Simulation - Syrian Jewish Heritage Center in Holon (Photo: Ram Carmi Architects)
They have been waiting for this moment for 25 years: A few days ago, the Association for the Heritage of Syrian and Lebanese Jewry was informed that the long waiting period had come to an end and that the establishment of the Heritage Center in Holon, which would commemorate the heritage of Syrian Jewry, would be launched at a cost of NIS 50 million.
This is after the Holon Municipality recently informed the association that the transfer of ownership of the land to the association is currently being realized and in recent processes, with the association planning to tender contractors in the near future and begin construction.
Simulation - Syrian Jewish Heritage Center in Holon (Photo: Ram Carmi Architects)
The unique center in the landscape, which will be built next to the new mall in the city, will include, among other things, a central synagogue, an exhibition room and part of the Damascus Crowns: ancient and rare holy books smuggled out of Syria.
The unique center, which will be built next to the new mall in the city, will convey the story of the community through technological means and holograms, escape rooms that will tell the story of the Jews of Damascus who were persecuted and oppressed, and is expected to include a memorial plaque for community members who died in exile. Among other things, the center will include a synagogue, a beit midrash, a mikveh, an exhibition room and part of the "Crowns of Damascus" - the ancient and rare holy books smuggled out of Syria
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The building will restore the synagogues in Syria: how do you plan such a structure?
Rivka Carmi, the architect in charge of planning the center, explains that "the thought in designing the building was set out with the aim of perpetuating the glorious past of the Syrian communities and their values and preserving the character of the community and the relations between people."
According to her, "in Syria, the synagogue served not only as a house of prayer but also as a place of gathering and acquaintance – a social center, where all community events were celebrated."
"The building is built as flow and movement. When you enter the building, you reach the plaza and from there those who come up will look up at the synagogue, which is considered the center's honor center and will be built above the plaza, with an internal ramp connecting the secular and the sacred, and along it the story of the community develops."
"The building is built of three parts. A circular part on the floor above is the synagogue with an upper light penetrating it, a pyramid roof with rotating Stars of David. Underneath is the Heritage House Hall and underneath that, there is the mikveh," Carmi explains.
Simulation - Syrian Jewish Heritage Center in Holon (Photo: Ram Carmi Architects)
The building will reconstruct the synagogues in Syria, the entrance to which was not from the street front but from a side alley. Here, too, the façade is not frontal, with the road leading to it covered with curtain walls of Mashrabiyot.
The uniqueness of the structure is that it is not based on columns and beams, very irregular. The structure is based on diagonal columns with a cup detached from the usual columns.
The architectural design has its head in the sky with the entire floor of the synagogue "floating" through columns and expressing the spiritual yearning and religious and cultural identity of Syrian Jewry. The synagogue's ceiling is shaped like a glass cone and consists of a grid of Stars of David through which the rays of light will reflect and refract.
Simulation - Syrian Jewish Heritage Center in Holon (Photo: Ram Carmi Architects)
The establishment of the center, whose cost is estimated at NIS 50 million, is accompanied by Barak Finance, which will initiate its establishment, and is currently assisting in raising funds for its establishment.
According to Yossi Barak, CEO of Barak Finance, which deals with alternative investments in real estate and insurance, who enlisted in the construction of the building: "The center will cover an area of 4,700 square meters. As soon as we received the permit a few days ago, we fenced off the area and evacuated it in order to begin construction of the project without delay. We expect its construction to take about two years."
Rabin promised his father, and today he fulfills
According to Rabbi Binyamin Hamra, son of Rabbi Avraham Hamra and his successor as Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jewry: The late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin promised my father, the late Rabbi Avraham Hamra, who served as Chief Rabbi of Syrian Jewry, that a heritage center would be established in Holon on the land allocated to him for this purpose, which would perpetuate the heritage of the Jews of these countries. The promise was made because of the Prime Minister's appreciation for the work of the rabbi, who was directly involved in the efforts to bring Syrian Jewry to Israel and in smuggling the crowns of Damascus to Israel – leather-wrapped writings containing microscopic calligraphy and decorated with gold leaf, mostly written in Spain and Italy 700 or 1,000 years ago. Some of the details of the operation to transfer the books remain secret to this day. The heads of the Mossad at the time, Mr. Ephraim Halevy and Mr. Shabtai Shavit, confirmed the rabbi's involvement in the operation but did not provide further details."
"After the Jews immigrated to Israel, and brought the crowns of Damascus to Israel, my father began to promote the construction of the heritage center, but encountered difficulties from various parties, and an objection was filed that was heard in the courts - on the very fact of granting the land to Rabbi Hamra and indeed ruled in favor of the center's association and its head Avi, which also significantly delayed the establishment of the center."
"In conclusion, I would like to thank everyone who stands by me today in promoting the project, the distinguished donors, community members, project managers, Margolin Brothers, and especially Barak Finance Group and Nofech Daniel, thanks to whom Dad's vision is coming true, and with God's help we will bless the completion soon."
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