Two Jewish communities in Ukraine, one in the capital of Galicia known in Polish as Lvov (Lemberg in German) and the other in the small shtetl of Brahilov, were both distinguished by the fact that they boasted magnificent shuls named after women who sacrificed their lives al Kiddush Hashem. No better time than Chanukah to pay tribute to them for demonstrating the spiritual valor that this chag exemplifies.
The Goldene Roiza Shul
The Prominent Schrentzel Family
Declared a World Heritage Site in 1998, the Goldene Roiza Shul in Lvov, is named after the daughter-in-law of the builder, Yitzchok the son of Nachman Schrentzel. Yitzchak Schrentzel, served as the Parnas of the Vaad Araba Haaratzos (the central body of Jewish autonomy in Poland from 1580-1764 which Council of Four Lands constituted Greater Poland, Little Poland, Ruthenia and Volhynia). Rabbi Yitzchok Schrentzel also headed the Jewish community of Lvov and was the financier of King Stephen Batory and his Queen Jagiellon, as well as of King Sigismund III, rulers of sixteenth century Poland. Schrentzel’s descendants were to lead Lvov’s Jewish community for more than a hundred years.
Lvov, a Major Rabbinic Center
Lvov , was a major site of rabbinic learning and once boasted seven Hebrew printing presses. Its prominent Rabbanim included Rabbi Kalman of Worms, the teacher of the Rema, Rabbi Moshe Isserles; ;Rabbi Dovid Ben Shmuel HaLevi, known as the Taz for his Sefer, Turei Zahav; the Chacham Tzvi , Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ashkenazi who passed away in Lvov four months after serving as Rav there in 1718; Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk, the mechaber of the Pnei Yehoshua and the famous nineteenth century Posek, Rabbi Yosef Shaul Nathanson, known for his Magnum Opus, responsa entitled Shoel UMeishiv.
Construction of Magnificent Shul in Lvov
The Parnas and Shtadlan Nachman Schrentzel who according to archival sources was known by the title of “Doctor” applied to the archbishop Solikovsky for a permit to build a shul in Lvov.
Shlomo Ashkenazi is his Giborot Yisrael (Tel Aviv, 1961) writes that despite the fact that Schrentzel’s request was turned down by the archbishop, the Parnas decided to build it nevertheless.
Schrentzel engaged a prominent Italian architect Paolo Romano to design it and the magnificent shul was built in Gothic design style in 1582. Because the Taz who was born four years later was to eventually daven there, it also received the appellation of the Shul of the Taz.
After Yitzchak Schrentzel’s passing in 1595, the latter’s wife Chavah and two sons, Reb Nachman and Reb Mordechai, continued to direct Yitzchak Shrentzel’s business endeavors.
Reb Nachman was married to Reizel (Shoshana) the daughter of the famous philanthropist Reb Yaakov Eberles of Cracow. Reizele was nicknamed the golden. according to some, because of her blond hair; others claim that it was because she donated her golden jewelry for the sake of her Jewish brethren and gave generously to widows and orphans.
Her husband Nachman fulfilled his father’s role as Shtadlan and and expanded the magnificent shul his father built.
Jesuits Priests Demand Shul
In 1603 a group of Jesuit priests entered Lvov carrying with them a letter of recommendation from King Sigsimund the III that the town provide them with a place for their church. They coveted the shul and demand it be converted into a church. They claimed it was built without a permit, and the Jews were not entitled to it. They placed a cross above the roof over the shul symbolizing their takeover on February 28th 1606.
Reb Mordechai Schrenzel, the brother in law of Golde Rosa, in whose courtyard the synagogue stood, locked the entrance gate to his property rendering the shul inaccessible to the Jesuits. Despite the cross on its roof, the shul’s purity was nevertheless fortunately preserved inside with none of the Sifrei Torah touched.. In the meanwhile Golda (Eberles) Schrentzel, who was a prominent businesswoman instituted a lawsuit against the Jesuits and with the help of the archbishop of Lvov was able to win the case
Lvov Jews Experience a Yeshuah
On Shabbos Parah of that year Lvov’s Jewish community began to daven again in the shul and in memory of the redemption of the shul, the Rabbanim, the Maharam of Lublin who at the time was rav in Lvov and Rabbi Yehoshua FALK THE AUTHOR OF THE SMa (not to be confused with the aforementioned Pnei Yehoshua) instituted the custom that every year on Parshas Parah after Tefilas Shacharis, the Jews would recite a Shir Geulah composed by Yitzchak Halevi, author of the Siach Yitzchok, who was an older brother of the Taz. The words of the poem begin with
Ach HaElokim sheholich es Yisrael Bamidbar, veshega’al osam Mimitzrayim Vebavel hu shehoshia gam ata …. Hashem Who accompanied the Jews in the Midbar and redeemed them from Mitrayim and Bavel, He is the one Who saved us now…..The piyut relates the great salvation that took place.
