Belarus -- Synagogue destroyed in Luban

The Associated Press reports that a historic synagogue in the Belarus town of Luban, south of Minsk, is being destroyed to make way for a supermarket. Built in the 19th century, the synagogue is that where the influential orthodox rabbi Moshe Feinstein served before fleeing to New York in 1936. A handful of Jews live in the town today. Officials say the building is not protected as a monument.

By YURAS KARMANAU, Associated Press Writer
Fri Apr 24, 4:27 pm ET

LUBAN, Belarus – The roof has been removed and the windows stripped of their frames and glass. Piece by piece, workers are tearing down the former synagogue [. . .]

The synagogue's role in town history was only publicly recognized again in 1996, when a memorial plaque in English, Belarusian and Hebrew was put up on the building, which by then housed a medical clinic. [. . . ]

As the demolition began, the memorial plaque was moved to a nearby building, where it was attached with two crooked, rusty nails. [. . .]

No mention is made of Jews even at the Soviet-era memorial where 785 Jews were shot in November 1941 when the Luban Ghetto was liquidated. The victims are referred to only as "peaceful citizens."

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