Message from the President:

Over the course of the past two years, the Jewish Architectural Heritage Foundation and her supporters have been on a tireless crusade: To salvage one of the last remaining synagogues in Northern Transylvania. Despite a variety of obstructions; we have managed to save the Simleu Silvaniei Synagogue through the help of our resilient staff and dedicated donors. To our knowledge, this is the only remaining synagogue within at least a hundred-kilometer radius; which fantastically enough, was being offered for sale with the intention of use as a discothèque prior to our interference. Such a program would have been blanket defilement to the memories of the once-vibrant Jewish Community that once existed in the region. It was for the continued living memory of our ancestors, that we were all motivated to take charge of the restoration, preservation and renovation of this dilapidated, yet sacred building.

Today, JAHF has nearly completed the extensive repairs to the synagogue's roof and façade and has halted the amount of vegetative damage and water ingress which has been eating away at the building's structure for decades. While the degree of the necessary interior construction is not yet complete, we have completed the initial stage of construction and are finally ready to open the building to the public. The former Synagogue will function primarily as a Holocaust Museum. More notably, what we understand to be the first and only dedicated Holocaust Museum in all of Romania.

Thus, I write you all with the utmost esteem, to announce the opening date of the ‘Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum in Simleu Silvaniei.’ I personally laud our donors’ considerable contributions as well as the substantial amount of time invested by our colleagues and staff, without the efforts of whom, none of this would have been made possible. With continued support, we will be able to realize the building’s ultimate potential in its service to Northern Transylvania.

The dedication ceremony will begin at the site, on the morning of Sunday, September 11, 2005 at 13 Piata 1 Mai, Simleu Silvaniei, Romania. I welcome any guest who wishes to attend the ceremony and look forward to their participation in the event.

Cordially Yours,

Adam Aaron Wapniak, President
Jewish Architectural Heritage Foundation

Please contact our office at info@jahf.org with any questions, concerns or comments about this event. Somebody from our staff will gladly assist you.