THE MEMORIAL BOOK OF PÁPA JEWRY - JewishGen

In addition, there was a third door on the left, but it was kept closed most of the time: the
marble stairs leading there served as a cosy place for children's games. (We could not wish for a
better place to play our holiday games with walnuts and carob seeds.)
The large synagogue had two galleries and main hall could seat 800 men. It was
constructed according to the plans of progressive-minded officials, with the bimah in front of the
ark and a recess for an organ to be set up later on the second floor. (That point was never
reached.) The bimah in front of the ark became a bone of contention: it was the only orthodox
temple in the country with the bimah not in the center, as prescribed by the Shulchan Aruch.
There were rabbis who refused to occupy the position of the chief rabbi at Pápa for this reason. R.
Shimon Sofer, an outstanding member of the Pozsony rabbinical dynasty, who became later the
chief rabbi of Kraków, wrote a letter to the community of Pápa in 1856, saying: "I cannot accept
the offered rabbinical seat because of your failure to fulfil my request to place the bimah in the
center."
Above the ark, glittering letters proclaim:
דע לפני מי אתה עומד.‏ שיויתי ה'‏ לנגדי תמיד
"Be aware in front of whom you stand. I always keep God in sight."
There were 40-45 Torah scrolls in the ark. To the left and to the right there were niches
for the rabbis and the dayanim. There were three-four seats on both sides of the ark. The silver
bowl and jug for the kohanim to wash their hands before blessing the congregation were set on a
separate table. The pulpit was placed in front of the ark, and it was covered with white silk for the
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