According to two sources, early Jewish Brest was served by only one synagogue in 1566:
According this article in The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), in 1566 there was only one synagogue in the entire city, and this one was made of wood. The article gives us further details about the population of 16th century Brisk:
...In 1566, Brest-Litovsk had 106 Jewish house-owners, out of a total of 852 (Aktovaya Kniga Metriki Litovskoi: Perepisei, No. 15A; Russko-Yevreiski Archiv, ii., No. 231). The houses were small, insignificant frame buildings, although they were inhabited by some families that consisted of [as many as] fourteen persons (Litovskie Yevrei, p. 335). The only synagogue was also a frame building.
According to Gdulat Shaul (1854):
Shaul Wahl also established a tall wooden synagogue, which was called Kloyz. It was decorated with wonderful artistic drawings. (This synagogue was consumed by fire in 1825).
When, exactly, was this single synagogue built? Shaul Wahl's lifetime is generally given as 1541-1617. If he established this synagogue at the precocious age of 20 years, then it would have been completed ~1561.
| Notes: precocious: Shaul Wahl achieved legendary status; some sources attribute almost miraculous powers to him. Perhaps this first synagogue was established by the citizens of Brest by 1566, and Wahl was credited with it long afterward. kloyz: link to our extensive article on kloyz |
