Remah Synagogue and Cemetery, Krakow

The Remah Synagogue, constructed during the 16th century, stands as the smallest of Kraków's historical synagogues within the Kazimierz district. It takes its name from Rabbi Moses Isserles, also known as ReMA, who lived from c. 1525 to 1572. ReMA gained renown for composing a series of commentaries and supplementary texts that complemented Rabbi Yosef Karo's Shulchan Aruch, incorporating Ashkenazi customs and traditions. At present, this synagogue is one of just two that remain active in the city.

According to a prevalent tradition, Israel ben Josef, the grandson of Moshe Auerbach of Regensburg, founded the synagogue to honor his son, Moshe Isserles, who even in his youth was celebrated for his erudition. However, a more credible account of the synagogue's inception emerges from the Hebrew inscription on the foundation tablet, which suggests that the synagogue was erected in memory of Malka, Israel ben Josef's wife.

Originally dubbed the "New Synagogue," the Remah Synagogue was built in 1553 adjacent to a recently established Jewish cemetery (now known as the "Old Cemetery"). The structure underwent modifications during the 17th and 18th centuries. The current layout can be traced back to the 1829 restoration, with some technical enhancements introduced in 1933 under the guidance of architect Herman Gutman. Tragically, during the Holocaust, the German Trust Office repurposed it as a storage facility, resulting in the loss of valuable ceremonial artifacts.

The Remah Cemetery, often referred to as the Old Jewish Cemetery, is an ancient burial ground founded between 1535 and 1551, and it ranks among Poland's most ancient Jewish cemeteries. It lies beside the 16th-century Remah Synagogue and bears the name of Rabbi Moses Isserles, signified by the abbreviation "Remah."

Around 1850, the cemetery was closed, and the nearby New Jewish Cemetery at 55 Miodowa Street succeeded it as the new burial site for the city's Jewish population.

During the German occupation of Poland, the Nazis damaged Remah Cemetery, using tombstones as paving material. Rabbi Moses Isserles' tombstone is one of the rare survivors. The cemetery has been restored multiple times since then, with some original tombstones reinstated, though just a fraction of the original monuments.