The dome of the Hurva dominated the Old City skyline.

The Hurva Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת החורבה, translit: Beit HaKnesset HaHurba‎), located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, was Jerusalem's main synagogue from the 16th until the 20th century, when it was reduced to rubble by Jordanian soldiers during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... ... “Hebrew” redirects here. ... Transliteration is the practice of transcribing a word or text written in one writing system into another writing system. ... A Jewish quarter is the area of a city traditionally inhabited by Jews. ... ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... A synagogue (from ancient Greek: , transliterated synagogÄ“, assembly; ‎ beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: or Template:Lanh-he beit tefila, house of prayer, shul; Ladino: , esnoga) is a Jewish house of worship. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Combatants  Israel Haganah Irgun Lehi Palmach Foreign Volunteers Egypt, Syria, Transjordan,  Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Holy War Army, Arab Liberation Army Commanders Yaakov Dori, Yigael Yadin John Bagot Glubb, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, Hasan Salama, Fawzi Al-Qawuqji, Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi Strength  Israel: 29,677 initially rising...

History

Construction (1700s)

In the year 1700, a mass immigration of Rabbi Judah he-Hasid (Segal) and his 300 to 1,000 students (sources vary on the number)^[1] arrived in Jerusalem from Poland. They bought the courtyard next to the Ramban Synagogue, which had been closed by the Ottomans in 1589 due to Muslim incitement. On this site they began building a synagogue to accommodate the increased Jewish population of the city. Events January 1 - Russia accepts Julian calendar. ... Judah he-Hasid (Hebrew: Yehudah he-Hasid, Judah the Pious) (around 1650, Siedlce - 1700, Jerusalem), was a Jewish Sabbatean preacher who led the largest organized group of Jewish immigrants to the Land of Israel in centuries. ... The Ramban Synagogue (Hebrew: ‎) is the oldest active synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... Events Rebellion of the Catholic League against King Henry III of France, in revenge for his murder of Duke Henry of Guise. ...

Due to the sudden death of their rabbi and the subsequent decline of the community, the immigrants were unable to finish construction or pay their debts. In 1721, the unfinished structure was burned together with the 40 Sifrei Torah it contained by the Arab creditors. From this time on the site lay in ruins and became known as Hurbat Rav Yehudah HaHasid — the Ruin of Rabbi Judah the Pious. The name was commonly abridged to "the Hurba" (commonly referred to in English as "Hurva") or "the Ruin." Year 1721 (MDCCXXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Sefer Torah being read during weekday service. ...

Rebuilding (1810s)

Interior of the synagogue, c.1935

The site remained desolate for about 140 years. It was in 1816, when Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov arrived in Jerusalem from Safed hoping to obtain a firman releasing the Ashkenasim from all debts, that the possibility of rebuilding the synagogue arose. He was a disciple of the Vilna Gaon and belonged to a group of ascetic Jews, known as the Perushim who had immigrated to Palestine from Lithuania between 1809 and 1812. Originally settling in Safed, several outbreaks of disease drove many of them to Jerusalem. Image File history File links Hurva_Syn_Jeru2. ... Image File history File links Hurva_Syn_Jeru2. ... Safed (Hebrew: צְפַת, Tiberian: , Israeli: Tsfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas; Arabic: صفد ; KJV English: Zephath) is a city in the North District in Israel. ... Firman refers to a royal mandate or decree issued from a sovereign in Western Asian countries such as Iran under the Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi or the Ottoman rulers. ... Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ... The Perushim (Hebrew: ) were disciples of Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman (the Vilna Gaon), who left Lithuania to settle in the Land of Israel, then a province of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the nineteenth century. ...

When Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov got consent absolving the Ashkenasim from outstanding debts, he also received details of the legal boundaries of the original courtyard the Jews had bought years earlier. However, it was still necessary, and proving difficult, to get further persimmon from the Ottoman rulers to waive "Omar's covenant" which forbade the building of synagogues. In 1832 when Muhammad Ali of Egypt took control of Jerusalem, permission was given only for carrying out repairs to existing synagogues. Unsatisfied, the Perushim garnered support of the Russian and Austrian consuls and together with invoking the name of Baron Salomon Mayer von Rothschild, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Tzoref, a Lithuanian-born rabbi and silversmith who negotiated on behalf of the Perushim, succeeded and construction began in 1836. A year later in 1837 the Menachem Zion Synagogue was a reality. It was, however, the same year that an earthquake struck in the city of Safed which resulted in another wave of Jewish refugees arriving in Jerusalem. As the community swelled, the need arose for a larger synagogue. This article is about the viceroy of Egypt. ... Salomon Mayer von Rothschild Salomon Mayer von Rothschild (September 9, 1774 – July 28, 1855) was a German-born banker in the Austrian Empire and the founder of the Viennese branch of the prominent Mayer Amschel Rothschild family. ... The Menachem Zion Synagogue located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, Jerusalem, Israel, was completed in 1837. ...

