Ben Ezra synagogue Cairo, Egypt | El Geniza Synagogue
Ben Ezra Synagogue is one of the largest and most important Jews Synagogues in Cairo, Egypt. The Synagogue is famous for its Geniza found in the 19th century and contained a treasure of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Judeo-Arabic manuscripts.
What is the function of the synagogue?
The synagogue for the Jews similar to the mosques for the Muslims and Churches for Christians, a place space for worship and prayer. in Judaism, a community house of worship that serves as a place not only for liturgical services but also for assembly and study.
Where is Ben Ezra Synagogue?
Ben Ezra Synagogue, referred to as El Geniza Synagogue is located in Old Cairo on Mar Girgis Street behind the Coptic Museum and near the Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus. The Synagogue has an interesting mix of history, as the site was originally a church and then converted into a synagogue a century ago.
What was the Ben Ezra synagogue?
Once the Synagogue was a Coptic Church belonging to the Hanging Church but Ahmed Ibn Tulun forced the Christians to pay 20000 gold dinars in annual taxes. Patriarch Mikhail III the 56 Pope sold it to the Jews to be able to pay the taxes. As a consequence, Abraham Ben Ezra, who came from Jerusalem during Ahmed Ibn Tulun’s reign, bought the church for 20,000 dinars. Jews believe that the prophet Moses lived in the area or in other words it is the place where baby Moses was found.
When Ben Ezra Synagogue was built?
The construction date of the Ben Ezra Synagogue is not known, but there is evidence from some documents found in Geniza that it dates back to 882 C.E and most probably pre-Islam.
Ben Ezra Synagogue Cairo Egypt layout
First of all, the Synagogue right now is not the original one and little is known about that original building. In 1012, the Fatimid Caliph Al Hakim Bi Amr Allah (the sixth Fatimid caliph and 16th Ismaili imam 996–1021) ordered the destruction of all the Christian and Jewish places of worship.
So, the original Ben Ezra synagogue was totally destroyed. The next Fatimid Caliph Ali Az-Zahir, the seventh caliph to rule the Fatimid dynasty allowed the reconstruction of the Jewish and Christian buildings. Ben Ezra Synagogue was rebuilt between 1025-1040. There is a carved wooden Torah ark door owned by Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and Yeshiva University Museum in New York shed light on the synagogue that dates back to the 11th century.
The Synagogue was built in the basilica style like Coptic Churches, it is a rectangular building that measures 17*12 meters. It is consisting of 2 floors; the 1st is dedicated to the men while the 2nd is dedicated to the women. The entrance of the synagogue is situated on the north side.
The building is composed of three halls, the middle being the largest and tallest. The central hall is towered by an octagonal dome. The synagogue has two rows of marble columns with amazing capitals. Meanwhile, benches on the north and south sides for the visitors.
In the middle, an octagonal marble bima “A Platform for Torah Reading, where the rabbi stands to read the Torah. A copper fence is situated on the 8th side of the platform, where the Torah, and its rolls, are rested.
The sanctuary of the Synagogue is on the east wall, which is also where the Torah case is. The marble pulpit lies at the center of the synagogue and there are a few steps leading up to it.
2nd level of the Synagogue
The upper level of the Ben Ezra Synagogue is reserved for women and overlooks the prayer area.
Synagogue wall decorations
Synagogue wall decorations represent units of Jewish art, which are scenes inspired by The Torah, and Islamic decorative elements such as arabesque, brides, and star dishes.
The Geniza
Historically, every synagogue has a Geniza, or repository for the abandoned documents containing the name of God. According to the Jewish teaching, it was impossible and impermissible to throw away texts or documents bearing the name of God, these were all once kept in Geniza.
The Ben Ezra Synagogue’s Geniza was discovered in 1896 on its north side and it was sealed and could only be reached through an aperture in its roof. The contents were moved to the University of Cambridge in the UK for study and research.
The documents found in Geniza reflected the political, economic, and social conditions of Jews under the Arab rule of Egypt as well as sectoral organizations and relations between different Jewish sects.
Moses Box
At the back of the synagogue, it was found a very deep well, where the basket in which Prophet Moses as an infant was placed by his mother.
Restoration work of the Synagogue
The synagogue of Ben Ezra witnessed extensive restorations throughout the time. It is known that the Synagogue was renovated in the 1880s, and completely rebuilt in the early 1890s. The building of Ben Ezra synagogue right now was remodeled in the early 20th century.
Jewish Community
The Egyptian Jewish community is facing a dramatic decline, from about 80 000 people in the late 1920s to less than 1000 people between Alexandria and Cairo. As a result, the Ben Ezra Synagogue functions now as a tourist attraction rather than as a functioning congregation.
Tips for the Ben Ezra Synagogue
No photos are allowed and are prepared for a security check before entering. Tradition says that the pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in the reeds of the nearby Nile River, the same place where the Virgin Mary drew water to wash the baby Jesus.
The entrance is free, and a donation box is visible but there was no pressure to donate
The Synagogue library contains precious books and Jewish periodicals that chronicle the presence of the Jewish community in Egypt.
The Synagogue once had an old copy of the Old Testament, and it was said that Ezra the Prophet (Al-Azir) had written it
Conclusions
Thank you for following our article about the Ben Ezra Synagogue! I hope you had a great time exploring one of the oldest and most important Cairo top tourist attractions.
If you have any extra time, I recommend visiting Old Cairo and exploring some of the other great attractions that Cairo has to offer, such as
Hanging Church
Coptic Museum
Abu Serga Church
Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque
St. George Church
Babylon Fortress
Extra Tips
Cairo is a huge city, so it’s best to plan your Egypt tour packages in advance or if you stay only in Cairo, you can check Cairo day tours.
If you’re visiting Egypt in the summer between July and August, don’t forget to pack sunscreen and a hat!
Public transportation in Egypt is very confusing, so it’s often easier to just hire a private car.
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