Grand Synagogue o Edirne

Grand Synagogue o Edirne, aka Edirne Synagogue (Hebrew: Kal Kadosh ha-Gadol, Turkis: Edirne Büyük Sinagogu) is a historic Sephardi synagogue locatit in Maarif Street o Edirne, Turkey. It wis designed in the Moorish Revival style an restored in 2015. History The 1905 Great Fire o Edirne destroyed mair nor 1,500 houses an awso damaged several synagogues in the ceety. The twenty-thoosand strang Jewish commonty urgently needit a place of worship. Follaein the permission o the Ottoman Govrenment an the edict o Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the construction o a new synagogue bygane on Januar 6, 1906 at the steid o the ruined synagogues Mayor an Pulya in Suriçi (Citadel) neighbourhood. It wis designed bi the French airchitect France Depré in the airchitectural style o the Sephardi Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna, Austrick. Costing 1,200 gowd coins, it wis opened tae service on the eve o Pesach (Passower) in Apryle 1909. Capable o accommodatin up tae 1,200 worshipers (900 men an 300 weemen), it wis Europe's third-lairgest temple an the lairgest in Turkey. In 1983, the synagogue wis abandoned efter maist of the Jewish commonty left the ceety, emigratin tae Israel, Europe, or North America. In 1995, the temple bi law came unner the control o the govrenmental Turkis Foondations Insteetution. Restoration The abandoned and ruined synagogue as well as its ootbiggin wur restored bi the Turkis Foondations Insteetution in five years, spendin 5,750,000 (approximately US$2.5 million). On Mairch 26, 2015, the synagogue wis reopened with a celebration and a Shacharit, morning prayer service, attendit by a lairge nummer o Jews including Ishak Ibrahimzadeh (leader of the Jewish commonty in Turkey), Rav Naftali Haleva, deputy tae Hakham Bashi (Chief Rabbi) Ishak Haleva, Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Meenister o Turkey, an some ither Turkis heich offeecials. The worship wis overseen bi Rabbi David Azuz, who haed led the service on the closing day 36 years afore. The Municipality o Edirne hung a banner in the street o the synagogue and greetit the guests wi the words "Welcome home, oor auld neighbours". References Freemit airtins The Jewish community of Edirne, at the Jewish Virtual Library Chief Rabbinate of Turkey Archived 2007-05-13 at the Wayback Machine Shalom Newspaper - The main Jewish newspaper in Turkey Pictures of the synagogue before and after restoration