Carpentras is a town in the Vaucluse department, about 14 miles northeast of Avignon. The Jewish community in the town dates from the 12th century. Sometime after 1322, Jews were expelled and the synagogue destroyed. In 1343, a new community was formed and permission was granted for the construction of a new synagogue. According to a 1473 census, there were 298 Jews living in the city. The Jewish population reached its peak in 1782 with about 2,000 persons. Soon thereafter, many Jews moved to other cities and by 1789 only 690 Jews remained. By 1935, only 35 Jews lived in the city. A small community was reestablished after the arrival of Jews from North Africa, and by 1970, the Jewish population numbered about 150.
The synagogue in Carpentras dates from 1367. Numerous repairs and restorations were made up until 1741 when permission was obtained for a major remodeling. This remodeling produced a vaulted room in which the men sat on benches around walls lined with wooden panels and grilled arches separated by Tuscan pilasters. At the western side, there is an elevated bimah which holds seats for synagogue officials. Women sat in grilled enclosures raised above the men's floor level. During the Revolution, the synagogue was closed and stripped of its precious metal and carved woodwork. Various restorations took place after the Napoleonic period, and in 1959, the French government declared the synagogue to be a historic site and finished the restoration.
The postally used postcard below depicts the interior of the synagogue.
Encyclopedia Judaica, CD Rom Edition, Keter Publishing
Carole Herselle Krinsky, Synagogues of Europe, P.239-42
Copyright © 1998-99 Edward Victor