cleanup

Vysokoye School Children Clean up Synagogue Ruins
Summer, 2006

The New Shul was the newest of three synagogues in the pre-war town, and was the pride of the Jewish community. Its outer walls were plastered and painted white. The roof was of green masonary. As far as is known, the building survived World War II intact. It is said that some local individuals, desperate for building materials in the post-war devastation, attempted to remove some portions of the building, which was empty and unused. The building collapsed.

This group of Vysokoye School Children, led by their teacher, spontaneously volunteered to do this work, which was supported by a small donation from Henry Neugass.

(To see larger photographs, click on the thumbnail images.)

One side of the synagogue was used as a garbage dump. Looking south, along the west side of the synagogue ruins.
View from inside the synagogue. Looking west.
These local students volunteered during their summer vacation. Their school, shown in the background, is about 1km to the north of the synagogue ruins.
Clearing brush was hard, hot work.
There was undergrowth both outside and inside the syngagogue ruins....
...as can be seen in this interior view.
More work.
The workers loaded the cuttings on a truck for transport to a disposal site. Looking across the south side of the building towards the north-east. The main entrance was at the south-east side of the building.
A tractor-trailer was also used to haul off cuttings for disposal.
Parents helped with the project, too.

Page Last Updated: 19-Feb-2013