Hurva Synagogue, Jerusalem
The Hurva Synagogue is a ruined synagogue on Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem.
History
Construction of the Hurva Synagogue (not its original name — hurva means "ruins") began under Rabbi Judah the Hassid in 1700 but ceased upon his death. The rabbi was a member of one of the first groups of Ashkenazi Jews to immigrate to Jerusalem, a few hundred from Poland.
The failure of the Ashkenazi community to pay the debts incurred by the half-built synagogue led to the riots that resulted in their expulsion from Jerusalem in 1720.
The Hurva Synagogue was restarted under Ibrahim Pasha in 1836 and finally completed in 1856. Designed in a grand Neo-Byzantine style, it was one of the largest buildings in the Old City.
However, after less than a century in operation, the synagogue was destroyed by the Jordanian Arab Legion during the war of 1948. The conservation and investigation of the ruins began in 1977.
Since the Israeli recapture of Jerusalem in 1967, many plans have been made for its rebuilding. In 2005, the Israeli government announced a plan to rebuild the synagogue in exactly the same form as before, assigning the project a budget of $6.2 million. The work is expected to take four years.
What to See
The ruins of the Hurva Synagogue are on the west side of Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter. Very little remains of the synagogue except for a striking, slender arch. Erected in 1977, the arch is 13m high and spans what was the central hall. The ruins have been made safe for visitors to wander around and information boards help them imagine the great edifice that once stood here.
The historically important Ramban Synagogue is nearby on Hurva Square.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of the Hurva Synagogue on Hurva Square in Jerusalem. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Jerusalem from space on our Jerusalem Satellite Map.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Hurva Synagogue; Churva Synagogue; Hurvah Synagogue; Ruins Synagogue |
| Type of site: | Synagogue (Ashkenazi) |
| Dates: | Started 1700; restarted 1836; completed 1856; destroyed 1948 |
| Location: | Hurva Square, Jewish Quarter, Old City, Jerusalem |
| Hours: | Always open |
| Cost: | Free |
Article Sources
- Mini Rough Guide to Jerusalem, 73-74.
- Eyewitness Travel Guide to Jerusalem and the Holy Land
, 78.
- Kay Prag, Blue Guide to Israel and the Palestinian Territories (Black and Norton, 2002), 206-07.
- Hurva Synagogue - Wikipedia (as of 2006)
