(Live Here - Story Building) - On Rosh Hashanah 1938 (September XNUMX) the Great Synagogue of Haifa was opened for prayer.
The Great Synagogue
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah 1938 (September 1926) the Great Synagogue of Haifa, located in the east of the Hadar HaCarmel neighborhood, on Herzl Dayum Street, was opened for prayer at a good time. Its construction began already in XNUMX, according to the architect's plan Alexander Brewald who was mentioned in this section as the designer of the Reali school building as well as the Technion building in the Hadar neighborhood.
Although the first part of the synagogue was inaugurated in 1927, the continuation of the construction encountered difficulties due to a lack of financial resources.
skeleton
By the time of the opening in 1938, only the skeleton of the central hall had been built. The completion of the building was made possible only in 1955, by government aid. The additional construction was carried out according to the plan of the architects El Mansfeld and Monio Weinraub (Gitai) who ran a very successful office in Haifa.
The synagogue building is included in the list of buildings to be preserved by the municipality of Haifa.
Al Mansfeld - Monio Weinraub, architects
The Mansfeld-Weinraub (Gitai) architectural office, which operated in the years 1937-1959, designed in the Bauhaus spirit characterized by geometric simplicity, while giving great importance to usability over formality. In 1951, the partnership won first prize in a competition for the design of the government building in Jerusalem. Also, the office was involved in the planning of the "Yad Vashem" museum (the administration building and the library).
Their fruitful partnership is reflected in the planning of a very wide variety of projects, starting with thousands of housing units, through industrial plants, and ending with public institutions throughout the country.
Monio Weinraub (Guitai)(1909-1970), born in Poland, studied at the famous 'Bauhaus' school of architecture in Germany and even worked in the office of the school's director, Mies van der Rohe, one of the fathers of modern architecture. His architectural heritage is displayed in the "Monio Gitai Architecture Museum" on Hanasi Boulevard. He is the father of the film director Amos Gitai.
Al Mansfeld (1912-2004), born in Russia (Saint Petersburg), studied architecture in Paris. He was the recipient of the Israel Prize for Architecture in 1966, for planning the Israel Museum (in collaboration with Ed. Dora Gad). Among his works in Haifa is the museum of Japanese art "Tikotin" on Hanasi Blvd. The family tradition is continued by the firm Mansfeld-Kahat Architects (partners in the planning of the Sami Ofer Stadium).
The blessing "Write and sign in the book of life" goes out to all readers of Hai Pa and to the readers of the section 'story building'.
Thanks to the architect Yehuda Eridor for planning the renovation of the Great Synagogue in Haifa and for the cooperation between us until we move into the new offices and offices.
At that time I served as the Secretary General of the Religious Council and the Chief Rabbinate of Haifa and I won the office move from Kibutz Galuyot St. / Rabbi Shmuel Bin Adia to the Great Synagogue.
We have to send a special thank you to the then RA Attorney General Yona Yahav for his openness, desire and great help for the renovation and construction of the Synagogue, the canopied/conference hall and the parking lot.
Several times a year I visit the aforementioned offices and I am very happy that they still continue to keep it clean and in shape.
May they continue like this for days.
D.
It is my duty to point out that the followers of Belaz, who currently live in the space of the Synagogue, upgraded its beauty by building a huge, amazing and beautiful ark, put in lovely lighting and air conditioning systems, and built on the sides of the Synagogue a tablach for daily prayers and study rooms for Kollel and Torah classes.
Those wishing to view the beauty and splendor of the Synagogue should call the offices of the Religious Council to obtain permission to enter and will be able to observe the verse:
"The view from your holy abode from heaven", that is to enjoy and watch from the 3rd place
Best regards
David Metzger
Tel: 052-2478301
As usual, in addition to the impressive illustration, David Brown's explanations show an in-depth study of the construction and history of the synagogue. His words/explanations allow a comprehensive and detailed view, apart from the illustration, of this important project.
Thank you very much for your comment, your words encourage me to continue this project.
I learned from your teacher, Dr. David Bar On. - Have a good week.
