Neve Shalom Synagogue
| Neve Shalom Synagogue | |
|---|---|
| 250px | |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Büyük Hendek Caddesi 61 Istanbul, Turkey |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| District | Galata |
| Year consecrated | 1951 |
| Status | Active |
| Website | Neve Shalom Synagogue Official Website |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Elyo Ventura and Bernar Motola |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
Neve Shalom Synagogue, (Turkish: Neve Şalom Sinagogu, Hebrew: בית הכנסת נווה שלום; lit. "Oasis of Peace" or "Valley of Peace"), is a synagogue located in the Galata district of Istanbul, Turkey.
The synagogue was built in response to an increase in the Jewish population in the old Galata neighborhood (today encompassed by Beyoğlu district) in the late 1930s. A Jewish primary school was torn down in 1949 for that purpose and the synagogue was built on its ruins. The construction completed in 1951. Its architects were Elyo Ventura and Bernar Motola, young Turkish Jews. The inauguration of the synagogue was held on Sunday, March 25, 1951 (17 Veadar 5711, Hebrew calendar), in the presence of the Chief Rabbi of Turkey of the time, Hakham Bashi Rafael David Saban.
Neve Shalom is the central and largest Sephardic synagogue in Istanbul, open to service especially on Shabbats, High Holidays, Bar Mitzvahs, funerals and weddings.
Neve Shalom suffered three terrorist attacks:
- On September 6, 1986, gunmen opened fire during a Shabbat service, which resulted in the death of 22 Turkish Jews. This attack is attributed to the Palestinian militant Abu Nidal.[1][2][3]
- On March 1, 1992, a bomb attack left no casualties. This attack is suspected to have been carried out by the Lebanon-based Shi'ite Muslim group of Hezbollah.[1][3]
- On November 16, 2003, the Synagogue was hit by one of four car bomb attacks carried out in Istanbul that day (see 2003 Istanbul bombings).[4] Even though a local Turkish militant group, the Great Eastern Islamic Raiders' Front, claimed responsibility for the attacks, police claimed the bombings were "too sophisticated to have been carried out by that group",[1] with a senior Israeli government source saying: "the attack must have been at least coordinated with international terror organizations".[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Arsu, Sebnem; Filkins, Dexter (November 16, 2003). "20 in Istanbul Die in Bombings At Synagogues". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/16/world/20-in-istanbul-die-in-bombings-at-synagogues.html. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
- ^ Reeves, Phil (August 20, 2002). "Mystery surrounds 'suicide' of Abu Nidal, once a ruthless killer and face of terror". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/mystery-surrounds-suicide-of-abu-nidal-once-a-ruthless-killer-and-face-of-terror-640464.html. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Bombings at Istanbul Synagogues Kill 23". Fox News. November 16, 2003. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,103157,00.html.
- ^ "Neve Şalom'a ilk saldırı değil (Not the first attack on Neve Shalom)" (in Turkish). Hürriyet daily website. 2003-11-15. http://webarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/2003/11/15/372004.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
[edit] External links
- Chief Rabbinate of Turkey
- Neve Shalom Synagogue Official Website
- Shalom Newspaper - The main Jewish newspaper in Turkey
Coordinates: 41°01′36.1″N 28°58′20.7″E / 41.026694°N 28.972417°E
- Synagogues in Istanbul
- Buildings and structures completed in 1951
- 20th-century attacks on synagogues and Jewish communal organizations
- 21st-century attacks on synagogues and Jewish communal organizations
- Orthodox synagogues
- Palestinian terrorist incidents in Europe
- Massacres in places of worship
- Terrorist incidents in 2003
- Terrorist incidents in 1992
- Terrorist incidents in 1986
- Beyoğlu, Istanbul