The matter again fell to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Tzoref. Together with the efforts of British philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore and the help of the British consuls in Jerusalem and Constantinople, the necessary firman was obtained from the Ottoman sultan Abdülmecid I in 1856. Moshe Montefiori and his wind mill. ... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ... Abdülmecid I (Ottoman Turkish: عبد المجيد اول ‘Abdü’l-MecÄ«d-i evvel) (April 23, 1823 – June 25, 1861) was the 31st sultan of the Ottoman Empire and succeeded his father Mahmud II on July 2, 1839. ...

Baron James Mayer de Rothschild after whom the synagogue was named

The edict was delivered by Moses Montefiore himself during his fifth pilgrimage to the Holy Land, however Zoref was assassinated by local Arabs before construction was finished. The cornerstone was laid in 1856 in the presence Chief Rabbi Shmuel Salant, who had been instrumental is raising the necessary funding, and Baron Alphonse James de Rothschild brother of Edmond James de Rothschild who dedicated much of his life supporting the Jews of Palestine. It was officially named Beit Yaakov — House of Jacob — after their father James (Yaakov) Rothschild, although the synagogue retained its name as The Hurva.^[2] As the construction progressed, funds ran out and it took a further eight years, till 1864, for the building to be completed. The largest single gift came from Yechezkel Reuben, a wealthy sephardi Jew from Baghdad, who gave 100,000 of the million piasters needed. His son, Menashe, and daughter, Lady Sasson, later supplemented his donation. The combined "Reuben" donations eventually covered more than half the cost. It marked an important step in the unity of the Sephardi and Ashkenasi communities of the city.^[3] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Rabbi Shmuel Salant Rabbi Shmuel Salant (January 2, 1816 – August 16, 1909) served as the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and was a renowned Talmudist and Torah scholar. ... Mayer Alphonse James Rothschild, born February 1, 1827 in Paris - died May 26, 1905 in Paris, was a banker and philanthropist and a member of the prominent Rothschild family. ... Baron Edmond James de Rothschild (born August 19, 1845 - died November 2, 1934) was a philanthropist and activist for Jewish affairs and a member of the prominent Rothschild family. ... James Mayer Rothschild. ... Sephardim (ספרדי, Standard Hebrew SÉ™fardi, Tiberian Hebrew ardî; plural Sephardim: ספרדים, Standard Hebrew Sfaradim, Tiberian Hebrew ) are a subgroup of Jews, generally defined in contrast to Ashkenazim and/or . ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ...

Another contributor was the King Frederick William IV of Prussia, whose name was inscribed above the entrance together with those of other benefactors.^[4] He also gave permission for funds to be collected from his Jewish subjects. Throughout Western Europe emissaries sought donations with the slogan "Merit Eternal Life with one stone". Arms of the Kingdom of Prussia This is a list of the rulers of the former German state of Prussia, originally territories on the Baltic Sea which the Teutonic Knights had conquered from of Poland and Lithuania, which later became a duchy under the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Poland... Photograph of Frederick King Frederick William IV of Prussia (October 15, 1795 - January 2, 1861), the eldest son and successor of Frederick William III of Prussia, reigned as King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861. ...

The synagogue, designed by the Sultan's official architect Assad Effendi, contained 42-foot-high window arches and a domed ceiling that rose 82 feet above the ground. It was the tallest structure in the Old City and was visible for miles.

