A packed library about the synagogue's centuries-old history
A packed book fair marked the anniversary of the synagogue in Trondheim. Terje Bratberg and John Arne Moen took the audience from St. Jørgensveita to Arkitekt Christies gate – a story about faith, culture and community.
photo and text: Martin Farstad Borg
Book about a hundred years of history
Terje Bratberg has written a book about the synagogue in Trondheim, which in 2025 marked 100 years since its inauguration in 1925. The conversation with John Arne Moen highlighted both the historical background and the building's significance for the city's Jewish community.
The beginning of St. Jørgensveita
The story began in 1899, when the Jews established Norway's first non-Christian house of worship since the Viking Age. They rented and converted St. Jørgensveita 7 into a synagogue. Eventually, the premises became too small, and the need for a banquet hall, kitchen and library grew.
A new home in Arkitekt Christies gate
Despite economic downturns and high prices after World War I, the congregation found a solution: the city's first railway station on Arkitekt Christies gate. In December 1923, the building was purchased, and after a year and a half of extensive reconstruction, the synagogue was ready for inauguration in October 1925.
More than building history
"The book is not only a building history, but also a story about the people and community who built it, and how the synagogue has been a home for faith, culture and memories for a hundred years," said Terje Bratberg during the book launch.
A vibrant meeting place
The audience asked questions and shared reflections, and the conversation showed how the building still has a strong symbolic power – as both a place of worship, cultural heritage and meeting place in the middle of Trondheim.
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