A Northwood synagogue welcomed Slovakian Ambassador Lubomir Rehak to the UK last month in the hopes it will encourage a new Jewish memorial to be built.
Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue (NPLS) have a Torah scroll from Spišská Nová Ves, in the east of Slovakia.
In 1941 a German Hitler Youth group on holiday set the Spišská Nová Ves Synagogue on fire, aided by local people.
It was later torn down.
No Jews live there today, but the local secondary school maintains the memory of the destroyed Jewish community.
Led by Cynthia Drapkin, NPLS have forged close ties with the local school, which overlooks the now derelict site where the town’s synagogue once stood.
Its pupils have been actively involved in several educational programs researching the local Jewish past.
They research the Jews of their town and twice a year tend the Jewish Cemetery.
NPLS are hoping the visit by the Ambassador will be a move towards having a permanent memorial to remember the Jews of Spišská Nová Ves.
Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, Emeritus Rabbi of NPLS and LJ President, and who annually visits Bratislava to support Jewish development said: “The work of Cynthia and those around her exemplifies our duty to remember those who once read from our Torah scroll. Educating local people about why they have no Jewish neighbours today, insures this will not happen again to others tomorrow.”
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