[4] The synagogue was confiscated and closed by the Soviet government after annexing Northern Bukovina and its largest city, Czernowitz, from Romania in 1940.

The building was burned by German and Romanian soldiers on 5 July 1941, after Nazi-allied Romania retook the city.

After World War II the Soviet authorities tried to blow up the destroyed temple, but the building survived.

In 1959, the outer walls were used to partially reconstruct the building for use as a movie theater[4] that was named Zhovten ('October', in honor of the October Revolution).

The Sadovsky Street Synagogue, closed by the Soviet Regime, was renovated, reopened, and also serves the Jewish Community Center.