Hurva Synagogue

Hurva Synagogue
Hebrew: בית הכנסת החורבה
A tall, white bricked, domed building against a blue sky.
The synagogue, in 2010
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteNusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
StatusActive
Location
Location89 ha-Yehudim Street, Jewish Quarter, Old City of Jerusalem
CountryIsrael[a]
Hurva Synagogue is located in Jerusalem
Hurva Synagogue
Location of the synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem
Geographic coordinates31°46′30″N 35°13′53″E / 31.77510°N 35.23135°E / 31.77510; 35.23135
Architecture
Architect(s)
  • Assad Effendi (1864);
  • Nahum Meltzer (2010)
  • G. Igra (2010)
TypeSynagogue architecture
StyleNeo-Byzantine
Date establishedc. 800–600 BCE
(earliest congregation)
Completed
  • 15th century;
  • 1864 (rebuilt);
  • 2010 (rebuilt)
Construction cost
Specifications
Capacity
  • 450 (1864);
  • 250 (2009)
Height (max)24 m (79 ft)
[1][2][3]

The Hurva Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת החורבה, romanized: Beit ha-Knesset ha-Hurva, lit. 'The Ruin Synagogue'), also known as Hurvat Rabbi Yehudah he-Hasid (Hebrew: חורבת רבי יהודה החסיד, lit. 'Ruin of Rabbi Judah the Pious'), is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

It was originally founded in the early 18th century by followers of Judah HeHasid on the ruins of a 15th century synagogue and adjacent to the 14th century Sidna Omar mosque, but was destroyed a few years later in 1721 by Ottoman authorities, for failure of its proprietors to pay back a debt to local Muslims.[4][5] The plot became known as "The Ruin", or Hurva, where it lay desolate for 116 years until it was resettled in 1837 by members of the Ashkenazi Jewish community, known as the Perushim.[4] In 1864, the Perushim rebuilt the synagogue, and although officially named the Beis Yaakov Synagogue, it retained its name as the Hurva. It became Jerusalem's main Ashkenazi synagogue, until it too was destroyed by the Arab Legion[6] during the fighting in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[7]

After Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967, a number of plans were submitted for the design of a new building. After years of deliberation and indecision, a commemorative arch was erected instead at the site in 1977, itself becoming a prominent landmark of the Jewish Quarter.[2] The plan to rebuild the synagogue in its 19th-century style received approval by the Israeli Government in 2000, and the newly rebuilt synagogue was dedicated on March 15, 2010.[8]


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  1. ^ "Old Hurva Synagogue". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Lefkovits2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gilbert1985p97 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Brinker (1947), p. 91
  5. ^ "THE HURVA SYNAGOGUE 1700-2010". Jewish Action. August 11, 2010.
  6. ^ In the Holy Land, a Rebuilding for the Generations, The Wall Street Journal Online, March 10, 2010
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Horovitz2000p171-174 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hasson2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).