The story goes that Rabbi Pinkas apparently had a dead monkey thrown through his window. However the pranksters did not know that the monkey had swallowed some gold coins belonging to its master who was a goldsmith - the monkey had been trying to imitate the master biting the coins for authenticity. Rabbi Pinkas noticed that the carcass was unusually heavy and so cut it open to find all the coins. He dedicated the gift to the building of this synagogue.

Story aside the Pinkas Synagogue today is the gateway to the Jewish cemetery. During communism the building was closed for restoration, during which time all the names of holocaust victims inscribed on the walls were unfortunately erased. However a new project endeavoured to restore all 77,927 names to their rightful place and they now cover the entire interior of the nave.