Jewish quarter synagogues
The Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem was the centre of Jewish life in Palestine from the time that the Romans destroyed the 2nd Temple. The earliest records of building synagogues go back to the 13th century.
Yochanan ben Zakkai was  the last head of the Sanhedrinn before the Romans destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem This bimah is located in the Istanbuli symnagogue, So called because it was used by Jews who had originated in Istanbul
A double holy ark in the Yochanan ben Zakkai synagogue. One for the Quran the other for the Torah to show respect for the Moslem rulers of the country. The Bimah for resting the Torah while it was being read. Brought from Italy in 1967 when the Sunagogue was reconstructed.
This is the oldest of a group of 4 synagogues, known as the 4 Sephardi synagogues, and was used conctantly since the 13th century at least.
Nisan Back Synagogue. Destroyed after the Jordanian conquest of the Old City of Jerusalem. The centre of Hasidic Jewish life in the Jewish Quarter of the 19th Centrury.
The dome of the synagogue of Elijah the prophet. So called because circumcisions always took place here. Every child is a possible reincarnation of Elijah and will announce the coming of the Messiah.
Rabbi Jossi the Pious came to establish a Jewish community here in 1700 with about 300 Ashkenazi Jews. Most were killed in masacres in 1720
This synagogue like some others on this page was rnovated in 1968 after the Jewish Quarter once again came under Jewish control.
The remains of the Hurva synagogue which the Jews of  Polish and Russian origin started building in the 18th century but whose efforts were constantly hampered by Arab persecution. It was finally completed in 1856 but again destroyed in 1948.
The Holy ark of the Istanbuli synagogue. Used by the Jews from Istanbul who settled in Jerusalem in the 16th century.
The Synagogue of the great Spanish Jewish scholar, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman who immmigrated to Palestine in 1267 to establish the Jewish community again after the terrible destruction by the Mongols.
The middle cynagogue believed to be the site of Yohanan's school in 2nd Temple times. There was even a secret passage leading directly to the Temple.
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1