Pilgrimage Sites
Moša Danon Pilgrimage
Rav Moshe Danon appointed the chief rabbi of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1815, rests in Stolac, a place that encapsulates a stirring narrative of faith and resistance. In 1829, unjust governor Ruždi-paša wrongfully imprisoned Danon and ten colleagues, demanding an unaffordable ransom from the Jewish community. A revolt from dissatisfied Sarajevan Muslims eventually freed them. Following a vow to journey to Palestine, Danon was ultimately interred near Stolac when death met him on his pilgrimage. His gravesite, with a tombstone reminiscent of Bosnian medieval standing stones, remains a revered destination for Sephardic Jews and is also respected by Muslims, especially dervishes. His Hebrew-inscribed epitaph testifies to his miraculous deeds, piety, and influence.
Synagogues
Sarajevo Ashkenazi Synagogue
Located on the south bank of Miljacka River, containing rich and intriguing decorations, the Ashkenazi synagogue is the primary and largest synagogue in Sarajevo. It stands as one of the most significant synagogues in the country, and a true testament to the diverse and wealthy history of Sarajevo as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. The AškenaziSynagogue was built in 1902 for Sarajevo’s Jews, who began to arrive in greater numbers once BiH was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Banja Luka Synagogue
The synagogue in Banja Luka is within the Jewish Cultural Center ArijeLivne, established in 2014. Located close to Venice Bridge, it’s named after Arije Livne, President of the Republika Srpska in Israel. This center focuses on promoting Jewish culture, history, and traditions.
The Old Jewish Temple
The Old Jewish Temple, also recognized as the Old Synagogue and the Grand Temple (Il Kal Grandi), stands as Sarajevo’s most ancient Jewish place of worship. Constructed towards the close of the 16th century within the district then identified as Velika Avlija, a small Jewish community nestled in Sarajevo’s Baščaršija. Over the years, it endured several devastating fires, notably in 1697 and 1788, with the latter causing the collapse of the synagogue’s roof and extending to the nearby Jewish neighborhood. Subsequent to the conflict, in 1957, extensive restoration efforts were undertaken, leading to its transformation into the Jewish Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an annex of the Museum of Sarajevo by 1966. In 2003, the Old Jewish Temple was rightfully designated as a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Old Jewish Cemetery
Besides the “Sarajevo Haddah”, Synagogue and the Old Temple, the Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the most significant testaments of more than 450 years of Jewish presence and their influence and heritage in Sarajevo. The Old Jewish Cemetery, which is located in Kovačići, is one of the largest and most important Jewish sacral complexes in Europe. The cemetery’s earliest surviving gravestones bear witness to the resting places of Sarajevo’s inaugural rabbi, Samuel Baruch, and his contemporary, Machah Mučačon. Founded by Sephardic Jews in 1630, the cemetery later became the final resting place for numerous Ashkenazi Jews in 1950. Within the cemetery, two Holocaust memorials stand.
