Isaac Ben Walid Synagogue

The Isaac Ben Walid Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת של יצחק בן וואליד‎, Arabic: كنيس إسحاق بن الوليد‎, Spanish: Sinagoga Isaac Bengualid) is a synagogue in the mellah of Tetuan, Morocco.[1][2][3]

Isaac Ben Walid Synagogue
בית הכנסת של יצחק בן וואליד
كنيس إسحاق بن الوليد
Sinagoga Isaac Bengualid
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
RiteOrthodox
Location
LocationTetuan, Morocco
CountryMorocco
Geographic coordinates35.57019°N 5.36731°W / 35.57019; -5.36731

History
Sign at the entrance of the synagogue in Arabic, Spanish and English.

The synagogue is named after Rabbi Isaac Bengualid (1777–1870),[4] author of the 2-volume Vayomer Yitzhak, a history of the Jews of Tetuan. Rabbi Bengualid was a prominent member of Tetuan's Jewish community, which comprised about 4,200 members at the time,[1] and was considered the center of the moroccan sephardic community.[5]

An apparatus inside the synagogue to control lights automatically for sabbath.

The Isaac Ben Walid Synagogue was built in the new mellah south of the medina of Tetuan, created when Sultan Slimane decided to build a grand mosque on the location of the old mellah. At the time, Tetuan was the heart of the Sephardi community in Morocco and it had 16 synagogues.[2][6] Its second floor served as a yeshiva, [7] and it also contained a mikveh for women and an oven for the preparation of matzah.[5]

The synagogue held its last regular service in 1968, and it is currently only used for guided visits or for pilgrimages of former residents during hiloulot;[8] the moroccan Jewish Community transformed it into a museum.[9] In 2001, the AECID and the Junta of Andalusia financed the restoration of the synagogue, in cooperation with the Municiality of Tétouan, the Foundation for Moroccan Jewish Cultural Heritage and the Bengualid family, which still owns the building.[7][10]

See also

References
  1. Researchers of The Museum of The Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot. "Tetuan". Museum of The Jewish People - Beit Hatfutsot. Retrieved 2019-10-16.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  2. "BCmed". www.bcmediterranea.org. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  3. "Tetouan Synagogue, Tetouan, Morocco | Archive | Diarna.org". archive.diarna.org. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  4. Angel, Marc (2010-10-01). "Bengualid (Ben Walīd), Isaac". Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World.
  5. Il nuovo mellah di Tétouan e la sinagoga Bengualid. BC Mediterranea
  6. "The Jews of Tetuan, Morocco: Genealogy and Iconography". avotaynuonline.com. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  7. Rehabilitación de la Sinagoga Bengualid
  8. Off The Beaten Path In Morocco
  9. A Hidden Gem on the Edge of the Mediterranean: Discover Tetouan’s Jewish Heritage
  10. Uno de los más antiguos de la ciudad: El Barrio judío o Al Mellah de Tetuán

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