The Holy Ark together with its gates were brought to Jerusalem from the Nikolaijewsky synagogue located in Kherson, Russia. The Nikolaijewsky synagogue had been used by Russian Jewish conscripts who had been forced to spend twenty-five years in the Tsarist army. The Ark consisted of four Corinthian columns and was decorated with baroque carvings.^[3] The Ark in a synagogue (Jewish house of worship) is known as the Aron Kodesh amongst Ashkenazim and as Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. ... Kherson (Ukrainian and Russian Херсон) is a city in southern Ukraine, the capital of Kherson Oblast, with 303,900 inhabitants (2004). ... The Corinthian order as used for the portico of the Pantheon, Rome provided a prominent model for Renaissance and later architects, through the medium of engravings. ... For other uses, see Baroque (disambiguation). ...

One of the most generous donations came from Pinchas Rosenberg, the Imperial Court tailor of St. Petersburg. In the diary of Rabbi Chaim HaLevy, the emissary who had been sent from Jerusalem to collect funds for the synagogue, Rosenberg set out in details what his money was intended for. Among the items which were bought with his money were two big bronze candelabras; a silver Hanukah candlestick which "arrived miraculously on the 1st Tevet [1866] precisely in time to light the last eight Hanukah candles" and an iron door made under the holy ark for safe-keeping of the candlestick. He also earmarked funds towards the building of an "artistically wrought iron fence around the roof under the upper windows so that there be a veranda on which may stand all our brethren who go up in pilgrimage to behold our desolate Temple, and also a partition for the womenfolk on the Feast of Tabernacles and Simchat Torah"^[3] Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and... Chanukah (חנכה ḥănukkāh, or חנוכה ḥănūkkāh) is a Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of lights. ... Tevet (טֵבֵת, Standard Hebrew Tevet, Tiberian Hebrew Ṭēḇēṯ: from Akkadian ṭebētu) is the fourth month of the ecclesiastical year and the tenth month of the civil year on the Hebrew calendar. ... Sukkot (סוכות or סֻכּוֹת sukkōt, booths) or Succoth is an 8-day Biblical pilgrimage festival, also known as the Feast of Booths, the Feast of Tabernacles, or Tabernacles. ... Simchat Torah (שמחת תורה) is a Hebrew term which means rejoicing with/of the Torah. The annual cycle of reading the Torah is completed and begun anew, with the last section of Deuteronomy and the first section of Genesis read in succession after a festival parade of the Torah scrolls amidst singing...

On his visit to Jerusalem in 1866, Moses Montefiore went to see the famed Hurva synagogue, placing a silver breastplate on one of the Torah scrolls. When he visited again in 1875, a crowd of 3,000 Jews turned out to greet him. ^[5] Moshe Montefiori and his wind mill. ...

For the next 84 years, the building was considered the most beautiful and most important synagogue in the Land of Israel. It also housed part of the Etz Chaim Yeshiva, the largest yeshiva in Jerusalem. It was a focal point of Jewish spiritual life in the city and was the site of the installation of the Ashkenasi chief rabbis of both Palestine and Jerusalem.^[6] Kingdom of Israel: Early ancient historical Israel — land in pink is the approximate area under direct central royal administration during the United Monarchy. ... Etz Chaim Yeshiva is an orthodox yeshiva located on Jaffa Road close to the Mahane Yehuda Market in downtown Jerusalem. ... This article is about the Jewish male educational system. ... This article is about the geographical area known as Palestine. ...

On February 3, 1901 a memorial service for Queen Victoria took place inside the synagogue in gratitude for the protection afforded to the Jews of Jerusalem by Britain. The service was presided over by the Ashkenasi Chief Rabbi, Shmuel Salant. According to a report in the Jewish Chronicle, the large building was “filled to its utmost capacity and policemen had to keep off the crowds, who vainly sought admission, by force".^[7] Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. ... Rabbi Shmuel Salant Rabbi Shmuel Salant (January 2, 1816 – August 16, 1909) served as the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem and was a renowned Talmudist and Torah scholar. ... The Jewish Telegraph is a Jewish Newspaper in Britain. ...

Aharon Bier, in his "Book of the Jewish Quarter", offers the following description of the synagogue:

The synagogue prayer hall was reached via an entrance with three iron gates. The length was around 15.5 meters and the width was around 14 meters. The height of the synagogue to the bottom of the dome was around 16 meters and to the top of the dome it was 24 meters. During the synagogue's heyday, the ark in the middle of the eastern wall dominated the interior. This ark was crafted by a Jewish artisan in eastern Poland and then brought over. Worshipers approached the ark by ascending stairs surrounded by a rail and iron gates, which separated the chapel from the hall. The alcove where the ark stood and the area above the ark were adorned with dazzling woodcuts of flowers and birds. The ark itself had two levels, was covered with a curtain and held 50 Torah scrolls. To the right and in front of the ark was the cantor's podium, which was designed as a miniature version of the two-level ark.

