The expulsion of the Jews from Lita did not last long. King Alexander had a change of heart:
English translation:
After some time, the king changed his mind and the Jews returned
to their lands with the king's permission in 5262 [1502/1503].
He gave back to them, and to the Jews of Grodno, their lands and previous privileges, and the
synagogue returned to function as before.
Pinkas Hakehillot, Volume 5, gives a brief account of the return from expulsion:
English translation:
In 1503 the Jews of Lita were allowed to return to their places. The Jews of Brisk got back their houses and also the synagogue was returned to them.
Pinkas Hakehillot contains a slight inaccuracy. Here, we can see that the synagogue was relocated just as other buildings were.
Bershadsky sets this date as 1503 in his book of History. p. 341:
 |
| from Bershadsky’s History, p. 341 |
Partial translation:
in 1503, 22nd of March and April? ....
When exactly was the relocated synagogue founded? In a footnote, Rabbi Feinstein quotes two Hebrew-language newspapers, giving us additional details that enable us to estimate the date. The first:
In
Hamelitz 5643 [=1883] appeared the information from Mr. Shefr of Brisk that the synagogue of Brisk was built by the minister R”S Voll 500 years ago...
And in
Hatzfira 18 of that year we remarked that the minister did not build the [entire] synagogue --only the women's section. Since that minister's time only 300 years have passed.
| Notes: In Ir Tehila, Rabbi Feinstein recounts this history but does not say if the synagogue was in the same place |
