Synagogue, Bern

The Jewish community in Bern has a rich and complex history that traces back to the Middle Ages. During this period, Bern had an established Jewish population, which, however, faced severe persecution culminating in their expulsion by 1427 after various pogroms. An infamous episode from this time involves Rudolf of Bern, a legendary figure, believed to be a victim of a ritual murder and venerated as a martyr in the Bern Cathedral.

Re-establishment of the Jewish community began in 1848 when Jews from Alsace, France, founded the Corporation of Israelites in Bern. Over the years, the organization evolved, being renamed the Cultural Association of Israelites in Bern in 1867, and later the Israelite Cultural Community in Bern in 1908. In 1982, the community was officially named the Jewish Community Bern, which remains its name today.

The Jewish Community in Bern has been integral in fostering Jewish culture and education. A significant figure was Anna Tumarkin, a Russian-Jewish philosopher, who became the first female professor at the University of Bern in 1898, and the first in Europe to enjoy full professorial rights by 1908. Her achievements underscore the progressive nature of Bern's academic and cultural landscape.

Architecturally, the Jewish community's presence is marked by the Berne Synagogue, built in 1905-1906 in the Maurisch architectural style. Designed by Eduard Rybi, who also designed Saint Ursula’s Church, the synagogue was inaugurated in September 1906 and later expanded with an adjacent community building in 1971. This building not only serves as a place of worship but also as a cultural and communal hub for the Jews in and around Bern.