The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv () is an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located at 110

Allenby Street Allenby Street () is a major street in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was named in honor of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby. Allenby Street stretches from the Mediterranean Sea in the northwest to HaAliya Street in the southeast. It was first paved with ...

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. The synagogue is sited just east of the

Shalom Meir Tower Shalom Meir Tower (, ''Migdal Shalom Meir''; commonly known as Migdal Shalom, ) is an office tower in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was the first skyscraper built in Israel. Overview Shalom Meir Tower was designed by architects Yitzhak Pearlstein, Gideon ...

. It was designed by

Yehuda Magidovitch Yehuda Magidovitch (; 1886–1961) was one of the most prolific Israeli architects. Among his prominent works are the Galei Aviv Casino, a café-restaurant (demolished in 1939), and the Cinema Esther (now Cinema Hotel), both in Tel Aviv.Aisenberg, ...

and completed in 1926 in the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

style. The synagogue underwent significant renovations in 1969, including the addition of

Modernist Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

with arches. The synagogue was situated in the heart of Little Tel Aviv, but today it stands in the city's bustling business and financial district. Due to demographic changes in the 1960s, its congregation has dwindled, with the main sanctuary is primarily used for Jewish weddings and special occasions. Daily services are held in a small synagogue on the lower level.

History

A cornerstone for a Great Synagogue was laid in 1913 on Yehuda Halevi Street. However, construction was postponed due to various reasons. In 1914, an architectural competition was held for the new site on Allenby Street, which was won by Richard Michael. With the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Michael was unable to complete the project and was replaced by Alexander Baerwald, a Jewish German architect. Construction finally commenced in 1924 based on the plans of

and was completed in 1926 with support from a donation by Baron Edmond James de Rothschild. The dome was engineered by Arpad Geuthe. In 1969, architect

Aryeh Elhanani Arieh El-Hanani () born SapozhnikovArie El Hanani
Israel Museum we ...

led a renovation that modernized the synagogue, adding arches and updating the interior to reflect contemporary tastes in architecture and design. The synagogue features a large dome, intricate lighting, and stained glass windows that replicate those lost in European synagogues during the Holocaust. Architect Ze'ev Rechter planned an Italian-style plaza around the synagogue in the late 1930s, although only part of the plan was executed. Following the

King David Hotel bombing The British administrative headquarters for Mandatory Palestine, housed in the southern wing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, were bombed in a terrorist attack on 22 July 1946, by the militant right-wing Zionist underground organization I ...

in 1946, weapons were discovered in the synagogue's basement. The caretaker, Eliezer Neuman, was subsequently detained by British military authorities and sentenced to a one-year term. The Great Synagogue hosted the magazine ''

Synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

'' from 1946 to 1948. In 1985, scenes from the film '' Alex Is Lovesick'' were shot here. In 2016, restoration efforts began to restore the synagogue's original 1920s appearance, funded by the municipality and a 20 million donation from

Patrick Drahi Patrick Drahi (; ; ; born 20 August 1963) is a Moroccan–Israeli billionaire magnate and investor with interests in media and telecoms. He is the founder and controlling shareholder of the European-based telecom group Altice. He lives in Swit ...

. The restoration is expected to be completed in 2027 and it will allow for improved use as a municipal center for religious services, as well as community activity and tourism.

Gallery

108013 tel aviv - the great synagogue PikiWiki Israel.jpg, The synagogue, in Tel Aviv, Israel 43845 (14492525931).jpg, The synagogue interior PikiWiki Israel 6317 Central Synagogue in Tel Aviv.jpg, The synagogue interior רחוב אלנבי ביום ערפילי.jpg, Aerial view of Tel Aviv with the synagogue on the left

References

Acknowledgments

''This article incorporates translated information from the Hebrew Wikipedia article, .''

External links

* * {{Authority control 1913 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 20th-century synagogues in Israel Art Deco architecture in Israel Art Deco synagogues Jewish organizations established in 1913 Modernist architecture in Israel Modernist synagogues Orthodox synagogues in Israel Synagogue buildings with domes Synagogues completed in 1926 Synagogues completed in 1969 Synagogues in Tel Aviv

History

Gallery

See also

References

Acknowledgments

External links