Josefov or the Jewish Area of Prague, Czech Republic

The history of the Jews of Prague began in the 1st century, a time when Jews traveled as merchants in caravans throughout middle Europe, trading in both goods and slaves. By universal decree, Jews were prohibited from owning property, which severely limited their career choices.

The few options that were open to them were the less desirable but profitable business of selling human beings, which was big business in the early centuries. Prague was one of the centers of the lucrative slave trade, and Jews settled there as early as 995 AD.

Because they were not constrained by the religious prohibitions forbidding the selling of slaves by members of either the Christian or Moslem faiths to each other, they were allowed to trade in both markets. By the mid-10th century, the slave trade was thriving with Jewish merchants at the forefront.

All foreigners, but especially Jews, were required to pay a hearty tribute to the reigning kings for the right to remain and conduct business in their country. Common cause, safety concerns, language, and financial necessity caused Jews to gather together into designated quarters or ghettos. Today, this area in Prague is known as Jewish Town or Josefov. 

Although segregated from the general population in Josefov, Jews were permitted to practice their religion and perform their rituals in relative safety. The First Crusade of the 11th century ended all that when Jews were fair game to the predatory behavior of the Christian hoards passing through on their way to the holy land. It was a harsh period of time with Jews subject to the passing of restrictive laws and periodic pogroms – a horrific time for them when thousands perished in unspeakable ways.

By the 13th century, under the rule of the Catholic Church, things began to settle down. But again in the 15th and 16th centuries, fierce antisemitism was on the rise, and in 1541, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand expelled all Jews from Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. (In 1918, they became what was known as Czechoslovakia, currently The Czech Republic).

Eventually, Jews were allowed to return, but only under certain conditions and with restrictive rules like wearing identifying symbols on their clothes to indicate their religious affiliation. During that time, there lived a renowned Rabbi of Prague known for his wisdom and mystical (Kabalistic) knowledge. Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel – also referred to as Maharal – is said to have used clay from the Vltava River to cast a Golem, a mythical creature from Jewish folklore, in order to protect the besieged Jewish community.

Undoubtedly, this was Rabbi Loew’s attempt to comfort the community with the idea of a entity that could protect them from the persecution they had to confront on a daily basis. The story goes that the figure was to be animated by inserting or carving a “shem” (one of the names of God) on the forehead and deactivating the Golem by removing or covering the “shem.”

There was one caveat: the Golem could not be “alive” during the Sabbath. It was said that the Golem was and still is kept in the attic of the Old-New Synagogue to rise again if needed. A fascinating read is author Dan Brown’s book, The Secret of Secrets, a thriller that takes place in Prague and features the mythical Golem as one of the major characters. In this book, the ersatz Golem takes on the protection of a young woman at any cost.

Dating from the 13th century, the Old-New was the main synagogue, and services are held there to this day. Originally, it was referred to as the New or Great Shul, but when other synagogues were built in the 16th century, it became known as the Old-New Synagogue. There is a legend that the foundation stones were brought by angels from the destroyed Temple of Jerusalem with the agreement that when the Temple was restored, the stones would be returned.

The Old-New is the oldest surviving synagogue with a medieval double nave. It has other unique features. The floor level of the building is a few degrees below street level (as a sign of humility), and there are 12 narrow pointed windows (the number of the tribes of Israel).

The main structure has smaller side annexes, one of which was the women’s section and was connected to the main hall by large slits in the walls from which women could hear – but not be seen or see – the services. In another one, the vestibule, are two Baroque money boxes that were used for collecting taxes upon entering the building.

The Jerusalem Synagogue, an Art Nouveau Moorish stylized building was designed by Jewish architect Wilhelm Stiassny in 1903 and dedicated on September 16, 1906 during the festival of Simhat Torah. This striking building has been completely restored and now serves as a museum of the history of the Jews of Prague, displaying a wide range of memorabilia.

During World War II, the Klausen Synagogue was used as a Nazi warehouse to store religious artifacts and documents from the “inferior Jewish race.” Hitler wanted the items preserved so that future generations could see what the Hebrew people were like, presumably by then an extinct race.

For this reason, Prague’s Jewish quarter with its myriad artifacts are miraculously well preserved. When visiting, plan on spending at least one or two full days exploring the four historic synagogues, the world famous Old Jewish Cemetery, archives, library, and educational and cultural center with their abundance of fascinating stories and relics, not to mention the early 16th century mikveh.

The Old Jewish Cemetery is holy ground. It contains more than 12,000 tombstones in an area the size of a football field and holds the history of all of Prague’s Jews from 1439 on, whether rich or poor, famous or infamous. All of them are buried there. Due to the constrictions of space, bodies were buried as many as 9 layers deep.

The first person interred was Rabbi/Poet Avigdor Kara, and the most famous was Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel. His tombstone is a place of pilgrimage. While I was there, I saw many praying at, and some kissing, the stone. The ongoing work of preservation has created a wall of restored stones and a memorial of ancient ones too deteriorated to restore.

In this commemorative wall, like the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, people place bits of paper with prayers inscribed on them. The gust of wind blew one out while I was there, and I tenderly retrieved it and replaced it, feeling the weight of the heart of the person responsible for inserting it into the tiny crevice. The protection and restoration of these treasures from the past is under the care of the Jewish Museum in Prague.

The most emotional experience for me was a visit to the 16th century Pinkas Synagogue (my maiden name is Pinkus) with its walls white-washed and inscribed with the names of the 79,000 Holocaust victims from what was then Czechoslovakia. The family name and the first letter of the given name are inscribed in bright red with the birthdate and the date of death (when known) written in black.

There was a constant hum in the background, which I couldn’t make sense of until my wonderful guide; Jana Pehe, pointed out that it was the reading of each of the 79,000 names over and over again lest they be forgotten. Jana isn’t Jewish but has schooled herself in the history of the Jewish people of Prague and has limitless knowledge that she’s only too eager to share.

The entire site is somewhat overwhelming, but Jana made sure I didn’t miss the memorial to the children that had been sent to Terezin. The children were encouraged to draw what they saw and felt, and these art works from the years 1942-1944 tell a story no child (or adult) should ever have to experience. Of the 15,000 children sent to Terezin, about 150 survived.

Although Terezin wasn’t an extermination camp, conditions were so deplorable that they needed a crematorium to rid themselves of the thousands who perished there. Sadly, you can’t tell the story of the Jewish experience in Prague without talking about the shoa (the Holocaust), but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The Josefov area is a major attraction in Prague today, helping to keep alive the achievements of the people who once lived and thrived there.

With thanks to the Czech Republic Tourism Authority. To learn more and/or support the Jewish Museum in Prague, visit: https://www.jewishmuseum.cz/en/info/visit/.