The Salzman Synagogue in Minsk

The Salzman Synagogue was once a Jewish prayer house located in the very heart of old Minsk, where until the early 20th century, impoverished members of the Jewish community lived in cramped conditions.

The fate of The Salzman Synagogue is a mirror of the history of Minsk itself. After the arrival of Soviet power, the prayer house was closed as part of the policy of secularization. During the German occupation, a commandant's office was located in the building.

After the war, the cinema «Belarus» opened here, which operated from 1944 to 1961. Later, the building was occupied by the Palace of Pioneers, and during Soviet times it also served as an administrative building and even a canteen for the Minsk Bread Factory.

Originally, it was a one-story brick building on a rectangular plan. In the 1920s, it was rebuilt and a second floor was added, which changed its original appearance.

Today, the former synagogue houses the Specialized Children's and Youth Olympic Reserve School No. 11. Its specialty is chess and checkers. The only reminders of its synagogue past are the semi-circular windows on the first floor — a characteristic element of 19th-century Jewish religious architecture.

Despite all the reconstructions, The Salzman Synagogue remains a significant architectural monument and attracts the attention of tourists interested in the history of the Jewish community of Belarus. The building is included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of Belarus.