Bahrain Synagogue

Coordinates: 26°13′50″N 50°34′26″E / 26.2305°N 50.574°E / 26.2305; 50.574
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bahrain Synagogue
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteEdot Hamizrach
LeadershipAbraham David Nonoo
StatusDisused
Location
LocationSasa'ah Avenue
Bahrain Manama, Bahrain
Geographic coordinates26°13′50″N 50°34′26″E / 26.2305°N 50.574°E / 26.2305; 50.574

Bahrain Synagogue is a disused synagogue located on Sasa'ah Avenue, in what is now a lower-class commercial district in Manama, the capital city of Bahrain.

Overview

The nondescript

Jewish house of worship, is no longer in use. The tiny Jewish community in Bahrain, numbering approximately 35 out of a total population of 700,000, can rarely muster a minyan required for prayer.[1] Nevertheless, Bahrain is one of the only Arab countries in the Persian Gulf with any kind of Jewish community or synagogue. The community also maintains a small Jewish cemetery.[2]

History

In the late 19th century, Jews from Iraq, and some from Iran and India settled in Bahrain and subsequently established a synagogue.

After the

Britain and the United States
, another synagogue was built for those who remained.

Recently, as the synagogue is no longer in use, the Jewish community wanted to convert the building for another use or give it to charity, but the government would not allow it. They insisted it remained as a synagogue.[5][6]

In 2006, after the roof began to fall in,

Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa has offered to pay for the construction of a new synagogue on the same site.[7]

At the time the government also offered the Jewish community a piece of land to rebuild the old synagogue which was destroyed in 1948 and not rebuilt.[4]

A report from Al-Wasat newspaper (in Arabic) Includes photos of the new building [1]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bahraini Jews mark Kristallnacht". France 24. 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  2. ^ a b c Scheib, Ariel. "The Virtual Jewish History Tour: Bahrain". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
  3. ^ Rosenbloom, Michael (March 2002). "Tales of Survival: Island Girl". Congregation Ohav Sholom, Merrick, New York. Archived from the original on 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
  4. ^ a b "The Jews of Bahrain: "I consider myself a Bahraini Jewish Arab - and I am very proud of it."". The Washington Times. March 23, 2000. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved 2007-06-01.
  5. Jpost.com. Retrieved 2007-06-01.[permanent dead link
    ]
  6. ^ "After Israel deal, Bahrain's Jews seek to revive community with new rabbi, synagogue". Al Arabiya English. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  7. ^ Low profile but welcome: a Jewish outpost in the Gulf Archived January 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Independent, 2 November 2007.

External links