From the tallest to the most stylish: these are the 5 most beautiful synagogues in the IDF

The highest synagogue in Israel, the synagogue where the paratroopers pray and the synagogue that is designed like a burning bush - these are just a few examples of the synagogues that can be found in the IDF. In honor of Rosh Hashanah, we have brought you the five most beautiful synagogues

Yaniv Kalif

09/26/2022

Monday, September 26, 2022, 5:03 p.m. Updated: 5:57 p.m.

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The synagogue of Behad 1

Major Matan Goldberger, rabbi of the officers' school, told about the synagogue. "The synagogue of Behad 1 was built 13 years ago, in a unique architectural form," said Goldberger, "the 'burning pine' model, which reminds of the sight that Moses saw , the senna bush that burns and does not burn. The synagogue remains in the gray concrete color, similar to the rule in the 1st chapter, thus its additional uniqueness.

The synagogue contains hundreds of centers, a large holy hall for the books of the Torah, allows accessibility for those with disabilities, it has a large women's help and a midrash floor at the bottom.

Dozens of cadets come to the synagogue, with the main prayer during the week being the Shabbat night prayer."

The base rabbi went on to tell two personal stories related to the synagogue. "During Passover, we held a Torah scroll ceremony in the synagogue, which was donated by a family from the United States in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of their son

They were especially excited when they saw the synagogue, and when they heard that the book would be used by all cadets and future officers.

The synagogue of Behad 1 (photo: IDF spokesman)

The second story, shared by Goldberger, took place on one of the Saturdays he was in the BHD. "I talked to a cadet in the cadet garden.

The cadet told me that he was a Christian Arab who lived in Shafaram, and decided to join the prayer on Shabbat night.

He was moved by the power of the prayer, and the sense of partnership that the synagogue produces.

Since then we have kept in touch."

The officer talked about his love for the synagogue, and his connection to the unique place. "In most prayers there are dozens of worshipers, with the peak being at the Shabbat reception.

When the synagogue is filled with hundreds of worshipers - this is undoubtedly the most beautiful prayer in the IDF! Praying in the synagogue turns the holiday and Shabbat experience that can be 'drying' - into an empowering and overwhelming experience that burns for a long time. Many officers told me that this is the most powerful experience they remember as cadets."

Finally, the rabbi of the Behad concluded his words and wished the soldiers "strengthening and solidifying holiday talks, each in his own way, in preparation for the important mission - as officers throughout the IDF."

Goldberger has been serving as a rabbi in the Rabbinate for about a year, is married and has four children. As a regular soldier he was a fighter in the armor, and returned to permanent service in the military rabbinate after 10 years in civilian life. This is his fifth position as a military rabbi.

"We finished the introduction of the Torah book with tears in our eyes", Major Matan Goldberger (photo: IDF spokesperson)

The synagogue of the Bekaa and Emekim division

Rabbi Itamar Paz, rabbi of the division, told us about the uniqueness of the synagogue, which recently underwent renovation.

"The brigade's synagogue was built with the establishment of the 'Lion Camp' base in 2018, and underwent an extensive renovation in order to provide a more accessible and inviting place of worship for all the brigade's soldiers and officers. New furniture was donated to the brigade by several different organizations," said Paz.

The rabbi of the brigade continued and said that "most of the time, there are about 20 soldiers at every Mincha prayer and evening prayer. But during the times and holidays, especially now during the time of forgiveness, the synagogue is filled to the brim and as many people from the brigade come for the occasion."

"During the holidays, a rabbinical representative always remains to operate the prayers and the synagogue, and on Rosh Hashanah, a rabbinical soldier will blow a shofar for the benefit of those who are interested," added the rabbi, "on Yom Kippur, the rabbi and all rabbinical soldiers close at the base to conduct the day's prayers for the benefit of all soldiers who wish to pray."

Finally, Paz added a personal greeting to the IDF soldiers: "I wish the soldiers, especially during the holidays, to feel meaningful in their actions.

I remind them that thanks to you the people of Israel can celebrate at home." Paz, 33 years old, married with four children, has been serving as the rabbi of the brigade for a year.

More in Walla!

Despite the war: the Israelis who insist on celebrating Rosh Hashanah in Uman

To the full article

The synagogue of the Bekaa and Emekim Brigade (photo: IDF spokesman)

The Synagogue of the Paratroopers' Army

"The synagogue was established with the establishment of the Ba'ah 21 years ago, but was renovated and renovated a year ago," said the rabbi of the brigade's training base, Lt. Rabbi Nisiel Cohen, "over the years, several Torah scrolls were donated to the Ba'ah out of a desire to give the companies the ability to train with A Torah scroll in the field, without the need to bring the soldiers back to the BA to pray."

The rabbi went on to elaborate on the uniqueness of the synagogue. "The synagogue is special in that every soldier who enters it receives reverence from the place, and it doesn't matter how well he knows how to pray," he shared. Cohen, "Every day around 100 soldiers come to the synagogue, and on Saturdays and holidays close to 300 come with singing and dancing.

