Four Sephardic Synagogues
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The Four Sephardic Synagogues are located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. They form a complex which comprises four adjoining synagogues which were built at different periods to accommodate the religious needs of the Sephardic community, each congregation practising a different rite.
With the closing of the Ramban Synagogue at the command of the Ottoman sultan in 1589, there ceased to be a Jewish house of prayer in Jerusalem and the Jews, many of whom were descendants of immigrants who had arrived after the expulsion from Spain in 1492, were forced to pray privately in their own homes. At the beginning of the 17th century a new synagogue, the Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue.
In 1835 Muhammad Ali, viceroy of Egypt who ruled Jerusalem at the time, permitted the refurbishment of the synagogues which had been denied since their construction. At the entrance to the Istanbuli Synagogue is a plaque commemorating the restoration.
After the fall of the Jewish Quarter during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the synagogues were burnt and desecrated and turned into horse stables. After the Six Day War the synagogues were restored by architect Dan Tanai.
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Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue
According to legend, the Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue, (Hebrew: בית הכנסת יוחנן בן זכאי), also known as Kahal Kadosh Gadol, stands on the spot of the Beit Midrash of the tanna Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, who established the Sanhedrin in Yavneh after the destruction of the Second Temple. The current builidng was constructed at the beginning of the 17th century.
A piece of land below street level was chosen for a synagogue in order to conceal the synagogue building from the authorities. Meir Ben Dov however is of the opinion that a sub-street level plot wasn’t intentionally chosen, but rather at the time the street level was lower and the synagogue protruded above the street. With time the dwellings surrounding the synagogue were demolished and on the ruins new houses were built, while the synagogue itself was preserved. This cycle continued until today, resulting in the synagogue being situated below street level. It should be nevertheless noted that if the construction was indeed permitted, the building itself had to comply with Muslim restrictions for dhimmi houses of prayer not to be higher than mosques.[1] Located in the old Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem, it suffered the same fate as most the synagogues in the area during the 19 year Jordanian occupation. It has been fully refurbished since Israel gained control of the Old City during the Six Day War. This work was initiated by Rabbi Meir Yehuda Getz, Rabbi of the Western Wall, who also restored the Yeshivat haMekubalim to its glory.
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Istanbuli Synagogue
As the Sephardi community of Jerusalem grew, a large group of immigrants arrived from Istanbul, Turkey, who used the adjacent building as a synagogue from 1764. Over time, the Istanbuli Synagogue, (Hebrew: בית הכנסת האיסטנבולי), attracted worshipers from the Eastern communities, including Kurdistan and from North and West Africa. The Istanbuli Synagogue is now used by a Spanish and Portuguese congregation following the London rite.
The Aron Kodesh dates from the seventeenth century and was imported from a synagogue which had been destroyed in Ancona, Italy. The bimah, constructed in the eighteenth century, came from a synagogue in Pesaro, Italy. The synagogue was renovated in 1836.
During the Israel War of Independence the synagogue was occupied the Arabs and after Israel gained control of the Old City during the Six Day War it was renovated.
As the Istanbuli synagogue is the largest of the four, it is used for the inauguration of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel.
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Eliahu Ha'navi Synagogue
Another synagogue was established in the 16th century and named after Elijah the Prophet. This synagogue is the oldest out of the four. The Eliyahu Ha'navi Synagogue mainly served as a beth midrash for Torah study. Also known as Kahal Talmud Torah, it was only used for prayer on festivals. According to legend, the name of the synagogue was given after an occurrence on Yom Kippur. One more person was needed to make up the minyan required for prayer. Out of the blue, a man, unknown to the worshippers, appeared and the service was able to start. The man mysteriously disappeared after the Neilah prayer. The people were sure that the man was none other than Elijah the Prophet.
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Emtsai Synagogue
The Emtsai Synagogue or Middle Synagogue, (Hebrew: בית הכנסת האמצעי), also known as the Kahal Tzion Synagogue, forms the central chamber of the complex. It was originally a courtyard which probably used as the women’s section of the Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakai synagogue. During Sukkot it could be converted into a sukkah for the worshippers. With the growth of the community, it was decided during the middle of the eighteenth century to roof the yard. It was turned into what is today known as the Middle Synagogue, due to its location in the "middle" of the other three synagogues.
