An anonymous donor provided nearly 50 million shekels (NIS) worth of funding to the Municipality of Jerusalem to rebuild the three story Tiferet Israel synagogue in the Old City after the synagogue was destroyed via Jordanian explosives during the 1948 War of Independence, the Jerusalem Post reported.
“The municipality sees great importance in preserving and rebuilding Jerusalem’s heritage sites,” Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem from 2008-2018, said in Israel National News. “The Tiferet Israel synagogue was a symbol of the Jewish “Yishuv” (settlement) in Jerusalem and we are proud to bring it back and rebuild it anew.”
Renovations have been underway over the past few years. An underground floor will include exhibits of various historical artifacts and mikvahs for display and educational purposes. Much of the original infrastructure and architectural design will remain the same as originally engineered, such as the dome, but renovations will include an elevator that was not there originally.
Moti Rinkov, Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem Chairman of the Board of Directors said, “The renovation and restoration of the Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter is one of the most important and exciting projects I've taken part in. Rebuilding the synagogue is in fact raising the Israeli flag in the Jewish Quarter. It's truly a work where they're restoring the crown to its former glory and restoring glory to the Jewish People."
Written by Erin Parfet
