The Last-Remaining Synagogues in the Muslim World Music : Enrico Macias Author : Beatrice V
Faith has long inspired some of the most remarkable architecture around the world. In Judaism, the synagogue is seen as more than just a physical building: It is a central address and institution for the expression of Jewish identity and traditions, embedded in the social fabric of Jewish communities. These synagogues were once scattered across the Middle East and North Africa and were home to thriving and flourishing Jewish populations, some dating back to ancient times. Since the creation of Israel in 1948 and the 1967 Six-Day War, however, these numbers have dwindled due to persecution and subsequent emigration, leaving behind only a few thousand Jews in the Arab world. Small clusters of Jews can still be found in Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, Iran and Tunisia. Along with this diaspora, the few remaining synagogues stand as reminders of the once-thriving Jewish populations in Muslim-majority countries and offer us a glimpse into the unique Arab-Jewish identity in the Middle East. We've compiled a list of some of the most gorgeous synagogues and temples in Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, spanning from Iran to Morocco:
Eliyahu Hanavi Sephardic, Egypt
Ashkenazi Synagogue, Turkey
Slat Alfassiyine, Morocco
Shaar Hashomayim, Egypt
Temple Beth-El, Morocco
Neve Shalom, Turkey
Magen Abraham, Lebanon
El Ghriba, Tunisia
Zarzis Synagogue, Tunisia
Pol-e-Choubi Synagogue, Iran
Ben Ezra, Egypt
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