Schiffschul

Khal Adas Yisroel, usually referred to as the Schiff Shul, was the main Orthodox synagogue in Vienna prior to the Holocaust. The synagogue no longer exists since it was destroyed by the Nazis on Kristallnacht. A building that was adjacent to the Schiffshul and was part of its complex remains.

A small shul currently exists in this building that is called Bet Hamidrasch Khal Chassidim and is led by Rabbi Avraham Yona Schwartz. The upper level of the building has been functioning as a yeshiva since the 1940s and is headed by Rabbi Michoel Pressburger. It also serves as temporary spiritual refuge to thousands of Jewish refugees from Iran who have transited through Vienna over the past 30 years.

There is a memorial plaque at this site that states "This Jewish place of worship was destroyed by the Nazis in the pogrom of November 1938."

The Synagogue was located on Grosse Schiffgasse 8 in the second district of Vienna known as Leopoldstadt.

With the constitution of the Israelitsche Cultus-Gemeinde (official Jewish Community) in 1852, the shul was established. The first rabbi was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Spitzer (d. 1894) who was elected in 1852. He was a son in law of the Chasam Sofer 1763-1839 (Rabbi Moshe Sofer). As such, the community had a direct connection to the Pressburg Orthodox Community. As the liberal contingent grew in influence Rabbi Spitzer led the observant Orthodox secessionist congregation to a new location, which was built from 1858 to 1864. The new synagogue counted 750 seats (500 for men, 250 for women).

Rabbi Yeshaya Fuerst (d. 1943), succeeded Rabbi Spitzer in 1894. He was a disciple of the Ksav Sofer 1815-1872 (Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Binyamin Sofer) and he too had close ties to the Pressburg Orthodox Community.

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