Beth Yaacov Synagogue (Madrid) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Beth Yaacov Synagogue
Spanish: Sinagoga Beth Yaacov
The Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM) building, in 2006, which houses the synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism
Rite	Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue
Ownership	Jewish Community of Madrid
Status	Active
Location
Location	3 Calle Balmes, Chamberí, Madrid
Country	Spain
Location in Madrid
Architecture
Architectural type	Synagogue architecture
Architectural style	Modernist
Date established	1917 (as a congregation)
Groundbreaking	1964
Completed	1968
Materials	Brick

The Beth Yaacov Synagogue (also known as the Beth Jacob Synagogue or the Synagogue of Madrid) is a Jewish place of worship in Madrid, Spain. It is located at 3 Calle Balmes, in the Chamberí area. When it opened in 1968, it was a very important building. It was the first new synagogue built in Spain since 1492. That year, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain had ordered all Jewish people to leave the country.

History of the Synagogue
Gallery
See also

History of the Synagogue

Early Jewish Life in Spain

Jewish communities started to grow in Spain's big cities in the late 1800s. These groups became more organized around the time of World War I. The Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM) was officially started in 1917.

Before the Beth Yaacov Synagogue, the CJM prayed at the Midras Abordonel synagogue. This was the first Jewish house of worship in Spain since 1492. However, it was an older building, not a new one built for this purpose.

After the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, the government led by Francisco Franco closed the synagogue in Madrid. They were against certain groups and ideas.

In the years that followed, the Jewish community moved to different places. In 1949, they used the Lawenda Oratory. Ten years later, they moved to Calle de Pizarro.

Growth of the Community

By the late 1960s, the Jewish community in Madrid grew quickly. This happened for a few reasons. In 1967, Spain passed a new law called the Law on Religious Freedom. This law gave non-Catholics, including Jews, full rights to practice their religion in public.

Also, after Israel won the Six-Day War in 1967, many Jewish people from Morocco moved to Spain. One of them was Yehuda Benasouli, who later became the Chief Rabbi of Madrid.

Building the New Synagogue

In 1959, the Jewish community in Madrid received permission to open an official synagogue. Before this, they had been holding services in a private home.

In 1964, the Jewish community in Spain was officially recognized by the government. This was part of a celebration called "25 years of peace." That same year, the Jewish communities in Madrid and Barcelona created a group called the Israelite Communal Council. Soon after, construction began on the new synagogue building in Madrid.

A Spanish architect designed the building. It was a rectangular shape and included a main prayer hall with seats for 550 people. It also had spaces for learning, social events, and community activities. The total cost was about $250,000. This money came from the local community and from international Jewish organizations.

The prayer hall is decorated with Hebrew writings. These designs were inspired by the Synagogue of El Transito in Toledo.

Opening and Early Events

On December 16, 1968, the Beth Yaacov Synagogue officially opened. The ceremony was held on Balmes Street in the Chamberí district of Madrid. About 600 local people and Jewish leaders from around the world attended. It was a historic moment, as it was the first new synagogue built in Spain since 1492.

The synagogue's first rabbi was Benito Garson. He had moved to Madrid from Tetuan, Spanish Morocco. On the same day the synagogue opened, the Spanish Ministry of Justice officially canceled the Alhambra Decree of 1492. This decree had forced Jewish people to leave Spain. A letter announcing this change was read from the synagogue's pulpit. This meant that Jewish people no longer needed special permission from the government to hold religious services. The synagogue would serve the city's 2,500 Jewish residents.

In 1972, the synagogue was damaged by right-wing extremists.

In June 1976, Queen Sofía of Spain attended a Shabbat service at the synagogue. This was the first time in modern Spanish history that a member of the royal family had visited a Jewish house of worship. It was also Queen Sofia's first public appearance after her husband, Juan Carlos I, became the King of Spain.

Recent History

On March 31, 1992, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia visited the synagogue again. This visit marked 500 years since the Alhambra Decree. The king wore a white yarmulke (a small cap) and prayed for peace with about 250 people. This visit was seen as a big step towards reconciliation.

While Queen Sofia had visited before, this was the first visit by a Spanish king to a Jewish house of worship in modern times. They were joined by Israeli President Chaim Herzog and other important officials. Also present were descendants of people who had tried to stop the 1492 decree.

Since 1997, Moshe Bendahan has been the Chief Rabbi of Madrid and the main rabbi of the Beth Yaacov Synagogue. His family moved from Morocco in 1964. He started his work as a rabbi in Spain in 1986. This was the same year Spain and Israel officially became diplomatic partners.

The Beth Yaacov Synagogue is the main Orthodox synagogue for the Jewish community of Madrid (CJM). The building also holds the CJM's offices, the rabbinate, a mikveh (a ritual bath), and a history museum.

As of 2012, the Beth Yaacov Synagogue was one of seven synagogues serving Madrid's Jewish community, which had about 20,000 members.

In 2021, the Spanish National Police arrested a 68-year-old man. He had drawn a Nazi swastika on one of the protective posts outside the synagogue.

Gallery

The synagogue's entrance door
Close up of the entrance door

Beth Yaacov Synagogue (Madrid) facts for kids

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