In general, Shabbat in the BA is a Shabbat of empowerment. There are so many soldiers who enjoy coming to prayers, and emphasize to me how it fills them up for the whole week. They wait all week for these prayers."

The training base of the paratrooper brigade (photo: IDF spokesperson)

Finally, the rabbi of the training base concluded by congratulating the IDF soldiers: "I wish the dear and beloved soldiers to connect to themselves, to their good, to the good they do - to serve the State of Israel, and that this connection will fill them with the spirit of doing good and joy." Nisiel Cohen, married and father of three. His position in the army began as a fighter in combat engineering, then as a rabbinical coordinator in Htmar Ephraim, and a year ago he began to function as a rabbi.

"I wish the dear and beloved soldiers to unite themselves," Rabbi Ba'ch Tsanchanim (photo: IDF spokesman)

The Synagogue of the Rangers Base

"There is a difficulty in serving at such a distance from home, in the middle of the great desert, but the special sense of mission that exists in this particular place with all its uniqueness cushions the challenges and gives energy," Capt. Rabbi Aryeh Turoff told us at the Rangers base.

He continued to tell about the history of the synagogue.

"The Rangers' synagogue was apparently built in the early 1980s. After Israel's withdrawal from the Sinai, the Americans gave gifts to the IDF, among them the construction of the bases of the remote training units in the HLG in the HLG, the Rangers and Ovda," said Turoff, "the base itself has gone through several incarnations and transformations and changed the designation of the soldiers who were qualified in it, his name and the corps to which he belonged.

The Torah books are constantly used by the synagogue itself, and in addition by soldiers from the base in the various training areas.

The synagogue is open 24/7".

"Sometimes there are more girls praying than boys in the synagogue", Bess Sayir (photo: IDF spokesperson)

The rabbi continued and shared a story that characterizes the synagogue.

"During the renovation of the synagogue last year, it was decided to purchase partitions to help women move around with wheels, and this is because of the very high percentage of female soldiers in the base, which means that sometimes there are many more girls than boys in a synagogue and the distribution of the areas needs to be changed," said the rabbi.

He further added that "there are times when several minyans are held for the morning prayer and hundreds of soldiers and female soldiers come to it a day, and there are intermediate times when a limited minyan is held. It should be noted that the synagogue is a pleasant place to be in, brightens the face and is, as its name suggests, a house of gathering for all who seek God, with A homely and pleasant atmosphere, as well as a place for an individual to pray. It is a place of the existence of large yeshiva days, and where Shabbat pleasure meals and meetings are held, its beautiful collection of books is also a place of study and reference for soldiers and female soldiers. The meeting and the possibilities to get to know so many shades of Israeli society, In the synagogue, the postcards deepen the feeling of kibbutz that we have these days."

"I wish all soldiers and basemen a happy new year, good writing and good signing," said the rabbi at the end of his remarks, "a year in which we will be strengthened from our inner selves and feel the great privilege of serving the people of Israel in the most distant points of the country."

Rabbi Aryeh Turoff lives in Jerusalem, and is the father of nine.

The Synagogue of the Rangers Base (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

The synagogue of Mitzpe Shalig camp

"The synagogue of the brigade is located in the bowels of the earth in one of the rooms of the outpost, and it is the highest synagogue in the country," said the Rabbi of the 188th Brigade in the Armored Corps, Captain Rabbi Oz Kapah.

"The synagogue is used by the soldiers who serve there. The activity at the outpost does not allow outside parties to enter, so on Yom Kippur one of the soldiers will blow a shofar to the residents of the outpost, and together they will make the Rosh Hashanah signs."

The highest synagogue in Israel, Mitzpe Sheligim post (photo: IDF spokesman)

The officer continued and told about a special case that caused the establishment of the synagogue.

"About 30 years ago, in an unusual way, there was a canopy on Hermon. The parents of the young couple were Jews from the Arab countries who were very connected to the IDF and contributed a lot, they asked that the couple's canopy be held on the summit of Hermon.

" Avraham Ohanuna.

After the wedding, the donors asked the rabbi if there was anything he would like to ask, and his request was that a synagogue be built in the isolated outpost, which for many months has been cut off from the surrounding area due to the snow.

This is how the synagogue was born at Mitzpe Sheligim, the tallest synagogue in the country," he said.

The view from the synagogue (photo: IDF spokesman)

Finally, the officer wished a personal blessing to the soldiers: "Personally, I wish the soldiers of the brigade and the IDF in general, and in particular those who will celebrate the holidays far from home, that they feel close to heaven and to all the people of Israel everywhere." Oz Kapah, married to Einal, a doctoral student in Israeli thought, and father 8 children. Lives in the Galilee landscape and says that he studies Torah, teaches and cooks.

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