In the middle of the synagogue, there was a flat platform without the high wooden structure that is standard in the other synagogues in the Old City. This bimah was covered with expensive marble plates. The light entered the high synagogue through 12 windows at the base of the dome and via two rows of large windows set in the walls of the chapel - except for the eastern wall, where the ark was located. This way the light from the three other walls was channeled onto the eastern wall. Above the ark was a triangular window with rounded points. The seats were benches that faced east and also lined the walls. The women's section was in the galleries, along the three sides of the chapel, except the eastern side. Access to the galleries was through towers situated at the corners of the building. Image File history File linksMetadata Hurva_Holy_Ark_1. ... Interior of the Amsterdam Esnoga: We see the tebáh (reader’s platform) in the foreground, and the Hekhál (Ark) in the background. ...

In the four corners were drawings of four animals in accordance with the statement in Pirkei Avot: "Be strong as the leopard and swift as the eagle, fleet as the deer and brave as the lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven". The walls of the synagogue had drawings and decorations such as stars of David, the menorah, Mount Sinai and the Tablets of the Ten Commandments. Pirkei Avoth (Hebrew: Chapters of the Fathers, פרקי אבות ) or simply Avoth is a tractate of the Mishna composed of ethical maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period. ...

The building facade was covered in finely hewn stone. The four corners had little towers, but the construction of only one was completed and it had a small dome. The three others were missing the dome and the upper level. The base of the dome was surrounded by a veranda, which offered a fine view of large parts of the Old City and the area around Jerusalem.

– Aharon Bier, ^[6]

Demolition (1948)

In the battle for the Old City of Jerusalem in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, fighters from the Haganah established a defensive position inside the synagogue and its courtyard. After a call for surrender communicated via the Red Cross failed, soldiers from the Arab Legion of Jordan proceeded to blow a hole in the wall surrounding the synagogue. After 45 minutes of ensuing fighting, they captured the building.^[8] The Legionnaires entered the synagogue itself and tried to scramble to the top of its dome to plant a Jordanian flag. Three of them were shot by Haganah snipers, but the fourth succeeded. Clearly visible in the New City, the flag over the skyline of the Old City signaled the Legion’s triumph.^[9] They continued to blow up the synagogue as proof of Jordanian control over the Jewish Quarter^{[citation needed]}. The Jordanian commander who led the operation is reported to have told his superiors: "For the first time in 1,000 years not a single Jew remains in the Jewish Quarter. Not a single building remains intact. This makes the Jews' return here impossible."^[10] Combatants  Israel Haganah Irgun Lehi Palmach Foreign Volunteers Egypt, Syria, Transjordan,  Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Holy War Army, Arab Liberation Army Commanders Yaakov Dori, Yigael Yadin John Bagot Glubb, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, Hasan Salama, Fawzi Al-Qawuqji, Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi Strength  Israel: 29,677 initially rising... Haganah Poster (1940s) The Haganah (Hebrew: The Defense, ×”×”×’× ×”) was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948. ... The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Arab Legion (al-Jaysh al-ArabÄ«) was Transjordans and later also Jordans regular army. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The national flag of Jordan (Arabic: ) is based on the flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The flag consists of three horizontal bands (black, white and green) that are all connected by a red triangle on the left edge. ... A Jewish quarter is the area of a city traditionally inhabited by Jews. ...

Commemorative arch (1978)

The commemorative arch built after the Six-Day War

Following the Six Day War, plans were mooted and designs sought for a new synagogue to be built at the site. As no permanent solution could be agreed upon, a temporary, symbolic solution was created. In 1978, one of the four arches that had originally supported the synagogue’s monumental dome was recreated. The 16 meter high stone arch spanning the space where the Hurva once stood was erected by two architects. The height of the original building, including the dome, had been twice as high as the symbolic arch. Together with the remains of the building and explanatory plaques, it was stark reminder of what had once stood at the site. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (892x669, 106 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Hurva Synagogue ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (892x669, 106 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Hurva Synagogue ... The 1967 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Six-Day War or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ...

