Vysokoye Synagogue Ruins, May 2004 Photo Credit: Vladimir Bogdanov

In the life of Jews, Judaism played an essential role. Each kahal [community] had at least one sacred building -- a synagogue. Such temples were wooden and brick buildings, featuring simple and strict architectural forms. That could be the reason that these structures of simple architectural forms were not entered by the governmental compilers into the Official List of Historic and Cultural Monuments of Belarus. It is common knowledge that there were 2 synagogues in Vysoko-Litovsk. There is hearsay that there was a third synagogue here.

The Synagogue in Vysokoye surmounted the bank of the Pul'va River, near the park. Its entrance faced the West. It was built at the end of 16^th century as a masonry structure, a rubblework [masonry made with rubble] bound with mortar was used as a filling between dressed brick wall faces. The walls are up to 1.2 meters [about 4 feet] thick. There was a balcony that was 5 meters [about 16.4 feet] broad and 14.5 meters [about 47.6 feet] long; the height of the entire building was 10 meters [about 32.8 feet], the length was 19 meters [about 62.3], the width was 14.5 meters [about 47.6 feet]. Inside there were four metallic columns.

On the right and on the left the facade was adjoined by two semi-towers, in which there were spiral staircases, which were used to lead up to the balcony. The hipped shingle-covered roof had three tiers.

After the war it was used to store flax fiber, later as a gym for the local sport committee, and still later as a gym for the local youth. In 1959 some repairs were made. An attempt to carry out thorough repairs did not succeed and the provincial commission suggested that the building be demolished. The efforts to tear down the building were not successful. Our forefathers had constructed the Synagogue to last for centuries. The Synagogue remains standing today, half-wrecked, but still standing.

Overgrowth and graffitti. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Larry Schenker and Ruth Bedrax at the site. Photo Credit: Yogi555	Galina Swartz and Larry Schenker at the site. Photo Credit: Yogi555
Larry Schenker at the site. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Larry Schenker, Dvorah Netzer and Ruth Baidatch at the site. Photo Credit: Yogi555	Inside view. Photo Credit: Yogi555
Ivan Mikhailovich Sit'ko, and Alla Petrovna Agarkova Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Larry Schenker and group with Mr. Sit'ko and Ms. Agarkova. Photo Credit: Yogi555	Arkady Blacher with Mr. Sit'ko and Ms. Agarkova. Photo Credit: Yogi555
Overgrowth inside and outside. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Overgrowth inside and outside. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Overgrowth inside and outside. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.
Overgrowth inside and outside. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Overgrowth inside and outside. Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.	Is this rock part of the structure or foundation? Photo Credit: Dvorah Netzer.