Archbishop Makes Demands
The archbishop wanted to be compensated for helping the Jewish community. He demanded that Golda Roza submit to him in return for helping her win the lawsuit. She told him she would agree to it on condition he hand her the document testifying to the fact that the shul was returned to the Jewish community and it legally belonged to the Jews. After receiving the papers from the archbishop documenting Jewish ownership of the shul, and handing it to the Jewish community, Golda went up onto the roof of the shul and jumped off of it, in order to avoid being defiled. Her holy soul was returned to her Maker.
Tzaddekes Golda Roiza Intercedes on Behalf of Klal YIsroel
The Kever of the woman, Golda Roiza who sacrificed her life for the shul was visited for hundreds of years by Jewish women who would daven for her to intercede on their behalf.
On her Kever was written
Poh temunah Isha Hagunah Ha’alufa Vehagvira Marat Roza Hazahav bat Harav Yaakov Isha bechol eileh lo Mitzatiha Melachim Rauha Veyahalelluha Usarim Kamu Vehishtachavu la
Here lies the prominent…..woman Rosa the Golden the daughter of Harav Yaakov A woman among many, I didn’t find, Kings saw her and praised her and Generals rose and bowed down to her….
Remnants of Shul Being Preserved
The synagogue was gutted and abandoned during the Holocaust. The shell of the synagogue that survived, and declared a Heritage site by UNESCO ( United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was threatened to be demolished in 2011 when bulldozers began to make way for a new hotel.Thanks to international pressure the mayor of Lvov promised that the remnants of the shul would be preserved and a memorial to the Jews of Lvov would be established.
The Mirele Synagogue in Brahilov
Brahilov, a Center for Music Composition
Brahilov also known as Brailov on the banks of the Rov River is close to Vinnitsa and Zhitomir in the Ukraine; it was famous for being the home of the wealthy estate of the nineteenth century railway engineer Karl von Meck. When on vacation, Von Meck would place his palace at the disposal of Russia’s most famous composer, Peter Tchaikovsky who produced many of his musical pieces in the latter’s Brailov mansion. Tsaicovksy’s Souvenir D’un Lieu Cher , (Memory of a Dear Place) is a three piece composition for violin and piano dedicated to Brailov.
Today the Von Meck palatial estate in Brailov is part of the State Museum of Tchaikovsky.
The Jewish Community of Brailov Struggles to Build Shul
The following story was told by the grandson of the mechaber of Mayim Kedoshim, Rabbi Avraham Moshe Segal of Brahilov Ukraine.
It is retold by Chaya Bar Yitzchok in her Jewish Poland: Legends of Origin –Ethno poetics and Legendary Chronicles , Wayne State University 2001:
For many years, the Jewish community of Brahilov scrimped on their food and collected money, farthing by farthing until they were able to afford to build a shul.
Everyone in the town participated in the holy task. Busy as bees, they hauled boards, kneaded mortar, and sawed planks. The construction of the shul grew daily.
When the beautiful majestic shul was almost completed, the Brahilov Jewish men, women and children could not stop rejoicing at their gorgeous shul with its glittering roof and ornamental cornices which rose higher than the other buildings of the town. Their joy was soon to be marred.
Anti-Semitic Duke Padlocks Magnificent Shul
A fanatical anti-Semitic duke arrived by carriage one day to vacation in his local palace in Brahilov. The duke was astounded and overwhelmed by the magnificent and beautiful edifice. He became outraged when he discovered it belonged to the Jews. He decided to expropriate it and turn the building into a church. The duke sent his servants to summon the town notables and the rabbi to his palace. He ordered them to make him a gift of the keys to their new shul and if not a bitter end would come to the Jews of Brahilov.
The bitter decree was sealed and the duke had the doors of the beautiful shul padlocked. The community was heart broken and sunk into a deep depression.
The Wealthy and Righteous MireleI Rescues Shul
In Brahilov there was a wealthy beautiful righteous woman by the name of Mirele. She took all her valuable silver, gold and jewels to the duke’s palace and begged him to take what she brought as a gift and annul his decree. The duke agreed to annul his decree and return the shul to the community on one condition, she spend one night in his palace. Mirele responded that she had one stipulation. He must give her the key and write out a permit and seal it with his signet, that the building can remain a shul. The key and the signed document was delivered to the Jewish community of Brahilov which rejoiced.
Mirele Dies Al Kiddush Hashem
In the meanwhile Mirele told the duke he should appear at the room that he locked her in at midnight. She davened to Hashem to return her soul so that she would not be defiled. After midnight, when the duke came he was shocked to discover her dead body. Hashem had taken her soul. In memory of her holy neshama, the shul was named the Mirele Shul.
Brahilov becomes Judenfrei
The small Jewish community of Brahilov existed until the Holocaust.
In December 1942, the Nazis, assisted by locals killed the remaining 2,500 Jews in the shtetl leaving only one sign of the former Jewish presence. in this a poster nailed at the village entrance read “Brailov. Judenfrei.”