I wanted to visit the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem for a very long time, an important visual and spiritual benchmark in the city. Very often, the building on King George Street is the meeting point of various tourist groups as well as of young soldiers who stop here for a short prayer and tour before going back to their duties. The building, aimed to send a message of respect of the 6 million Jews murdered during Shoah but also of resilience of the Jewish people against all tragedies, is relatively new, being built only 25 years ago. It relies exclusively on donations.
Besides the synagogue, with 850 places for men and 550 for women, the synagogue hosts also an impressive collection of mezuzah, covering more than half century and various geographical locations. The visits are free of charge and various guided tours can be also organised regularly. The predominant rite is Askenazi, but near the entrance, the Heichal Jacob Sephardi synagogue is available. The choir and hazzan are renowed in the entire world for the special synagogal artistry.
Above the aron koidesh, the impressive stained glass windows, the work of Regina Heim, display Biblical and everyday life Jewish stories. In the women section, more stained glass is displayed. A 3-tone chandelier is offering a dazzling view. When I visited, there was no service and thus, I missed a lot of emotions and special impressions that are usually created in this holy space.
All round the week, classes for both men and women are organised, and the sound of prayers is filling the space. But one can also pray alone, in one of the quiet corners, in your very private space where you can talk to Hashem. I don't know why it took me so long to see this synagogue, but I believe that when I went there, it was the right moment to do so.
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