Luzhki. The ruins of the synagogue.

Over the course of several centuries, the Jewish community in Luzhki has steadily increased. In 1858, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda was born here, whose name occupies an important place in the annals of Jewish culture. He dedicated his life to the revival of Hebrew, a language that was previously considered lost. His contribution to Jewish and world culture is invaluable. In 1922, his efforts were crowned with success: Hebrew was recognized as one of the three official languages of Palestine.

Streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have been named in honor of the Luzhki native, a postage stamp has been issued, and a monument has been erected in his homeland.

In the middle of the 19th century, a synagogue was built of brick and wild stone in the village of Luzhki, on the elevated bank of the Mnyuta River. Until the 1930s, it operated a cheder, a Jewish elementary religious school where students studied Torah and Talmud. Ben-Yehuda studied here.

Before the outbreak of World War II, the Luzhki Synagogue was a one-story rectangular structure made of brick and rubble stone, which served as a place of prayer for the Jewish community. The building survived the war years, but was no longer used for its original purpose: until the late 1970s, a kerosene store operated here. After the closure of the outlet, the synagogue was dismantled. The locals used the preserved window frames, doors and floor elements for their own needs.

Arched window openings, the absence of a roof, fragments of plaster with remnants of wall paintings inside – that's what has survived to this day.

Nearby, on the riverbank, you can see the ruins of a mikva destroyed during the war.