Customer Reviews

Neil Folberg: And I Shall Dwell Among Them

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Wow, can you imagine traveling to so many cultures and time periods... and not leave your living room. It's a real eye-opener, in more ways than one. I am quite surprised how the synagogue -the "original" place of monotheistic worship- can have so many faces: beautiful, even exquisite, faces. Anyone interested in architecture or religious expression will enjoy this book immensely. [p.s. My favorite shot? pgs 120-121]

This book was given to me as an anniversary gift by my wife. I do not think I have ever had a better one.
In his introduction Neil Folberg talks about his having tried to photograph the synagogues presented in this album as he himself has 'seen ' them. This thought made a great deal of sense to me when I looked and compared some of the photos here with my memories of the same synagogues. I had seen the Altneushuel in Prague in a depth of darkness and sadness , a grief which obscured completely its other side- the holy light and transforming beauty Folberg's photographs reveal in it.
There are so many treasures in this work. I knew nothing for instance about Uzbekhi family-synagogues. Their intimacy and skill in decoration moved me. Folberg traveled through many different parts of the world, to reach some very well- known and some little - known and little- visited synagogues. He and his assistant Max Richardson brought with them an enormous amount of lighting equipment. Folger's description of how they might labor for days to achieve one perfect picture , deepened my appreciation for their enterprise.
Folberg knows the world of the synagogue well, and his introductions before each major area of the world's synagogues visited add a great deal to the book. The afterword by Yom Tov Assis teaches a much about the development of the synagogue over time.
I have always had a special love for synagogues.
I was raised in a small but for me, especially beautiful synagogue, Shaarah Tefillah in Troy, New York. I kept wishing that Folberg had somehow years before gotten to it, and photographed before its unfortunate demolition.
Part of the poignance of this work is that Folberg does arrive at many synagogues which no longer have congregations, or which only a few people left. There is a certain sense of 'memorialization' then in his photographing them , though he does not stress this motif.
His stress is on the synagogues themselves as they appear now. Here I think it is important to emphasize one central element of his work. One can think of neglected synagogues in the disapora, as places of gloom, darkness, neglect,great physical poverty. After all most of the synagogues are much smaller places of worship than the churches or mosques of the area they are in. But Folberg so lights the synagogues that they become somehow sparklingly - up- to date , beautifully preserved.
Folberg's descriptions of his work and the synagogues are poetic and impressive. He provides a kind of travelogue of the Jewish world in his describing each of the places he comes to, and the unique character of its synagogues.
All synagogues by the way share the feature of being pointed towards Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount.
This book is inspiring and beautiful. I believe it belongs in every Jewish home , and in the homes of all those who would see and understand , how holiness and beauty may be made one.

Yes, the photographs and printing are superb, of synagogues around the world. Folberg is a master of the large format camera and lighting. It is not a scholar's book, but one for the pure visual pleasure of hows Jews throughout time have worshipped the Creator, all in their inimitable individual ways,but yet offering prayer to the same divinity. Please see my review of The Venetian Ghetto for a further bibliography for synagogue architectural buffs

Max Mulberg, PhD

An amazing collection of Shuls and Synagogues from around the world! It is interesting to see the different styles found in different countries. The are intricate and beautiful designs. A wonderful coffee table book or for one who loves ethic photography.