Jerusalem's historic Hurva Synagogue, which was last destroyed by Jordan's Arab Legion on May 25, 1948, has been rebuilt after nearly a decade of construction. On Sunday, Adar 28, 5770 (14th of March 2010) a sefer Torah was dedicated in the synagogue. On Monday evening there will be an official reopening ceremony.

On the first day of the month of Heshvan in the year 5461 (27th of October 1700), a group of European settlers, headed by Rabbi Yehuda the Hassid, settled in the old city and built a synagogue. Exactly 21 years later, on the 8th of Heshvan 5482 (27th October 1721), marauding Arabs burnt the synagogue down.

In the year 1862, almost 100 years after the synagogue was first destroyed, followers of the GRA managed to obtain a "Priman" (license) from the Ottoman authorities in Kushta, which cancelled previous debts and authorized the rebuilding of the synagogue. Its second inauguration took place in 1864. The Hurva synagogue served as Jerusalem's main Ashkenazi synagogue for generations.

Two days after their conquest of the Jewish Quarter in 1948, the Jordanians blew up the synagogue, a symbolic action to express their victory. Thus the "Hurva" was turned into a pile of rubble for the second time in history. The continuum of Jewish life in the Quartet was interrupted for 19 years.

In 1977, 10 years after the Six-Day war, the northern arch of the "Hurva" synagogue was reconstructed and became a prime symbol of the resurrected Jewish Quarter.


July 25, 2004 (http://www.jr.co.il/rally/r0390.htm)

On Monday evening, Adar 29, 5770, 62 years after it was last destroyed, the "Hurva" synagogue will be an officially reopened.









The synagogue will host regular prayer services, visitors and tours. During the opening week, the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter will conduct free tours during the day and will show a sound and light presentation during evening hours.