Belz Great Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belz Great Synagogue |
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בעלזא בית המדרש הגדול
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hasidic Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Sefard |
| Leadership | Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Jerusalem, Israel |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 2000 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | East |
| Capacity | Over 4,000 |
| Website | |
| https://www.worldofbelz.org/see-the-shul/ | |
The Belz Great Synagogue is one of the biggest synagogues in Israel. It's a special place of worship for the Belz Hasidic community. People from all over the world helped pay for it.
Contents
Building a Grand Synagogue
In the 1980s, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach had a big idea. He wanted to build a huge synagogue in Jerusalem. This new building would be in the Kiryat Belz neighborhood.
The design was like an older synagogue from 1843. That first synagogue was built by the first Belzer Rebbe, Shalom Rokeach. The new building would have a large main prayer hall. It would also include smaller study rooms and libraries. There would be halls for special events like weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Construction and Features
Building this large synagogue cost a lot of money. Belzer Hasidim and supporters worldwide helped raise funds. The project took 15 years to finish, just like the original synagogue. It was finally ready in the year 2000.
The main prayer hall can hold 2,584 people. It has a very fancy wooden ark, which is a special cabinet. This ark is 12 meters (about 39 feet) tall and weighs 18 tons. It can hold 70 Torah scrolls.
Nine huge chandeliers light up the hall. Each one is 18 feet (about 5.5 meters) high and 11 feet (about 3.3 meters) wide. They are made with over 200,000 pieces of Czech crystal.
Next to the ark, you can see a simple wooden chair and stand. These belonged to Rabbi Aharon Rokeach. He used them when he came to Palestine in 1944. They are kept in a glass case.
Inside the Synagogue Complex
The main prayer hall is used for services on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. On weekdays, people pray in smaller rooms downstairs. These smaller rooms are called shtieblach. Services happen there very often, sometimes every 10 minutes.
There's also a large hall nearby for tishen. These are special gatherings with the Rebbe. Below the shtieblach are sleeping areas. These are for Belzer Hasidim who visit from other countries. They come for holidays like Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
Other big rooms are used for events. These include Seudah shlishit (a Shabbat meal) and celebrations like bar mitzvahs.
Next to the synagogue is a two-story house for the Belzer Rebbe. This is where he has his office and meets guests. He also lives there with his family. The house has a balcony that looks out onto the synagogue's outdoor courtyard. This courtyard is used for large outdoor talks by the Rebbe. Big celebrations, like bar mitzvah parties for the Rebbe's grandsons, also happen here under a giant tent.
Where to Find It
The Belz Great Synagogue is located in the Kiryat Belz neighborhood of Jerusalem. You can find it at 7 Binat Yisas'har St. 5.
Images for kids
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Men learning in the beis medrash.
See also
In Spanish: Gran Sinagoga Belz de Jerusalén para niños
