How Beautiful Are Your Dwelling Places, Jacob
An Atlas of Jewish Space and a Synagogue for Babyn Yar
On September 29 and 30, 1941, over 33,000 Jewish men, women, and children were murdered in Babyn Yar, a ravine in Kiev, marking the largest single massacre of Jews by German troops during World War II. In remembrance and affirmation of a Jewish future, a synagogue shaped like an oversized Jewish prayer book was inaugurated on the site in May 2021. This innovative structure, designed by architect Manuel Herz, features an inner space that unfolds, adorned with murals by Ukrainian artist Galina Andrusenko. The synagogue's design reflects a meditation on Judaism's 3,000-year history, exploring the concept of Jewish Space in its territorial, architectural, psychological, theological, and intellectual dimensions. This journey navigates a historical landscape marked by spiritual aspirations and the depths of despair stemming from antisemitism, persecution, and genocide. The first volume of the accompanying work, An Atlas of Jewish Space, includes 134 brief, engaging texts by Robert Jan van Pelt, each paired with a drawing by Mark Podwal. The second volume, A Synagogue for Babyn Yar, documents the new building through photographs by architectural photographer Iwan Baan, alongside plans and model photos, enhanced by texts from Manuel Herz, Galina Andrusenko, Jean-Louis Cohen, and Marina Otero Verzier and Nick Axel.
