamash of the city" - the city's sexton. The Klatzko family was a wealthy and distinguished family. Also found was a small metal plaque with the Ten Commandments. The findings allow a moving acquaintance with the people who prayed here and with the life of the community over many centuries.