Excavations (2003)

During July and August 2003, an excavation took place inside the Hurva. It was carried out by the Institute for Archaeology at the Hebrew University and the Israel Exploration Society. The excavation was funded by the Jewish Quarter Development Company of Jerusalem. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים) is one of Israels biggest and most important institutes of higher learning and research. ... The Israel Exploration Society (IES) External links Israel Exploration Society - official web site Categories: | ...

Before the excavation, the Israel Antiquities Authority supervised the removal of the stone flooring which had been laid after the 1967 Six Day War. Earth was removed to a depth of two metres over an area of 300m². The dig revealed evidence from four main settlement periods: First Temple (800-600 BCE), Second Temple (100 CE), Byzantine and Ottoman.^[10] The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) (before 1990, the Israel Department of Antiquities) is an independent Israeli governmental authority responsible for enforcing the 1978 Law of Antiquities by regulating excavation and conservation, and by promoting research. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... The 1967 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Six-Day War or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... Solomons Temple was the first Jewish temple in Jerusalem which functioned as a religious focal point for worship and the sacrifices known as the korbanot in ancient Judaism. ... A stone (2. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Ottoman redirects here. ...

Rebuilding plans and reconstruction

Removing the commemorative arch, January 2006.

Reconstruction work under way on the Hurva synagogue, July 2007.

After the unification of Jerusalem by Israel following the Six Day War, plans were made to rebuild the synagogue as part of the overall rehabilitaion of the Jewish Quarter. Leading the campaign to rebuild the Hurva was Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Tzoref's great-great-grandson, Ya'acov Salomon. Salomon turned to the young architect Ram Karmi who proposed Louis Kahn, a world-renowned architect who was also a founding member of the Jerusalem Committee, be given the task instead. Kahn's design would have introduced an atypically modern structure into the ancient city. Between 1968 and 1973, Kahn presented three plans for the reconstruction, each of which would have left the ruins of the old Hurva in place as a memorial garden, placed the new structure on an adjacent lot, and constructed a majestic promenade, called "the Route of the Prophets," to connect the complex with the nearby Western Wall. Kahn proposed a structure within a structure, the outer one composed of 16 soaring piers covered in golden Jerusalem stone cut in blocks of the same proportions as those of the Western Wall. In the bases of the four corners of the two-story, 12-meter high structure delineated by the piers would be small alcoves for meditation or individual prayer. The inner chamber, made of four inverted concrete pyramids supporting the building's roof, would be used for daily prayer services, which could spill over to the outer margins on Sabbath or festivals. For years, his model was on display in the Israel Museum, but after Kahn died in 1974 his plans were shelved. This was due to a combination of bureaucratic inaction and aesthetic misgivings of the design which was described as "too radical" for government officials. Former mayor Teddy Kollek wrote candidly to Kahn in 1968 that "the decision concerning your plans is essentially a political one. Should we in the Jewish Quarter have a building of major importance which competes with the mosque and the Holy Sepulchre, and should we in general have any building which would compete in importance with the Western Wall?" Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hurva Synagogue User:Chesdovi Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 964 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hurva Synagogue User:Chesdovi Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The 1967 Arab-Israeli War, also known as the Six-Day War or June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. ... Salk Institute, La Jolla, California Louis Isadore Kahn (February 20, 1901/1902 – March 17, 1974) was a world-renowned architect who practiced in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The wall by night “Wailing Wall” redirects here. ... Walls of Jerusalem showing appearance of Jerusalem Stone Jerusalem Stone is the trade name of stone quarried in areas from the Jordan River on the east of Israel to the Mediterranean Sea on the countrys west, and from the southern Port of Eilat on the Red Sea to The... The road sign The Shrine of the Book The Israel Museum (‎, Muzion Yisrael) in Jerusalem, was founded in 1965 as Israels national museum. ... Teddy Kollek in Vienna in 2003 Theodor Teddy Kollek (May 27, 1911 – January 2, 2007) was an Israeli politician and Mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 until 1993. ...

Boston-based architect Moshe Safdie, who has built extensively in Jerusalem and trained with Kahn in Philadelphia, was also in favour of rebuilding using contemporary design: "It's absurd to reconstruct the Hurva as if nothing had happened. If we have the desire to rebuild it, let's have the courage to have a great architect do it." ^[11] Moshe Safdie, C.C., B.Arch. ...

