HAIFA (Press Release)–At the entrance to a flea market shop. On a train. Ecological. These are just three examples of numerous synagogues photographed and documented at the new “Synagogues and Congregations in Israel” exhibition currently on display at the University of Haifa. It is set to accompany the Third Israeli Conference on the Study of Contemporary Spirituality to be held at the University on March 15.
The exhibition is part of a unique project entitled “People Israel – Your Guide to Israeli Society“, which is run by Prof. Oz Almog of the Department of Israel Studies and Dr. Tamar Almog of the Department of Learning, Instruction and Teacher Education.
Israel has over 15,000 synagogues, and this exhibition set out to document uniqueness in these places of worship, whether in their architecture, distinctive congregations or personal moments. Also participating in this project are Moti Reich, manager of the World Synagogues Association website (run by the Ayelet HaShachar outreach organization); Eliyahu Cobin, a leading photographer for the Haredi press; and Eliezer Hayun, a Judaism columnist for YNET.
“Our collection can’t possibly cover all the unique synagogues in Israel (the term “unique” in itself is somewhat subjective), but it does give a fascinating and panoramic view of the world of synagogues in the State of Israel and of the religious and traditional congregations within them. Each synagogue that we have listed stands for itself and the detailed documentation that we have for each one provides an ample basis for further sociohistorical study. But it is our compilation of the individual sites and communities that exposes the in-depth social processes as a whole. We have composed an ethnographic voyage to varied congregations, exposing and sampling some fascinating social phenomena,” the scholars say of their project.
In the course of documenting synagogues and congregations for this project, the team revealed a number of interesting insights on the sociological functions of synagogues in Israel of 2011:
- The synagogue is much more than just a place of worship and has many and diverse functions – some visible and others concealed, such as social, spiritual, material and domestic support.
- It serves as an important community center, a trade mark of its participants’ identity and belonging in a neighborhood, a culture, a congregation and the Jewish people. As such, it also fosters ongoing, shared investment in what serves as a sort of local ‘temple’. In many cases, the synagogue is to the congregation as a living room is to a family.
- At times, the synagogue is the last vestige of a dying ethnic community. The daily prayers, sermons and learning are daily reminders of the synagogue’s history and of the congregants’ common ethnicity.
- The synagogue creates a social environment for elderly community members who are otherwise alone in the secular world around them. It also facilitates a fruitful and respectable convergence of generations – which in itself is a topic worthy of comprehensive study.
- For the most part, the synagogue is a closed masculine world, and as such it provides an opportunity for men to open up to themselves and to their fellowmen.
- It is also a center for study (a Beit Midrash), with fascinating and unique characteristics. It gives people with learning disabilities and uneducated individuals the opportunity to enjoy a learning experience, managing to reach out and empower where secular institutions have repeatedly failed to do so.
More insights and of course many photos can be enjoyed on the “People Israel – Your Guide to Israeli Society” website
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Preceding provided by the University of Haifa