Alemannia Judaica

The Israelite Women's Association of Bleicherode was founded in 1916. Ida Rothenberg, who lived at Burgstraße 7, was the chairwoman of the association in Bleicherode in 1924-32, whose purpose was to support the needy. Funerals also fell within his remit. At the time of Rothenberg's leadership, the association counted 30-40 members.

 To take care of religious duties of the community was employed teacher who also served as a prayer leader and shochet.

At the residential building of the Jewish Gronner family in Friedrich-Hofmann-Strasse 7, there has been a memorial plaque since July 1993, erected by John Gronner, who lives in the USA, in memory of his parents, with the inscription: "This business building was built in 1929 by Samuel and Helene Gronner on the site of the former Ilmenau parish office. The Nazi regime of violence deported both of them to certain death in the East on May 5, 1942. This plaque serves their memory and as a constant reminder to future generations of human and mutual tolerance. Date of dedication July 1993."

In 1933, Bankhaus Strupp was nationalized and the Old Synagogue adjacent to the bank building was forcibly demolished.  

Until the beginning of the 19th century, a prayer hall or synagogue was present in each case (e.g. mentioned in 1737 in connection with the formula for the Jewish oath). On August 30, 1811 a synagogue could be consecrated at the western city wall. The ducal court factor Levi Simon had given the money for it and initially purchased two plots of land in the area of Untere Marktstraße with the then census numbers 22 and 23. The inauguration took place with the permission of Duke Frederick. The inauguration speech was held by Josef Michael Hirsch.

The medieval Jewish residential area was located in the area from Ackerhof to Benediktsplatz until the persecution and destruction of the community in the plague period. Here was the synagogue of the Jewish community. The building, which has been preserved until today, is the oldest synagogue in Central Europe preserved up to the roof. During intensive research in recent years, four construction phases of a total of three synagogues could be identified. The visible western facade with the tracery rosette and the pointed arched windows can be dated to the year 1270.

The Jewish community, which re-emerged a few years after the plague pogrom, was able to build a new synagogue in the area of the parking lot behind the town hall (second synagogue). Remains of this synagogue are probably located under this parking lot. In September 2012, the keystone was recovered.

In the 19th century, after the establishment of the Jewish community, a prayer hall could already be inaugurated on September 30, 1864. Until then, services had taken place in private homes of Jewish families, including the house of the solver Herz Kayser in Georgenstraße.

First there was a prayer room in each case (already in the 16th century, then again in the 18th century).