The Municipal Corporation of Dabrowa Tarnowska, which I have the honor to represent, has very important task to achieve – to renovate and keep safely a Monument of Synagogue in Dabrowa Tarnowska.
The monument was owned by the Country Treasury since 1971, but in December 2006 was passed on to the Municipal Corporation of Dabrowa Tarnowska. The Jewish people have played a very important role in the city mentioned above and since their appearance in 1693 were the wealthiest residents, which allowed them to have their own Municipal Corporation in 1702.

During occupation, the Jews were forced to work for the Germans in the ghetto that was placed in the city of Dabrowa Tarnowska from July 1942 until September 1943.The Jews could always count on the other residents of the city for help as far as being able to hide in their homes under false documents given out by the priests, so they would not have to go to the ghetto. In September 1942, the Jews were deported to the work force camp in Belzcu and few months later the ones that worked for the Municipal Corporation of Jews were killed. Only 150 people survived the war, the ones that emigrated from Poland, but 62 people Polish Nationality died for the survivors.
The Monument of Synagogue was the only thing that was left after the Jewish people. The building was elevated in the second half of the XIX century, but because it is standing by the main street of the city of Dabrowa Tarnowska, as a main attraction, it started falling apart. It is considered to be the largest monument temple of this kind and was one of the most beautiful and most magnificent temples in Poland. It was very rich in details such as square turrets in every single corner on each hallway. Today you can only see part of the writings and the renovations have shown another layer underneath it.
The Monument of Synagogue was funded by Aisk Stern, a Jewish man who lived in Dabrowa Tarnowska, it was designed by Abraham Goldstein and the Italian artists and specialists carried out the design. The monument was ruined during World War I and renovated in 1936-37, but then it was rubbed during World War II and it was used as
storage. After World War II it was only secured provisionally and in 1971 the Country Treasury took over the monument and an initial design was made for the Cultural Center done by Professor Wiktor Zin, but because of lack of funding the plan was never carried on.
Renovation of the Monument of Synagogue has been estimated at 9 million zlotych. The Municipal Corporation is not able to come up with such an amount on its own.
In March 2007, I have met with the leader of the Jewish Municipal Corporation in Krakow, Mr. Tadeusz Jakubowicz, and the director of the Province Delegation of the Monument Office Preserve, Mr. Andrzej Cetera. We talked about the future plans for the monument and its devotion, since we are the owners of the monument we would like to renovate it and keep it in the city of Dabrowa Tarnowska. We plan on having the Monument of Synagogue made into a museum that would show the lives of the Jewish people in the city as well as the residents of the city and their community.
I asked the guests for a jointly activity on this project.
In April 2007, inference was made to the Minister of National Culture and Heritage and the Seym of Malopolska Province for a donation of 100 thousand zlotych for a technical and conservative expert's report, we were given a donation of 50 thousand zlotych which has been used to make the expert's reports in October of 2007. The reports have shown that the building is in a very bad shape and is in danger of collapsing.
In 2008 we were able to get 800 thousand zlotych from the Minister of National Culture and Heritage, which will be used to almost complete the most important parts of the protection process which was appraised at 900 thousand zlotych. We were also able to get
a donation 20 thousand zlotych from the Seym of Malopolska Province for the elaboration of the architectural design. If everything goes according to the plan, the exchange of the roof and ceilings, strengthening of the walls, and the reconstruction of the vaults will begin in the second half of this year. This would mean that the building of Synagogue will not be in danger of collapsing.

We would appreciate very much for any support of getting funds for restoration of this Monument of Synagogue in Dąbrowa Tranowska.

Sincerely,
Stanisław Początek

Contact :
BURMISTRZ MIASTA I GMINY DĄBROWA TARNOWSKA
PAN MGR INŻ. STANISŁAW POCZĄTEK
URZĄD GMINY DĄBROWA TARNOWSKA
RYNEK 34
33-200 DĄBROWA TARNOWSKA
TEL (014) 642-27-75, 655-40-(00-03)
FAX (0-14) 642-27-47
E-MAIL :
ugdt@poczta.onet.pl
burmistrz.dabrowa_tarnowska.kda@gminypolskie.pl