Thank you for your comment, good signing
They talk to me. A very ancient synagogue I was a few days ago in the oldest synagogue, Hard El Yehud on Yehuda Halevi St. 56
I would say go see a big, huge synagogue. Beautiful. stunning. It's a shame that the Haifa municipality does not invest in the oldest place, the oldest Jewish neighborhood. 1918. It's a shameful shame. Pushing doesn't help who sunned these places. Private people just to preserve the places that are most precious to us. They left them neglected all around and houses could be around. A lovely place but why is it neglected. Haifa does not appreciate what treasures it has.
thank you for your response. May the sound of your cry reach the mayor's windows!
Dr. Bar On, thank you for the information. Exciting to read about the city's assets.
The Great Synagogue is one of the gems of the city.
A symbol of our tradition.
May the municipality of Haifa allocate funds for the preservation of the synagogues
Ours in the city. May you be signed and sealed in the book of life.
To David Yadidi, thanks and blessings for instructive reviews of historical buildings in Haifa.
I would like to add to the review of the Great Synagogue, which was one of the most magnificent synagogues in Israel and the world.
With the rise of the national religious population to Mount Carmel and the gentrification of the Hadar neighborhood, the synagogue was abandoned and its condition deteriorated greatly. Different groups took over different areas in the northern and southern basement on the Herzl Street level, and a group of veteran worshipers under the permission of Dr. Morris Simon and with the support of the Chief Rabbi of Haifa Shaar Yeshav HaCohen, the late, held the large prayer space and held prayers there on Saturdays and holidays, and a daily minyan in a room adjacent to the entrance hall.
With the planning of the Ibn Gvirol road, it became necessary to demolish half of the rabbinate building and the marriage department, and thus the Ministry of Transportation would budget for the construction of a new building.
Yaffe Nof came up with an idea to use unusable parts of the Great Synagogue for the rabbinical offices, and so in 2007 I was invited to do the planning and supervise the execution which I think ended in 2009.
After Miki Mansfeld approved me to accept the position, and after the site preservation department in the municipality approved the plans, we approached the work that included the demolition of the tiered stands of Women's Aid in the western wing and part of the northern wing, and in the resulting space two nations of offices were built. The large prayer hall was shortened in the northern part, and in this part on the front of the northern aid, two floors of offices were built that connect the two wings and the entrance of the synagogue was doubled and respectable services were added to the synagogue and the offices. With the approval of the Home Front Command, we turned the southern wing into an area with improved protection, including the protection of the windows.
We salvaged the sooty space after the three magnificent arches in front of Herzl Street and created a foyer with a reception, stairs and an elevator for direct entry to the rabbinical offices whose corridors surrounding the synagogue space were separated from it by glass walls.
With the help of the central women on the north front, we created a horizontal surface on the fourth tribune level to hold canopies and allowed 4 steps for guests, we prepared spaces on both sides of the canopies hall, one for reception and the other for refreshments, we prepared the two stairwells that go up to the canopies hall and on the intermediate level, guest toilets were planned.
As part of the works, additional windows were opened to Rabbi Herzog Street, the synagogue was renovated and all the facades were renovated and thoroughly cleaned.
After the above, the synagogue became attractive and Belez Hassidism took over it, canceled the women's help that was trained on the synagogue level and turned it into a kollel that operates day and night, and at his request matte polyester sheets were pasted along the central part of the rabbinical corridor arrangement so that they could not see women passing through the corridors.
According to inquiries made to me recently, they are looking into the possibility of demolishing the southern part that was permitted by the Mizrahi women's aid.
At the time Yona Yahav filed an eviction lawsuit in court and as far as I know the issue ended in a compromise agreement and Hasidism controls the synagogue which according to them is open to all.
Yehuda friends, thank you for your comment. I am pleased to know that you find interest in my modest articles, in which I try to document not only the built heritage but also to mention the names of its creators, i.e. the architects. The information you provided proves once again that we do not know how to protect the architectural treasures and these fall victim to factionalism and power struggles between the stakeholders, here - the religious currents. And in the absence of enforcement and authority, all Dalims prevailed. What a shame!…