Fabric Orthodox Synagogue

The Fabric Orthodox Synagogue (Romanian: Sinagoga Ortodoxă din Fabric) is a former Orthodox Jewish synagogue, located at 16 Ion Creangă Street, in the Fabric district of Timișoara, Romania. It was built between 1885 and 1889 for the Autonomous Orthodox Jewish Community.^[1] The synagogue is referred to as the "Orthodox Synagogue" to distinguish it from the New Synagogue also located in Fabric.

Fabric Orthodox Synagogue
Sinagoga Ortodoxă din Fabric
The synagogue, currently a funeral home
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue (until WWII) Funeral home (present)
Status	Inactive (as a synagogue)
Location
Location	16 Ion Creangă Street, Timișoara
Geographic coordinates	45°45′36″N 21°15′15″E
Architecture
Type	Synagogue architecture
Style	Eclecticism Moorish Revival
Groundbreaking	1885
Completed	1889
Monument istoric
Official name	Sinagoga din Fabric
Type	Architectural
Part of	Fabric (II) urban ensemble
Reference no.	TM-II-m-B-06128

The building was included on the List of Historical Monuments in Timiș County, with the classification code TM-II-m-B-06128.^[2]

History

In the Fabric district, there was a "German" (Ashkenazi) and a "Spanish" (Sephardic) prayer house as early as 1814.^[1]

The period during which the building served as a synagogue is associated with Chief Rabbi Herman Szofer and Francisc Friedmann, who was the president of the Orthodox community.^[3] In the years following World War II, the majority of Orthodox Jews emigrated, and today the building is used as a funeral home operated by the company Rostyl.^[3]

Architecture

The synagogue was built in an eclectic style with Moorish elements, such as battlements on the cornice and pillars with rounded heads. In the courtyard there was a mikveh and a ritual slaughterhouse.^[1]