Heichal Shlomo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heichal Shlomo |
|
|---|---|
|
Hebrew: היכל שְׁלֹמֹה
|
|
Heichal Shlomo in 2009 (left),
with the Great Synagogue (right) |
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Jerusalem |
| Country | Israel |
 Location in Jerusalem
|
|
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Alexander Friedman |
| Architectural type | Synagogue architecture |
| Groundbreaking | 1953 |
| Completed | 1958 |
| Dome(s) | One |
Heichal Shlomo (in Hebrew: Hebrew: היכל שְׁלֹמֹה) is a famous building in Jerusalem, Israel. Its name means "Palace of Solomon." It's located on King George Street, right across from the Leonardo Plaza Hotel.
This important building is a center for Jewish life and learning. Inside, you can find a synagogue, a Jewish museum, and a college for teachers. For many years, until the 1990s, it was the main office for the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the country's top religious leaders. Today, it is also a campus for Herzog College, where students can earn advanced degrees in education.
A Look Back in Time
The story of Heichal Shlomo began in 1953. It was designed by an architect named Alexander Friedman and was finished in 1958. For a long time, it served as the headquarters for Israel's Chief Rabbis.
In 2009, the building hosted a special guest, Pope Benedict XVI. He met with the two Chief Rabbis of Jerusalem during his visit.
The Renanim Synagogue
Inside Heichal Shlomo is the beautiful Renanim Synagogue. Parts of this synagogue are very old and were brought all the way from a city called Padua in Italy. This includes its special 18th-century Torah ark, which is a cabinet for holding the sacred Torah scrolls. The bimah, the raised platform where the Torah is read, also came from Padua. The synagogue is decorated with modern stained-glass windows.
Museum of Jewish Art
Since 1992, Heichal Shlomo has been home to the Jewish Heritage Center and Museum of Jewish Art. The museum is named after Sir Isaac Wolfson, a British philanthropist who helped support Jewish causes. It displays both old and new Jewish art, with some exhibits that are always there and others that change over time. The entrance gallery often shows artwork by Israeli artists.
Gallery
-
Mordechai Ish-Shalom and Yitzhak Ben-Zvi standing across from Heichal Shlomo, 1959
See also
In Spanish: Heichal Shlomo para niños
- History of the Jews in Israel
- List of synagogues in Israel
- Synagogues of Jerusalem
