Agoudas Hakehilos Synagogue

Street view

Interior view

The Agoudas Hakehilos synagogue (אֲגֻדָּת־הַקְּהִלּוֹת, Union of the communities), at 10 rue Pavée, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris (Le Marais quarter), commonly referred to at the Pavee synagogue, rue Pavee synagogue, or Guimard synagogue, was erected in 1913 by the architect Hector Guimard, and inaugurated on June 7, 1914.

This synagogue was commissioned by the Agoudas Hakehilos (אֲגֻדָּת־הַקְּהִלּוֹת, Union of the communities), society composed of Orthodox Jews of primarily Russian origin, headed by Joseph Landau. Its erection is a testament to the massive wave of immigration from Eastern Europe that took place at the turn of the 20th century. Funded by this wealthy Polish-Russian group it did not cost the Parisian community a centime. They intended to provide a spacious and modernized place for Jews accustomed to the intimate and often squalid shtiblakh.

The furnishings (luminaires, chandeliers, brackets, and benches) as well as the stylized vegetal decorations made of staff and the cast iron railings are all creations of Hector Guimard. This was the only religious building by this architect, who was known for his Art Nouveau designs.

On the evening of Yom Kippur in 1941, the building was dynamited along with six other Parisian synagogues. It was subsequently restored and was registered as a monument historique by the French authorities on June 4, 1989.

References

• Paula E. Hyman, 1998. The Jews of Modern France (Jewish Communities in the Modern World) University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20925-7
• Carol Herselle Krinsky, 1996. Synagogues of Europe: Architecture, History, Meaning Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-29078-6