Prayer hall (Steinbach)

A synagogue (prayer hall) had existed in Steinbach since 1702, which Mayer Seligmann had set up in his house there. Comburg Abbey demanded that the synagogue be closed. Two years later, the holding of Jewish ceremonies in Steinbach was once again banned. But this time, too, the ban does not seem to have had a lasting effect, as another ban followed in 1710. A few years later, the Jews of Steinbach and Unterlimpurg held joint services in Unterlimpurg. However, the Steinbachers were keen to have their own prayer room again as soon as possible. In 1737 they complained that it was difficult to go to the school (= synagogue) in Unterlimpurg in the rain and winter weather. Comburg Abbey now allowed services to be held in Steinbach, which led to a separation between the communities for several years. In 1737/38 - as in Unterlimpurg - the Steinbach prayer room was painted by Eliezer Sussmann. After the death of Moses Mayer in Unterlimpurg in 1744, who owned the prayer hall there, the services were possibly only attended in Steinbach again.

From the year 1771 there is a contract in which the two congregations agreed to alternate the "school course" (attendance at church services) every year, i.e. from New Year 1771 to 1772 in Löw Mayer's house in Unterlimpurg, 1772/1773 again in Steinbach. This contract stated that the synagogue had long been held exclusively in Steinbach. However, the rhythm agreed in this contract was not strictly adhered to: after 1782 or 1788 at the latest, it was abandoned again. Services were now held exclusively in Steinbach.

The Steinbach synagogue with its 1737/38 painting by Elieser Sussmann was located in the attic of the house that Mayer Abraham and Herzle Abraham each owned half of (today's address of the house: 29 Neustetter Strasse). When the house was divided in 1746, a women's and a men's school were mentioned, with the synagogue belonging jointly to both owners. In 1767, Herzle Abraham extended the women's school to make room for the wife of the schoolmaster Seligmann Binckhes, who would otherwise not have been able to stand with the women.