Synagogues
The following text was adapted from the History of Jews in Humpolec by Adolf
Brock, from "Die Juden und Judengemeinden Bohmens in Vergangheit und Gegenwart" by Hugo
Gold, 1934. The translator for this text is Rita McLeod.
Religious services were performed in private households. In 1754 the above mentioned Isaak
Mark Falg applied to the owner of Heralec estate Jakub Benedikt, freeholder of Neffzern, as
well as to the gubernium and the archbishop, for the permission to build a synagogue. The
building began in 1760.
The building site (a garden of Jan Becvar, who received a field "Tajovsko" instead) was sold by the freeholder of Neffzern to the Jewish Community for 420 Rhine guilders. The money used was collected from local and foreign Israelites, and the new synagogue was dedicated in 1762 by the chairman Isaak Mark Falg. As the property was bought by the Jewish community from a Christian owner, the Jewish community had to pay two guilders to the Humpolec presbytery each year. This is evidenced by a certified confirmation of 1798 in the archives of the Jewish community in Humpolec.
Ignac Hellmann was a modern and progressive man, who kept pace with the mood of the time and cared to elevate the spiritual life of the community. Thanks to his generosity and charity, the synagogue was renovated and decorated during the period that Hellman served as chairman (1859-1864). A gallery was built for the women's section, and number of seats extended. He also modernized the services and introduced singing into the services.
During his Bondy's chairmanship a thorough reconstruction of the synagogue and of the school was undertaken (1882) and the Jewish community joined the group of "Czech academics-Jews" in Prague (1883).
On May 25, 1886, our community was dealt a major blow. At 2 a.m. a fire started in the tailor Medek's house in the "Jewish town". In strong winds, the fire consumed 16 houses and the synagogue. Nine Jewish families were left homeless. However, the same day by 10 a.m. members of the congregation collected among themselves 337 guldens and 35 kreutzers and 290 guldens were immediately distributed to the victims. For schooling, a room at the "White Lion" inn was rented. The collection yielded altogether 2555 guldens and 80 kreutzers.
General meeting on June 20, 1886 decided to begin construction of a new school building and to rebuild the synagogue. This was completed by the end of August 1886.
In 1892, a semicircular choir stall was built at the synagogue. This is where the choir placed its organ. The law of March 21, 1890 forced our community to set up a competition for the position of Rabbi. PhDr. Moric Wohl was appointed (1894). The time gave birth to the Pollak Endowment (2000 crowns for the poor) and our community joined the "National Czech-Jewish Unity". Rabbi Dr. Wohl started with us in 1895 and left us in 1898. Since then, our Rabbi had been Marek Jedlinský.
On Jewish New Year in 1908, Mr. Beck donated to the community a precious gift of 200 crowns. Half of that amount was distributed among the poor, half was used for the reconstruction fund of the synagogue.
September 12, 1912, first year of the New Year 5673, commemorated 150 years since the synagogue was consecrated, which Rabbi Jedlinský remembered in his address.
On February 4, 1913, the Board of our community named Herman Beck of Vienna, the director of Emerich Dít? company in Humpolec, an honorary member of our community. Managers of this company installed electric light in the entire building of the synagogue, totally at their own cost. This allowed the synagogue to shine in its full glory for the first time on the eve of Pesach on April 21 1913.
In April 1914, to commemorate his dead parents, Richard Dubský from Prague 2 donated two stain-glass windows to the synagogue, which enhanced its beauty enormously.
In 1920 the synagogue and cemetery were repaired by the joint effort of Chevrah Kadisha and the community, at the cost of 13 thousand crowns. This money was partly obtained by a collection among local members and compatriots living abroad.
In 1923, the town of Humpolec built a pavement in front of the synagogue, with partial contribution of the Jewish Community. On December 12, 1923 Rabbi Jedlinský died (4 Tebet 5684) and was buried on December 16 in the local cemetery.
The previous year already marked a decrease in synagogue attendance, and this trend continues. There are a number of causes. Older members pass on and their descendants do not care to come, mainly because of their lack of Hebrew. This prevents them from following the services. This shows what happens when inflexibility and backwardness in religion prevails. Only the renewal of Jewish religion and its reform into the national language, in this case the Czech language, can bring the desired improvements.
In July 1924, our community got a new Rabbi, Benedikt Wendeles.