The Slovak Spectator has an article on Jewish heritage in Slovakia. There
were around 100 identified synagogues in Slovakia before World War II. Many
are in disrepair, but there are seven active synagogues in Slovakia: One
in Bratislava, two in Nove Zamky and Komarno, two in Kosice, one in
Bardejov and one in Presov. Ten have been renovated for use in cultural
events. As Slovakia was an ally of Nazi Germany in WWII, their synagogues
were not destroyed as they were in other parts of Europe, however some were
destroyed during the Communist regime.

The Nazi-collaborationist Slovakia deported around 71,000 Jews with only a
few hundred returning after the war's end. The few that returned did not
stay and many then emigrated to the United States, the UK, Switzerland or
Israel.

Each year Slovakia holds a Jewish cultural event, "Opening the Windows for
You" or Mazel tov, the Jewish Cultural Festival. with Klezmer or jazz
music, exhibitions, workshops, and guided tours of some of the former Jewish
centers of Kosice, Bardejov and Presov in eastern Slovakia - available in
English and Hungarian as well as Slovak languages. The website for the
Cultural festival in Kosice was for June 2014. However, the article includes
websites for memorials, and synagogues throughout Slovakia. The article
found at:
http://spectator.sme.sk/c/20058562/jewish-heritage-still-alive.html
[or http://tinyurl.com/ntlljrl - MODXERATOR]
discusses a number of the Slovak Jewish cemeteries.

The Jewish Heritage Article which led me to the Slovak Spectator article may
be read at: http://tinyurl.com/or4flzk
Original url:
http://www.jewish-heritage-europe.eu/2015/07/06/highlighting-jewish-heritage-in-slovakia/%E2%80%9D

In full disclosure Presov, formerly known as Eperjes, is one of my ancestral
towns and there is a link for the Jewish Museum in Presov, with photographs.

Jan Meisels Allen
Agoura Hills, CA, USA

SEARCHING:
REICH, WALD, ZUPNIK - Presov, Mestiszko, Szivdnik; Salgo, Sebes Kellemes,
Slovakia (formerly Hungary)
MEISELS, SEGALLA/SIGALL, LIEBERMAN - Brody, Ukraine
KLAJNMAN, MICHELBERG, SYK, SZLANG, TYKULSKIER - Sochaczew, Chorzele, and
Zakroczym Poland
FREJER, IMJAK, WILAMOWSKY, KREPLAK - Stawiski, Poland
SZAPIRA, SOBOTKO, PIATKOWSKA, PERLA, ASZ, WAPNIARZ - Lomza, Poland
GUTFARB - Zambrow, Poland ASZ, Nasielsk, Poland
ELION - Suwalki Lithuania