With these disputes over the modern façade of the proposed new building, which some felt did not properly match the Jewish Quarter’s aesthetic, an Englishman named Sir Charles Clore took the initiative and agreed to fund the project, providing it could be completed in a specified number of years, (his wish was to see the project completed before his death). Sir Denys Lasdun drew up plans that were also modern but more closely adhered to the original; however, bowing to the objection of Prime Minister Menachem Begin, the Minister of Interior at the time refused to sign the papers so that construction could begin. Time ran out and the Hurva was not rebuilt. However, Sir Charles’s daughter provided the necessary funds to create one of the few open spaces in the Jewish Quarter adjacent to the ruined synagoue. Sir Charles Clore (1904-1979) was a British financier, retail and property magnate and philanthropist. ... Royal National Theatre Sir Denys Lasdun (8 September 1914–11 January 2001) was an eminent English architect of the 20th century, particularly associated with the Modernist design of the Royal National Theatre on Londons South Bank of the River Thames. ...   (‎, August 16, 1913 – March 9, 1992) was a Polish-Jewish head of the Zionist underground group the Irgun, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the first Likud Prime Minister of Israel. ...

Finally in 2005, the Israeli government announced that a version of Assad Effendi's 19th-century design would soon rise above the Jewish Quarter. The government-funded Jewish Quarter Development Corporation convinced the Israeli government to allocate $6.2 million for the reconstruction of the old Ottoman synagogue. Jerusalem architect Nahum Meltzer was given the commission, and was told to hew as closely as possible to the 19th-century design. Meltzer feels that "both out of respect for the historical memory of the Jewish people and out of respect for the built-up area of the Old City, it is fitting for us to restore the lost glory and rebuild the Hurva Synagogue the way it was."^[6] Work has started on the site and is expected to take four years. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Induction ceremony (2007)

On February 15, 2007, during construction works, Rabbi Simcha HaCohen Kook, rabbi of Rechovot, was appointed as the rabbi of the Hurva. A certificate of confirmation was singed by leading rabbis, including Yosef Sholom Eliashiv. Menachem Porush, who remembered the original building in its glory, mentioned how overjoyed he was to see the fulfillment of his dream which he had never given up on – the rebuilding of the Hurva.^[12] is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Rehobot redirects here. ... Rabbi Y.S. Eliashiv Yosef Sholom Eliashiv (יוסף שלום אלישיב) (b. ...

Image gallery

Postcard of the Hurva c.1920 Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (673x1095, 645 KB) Interior of the Hurva Synagogue c1920 Published by Eliahu Bros, Jaffa 1920-1936 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...	Former interior, c.1940 Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1736x2397, 563 KB)Interior of the Hurva Synagogue, Jerusalem, c. ...	Former bimah, c.1940 Image File history File links Hurva_bimah. ... Interior of the Amsterdam Esnoga: We see the tebáh (reader’s platform) in the foreground, and the Hekhál (Ark) in the background. ...	The Gerrer Rebbe at the Hurva Image File history File links Gerer_Rebbe_at_Hurva. ... Ger, or Gur (or Gerrer when used as an adjective) is a large Hasidic dynasty originating from Gur, the Yiddish name of Góra Kalwaria, a small town in Poland. ...
The Hurva rose 82 feet above the ground Image File history File links Hurva_sideview. ...	Model at the Israel Museum Image File history File links Churva_model. ... The road sign The Shrine of the Book The Israel Museum (‎, Muzion Yisrael) in Jerusalem, was founded in 1965 as Israels national museum. ...

References

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... A Feldheim book Feldheim is an American Orthodox Jewish Judaica publisher. ... Sir Martin John Gilbert, CBE (born October 25, 1936 in London) is a British historian and the author of over seventy books, including works on the Holocaust and Jewish history. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Chatto and Windus has been, since 1987, an imprint of Random House, the publishers. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Haaretz (הארץ, The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Sir Martin John Gilbert, CBE (born October 25, 1936 in London) is a British historian and the author of over seventy books, including works on the Holocaust and Jewish history. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Chatto and Windus has been, since 1987, an imprint of Random House, the publishers. ... is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Haaretz (הארץ, The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 29 is a day added into a leap year of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Hurva Synagogue

• The Churva Synagogue, by Dovid Rossoff
• The Hurva Synagogue excavation, July-August 2003, Israel Antiquities Authority
• Proposed design and site documentation drawings for the Hurva, by Louis Khan
• Destroying Synagogues Again