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Makhachkala Synagogue

Coordinates: 42°58′26.130″N 47°30′52.139″E / 42.97392500°N 47.51448306°E / 42.97392500; 47.51448306
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Makhachkala Synagogue
Russian: Махачкалинская синагога
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
StatusActive
Location
Location111 Ermoshkina Street, Makhachkala, Dagestan, North Caucasus
CountryRussia
Makhachkala Synagogue is located in Republic of Dagestan
Makhachkala Synagogue
Location of the active synagogue in Dagestan
Geographic coordinates42°58′26.130″N 47°30′52.139″E / 42.97392500°N 47.51448306°E / 42.97392500; 47.51448306
Architecture
TypeSynagogue architecture
Funded byThe Jewish congregation
Groundbreaking2002
Completed2004
MaterialsLimestone blocks

Makhachkala Synagogue (Russian: Махачкалинская синагога; Hebrew: בית הכנסת מחצ'קלה) is the Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Ermoshkina Street, Building 111, in the city of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan, in the North Caucasus of Russia.[1]

History

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In 1862, in the city of Makhachkala, on the initiative of Joseph Pevechevich, a veteran of the Caucasian War in the Imperial Russian Army against Imam Shamil,[2] the first synagogue was built, in which both Ashkenazi (including 61 artisans and 20 soldiers of the local garrison) and Mountain Jews prayed.[2] Rabbi Binyamin was the rabbi of Makhachkala in the 1860s.[1]

In 1895, there were 2 synagogues in Makhachkala.[2]

In 1899, a school (9 male students) operated at the synagogue.[2] The rabbi of the Ashkenazi Jews was Abram Movshovich Lozner, and of the Mountain Jews was Mordukhai Iliazarov.

In 1910, there were 3 synagogues in Makhachkala.[2]

According to various sources, before the Russian Revolution in 1917, the number of synagogues in Makhachkala varied from three[2] to seven,[3][1] but they were all confiscated by the Soviet authorities.[1]

In the 1920s, two synagogues were closed.[2] One of the synagogues was on Lenin Street, but the city authorities closed it and later the synagogue was torn down. Even though the synagogue on Lenin Street was torn down, the Jews in Makhachkala still quietly, in secret from the government authorities, gathered for prayers.[3]

In 1970, the synagogue building in Makhachkala was requisitioned, and the community was given a smaller building on the outskirts of the city.[2] Since 1971, the city's rabbi was B. I. Ashurov.[2]

In 1976, the city's Jewish community bought the entire house on 111 Ermoshkina Street, paying 9,800 rubles for it.[3] Previously, there was nothing in the purchased house except for sheds.[3] The synagogue congregants themselves built and renovated the building and painted its walls.[3]

Between the 1970s and 1980s, the rabbis at the Makhachkala synagogue were: Rabbi Bobi, Rabbi Shartil Shalumov and Rabbi Yunun Yusufov.[1]

In 2002, construction began on a four-story[1] synagogue on the same plot of land.[3] It was built primarily with funds from donations and charitable assistance from the Jews of Makhachkala. Since 2004, the government of Dagestan, former presidents Magomedali Magomedov, then Mukhu Aliyev allocated funds for the construction of the synagogue, which helped complete the construction.[1]

A kosher kitchen and dining room for 280 people are situated on the lower floor. On the first floor is the synagogue office; on the second floor there is a spacious prayer hall, where there are six Torah scrolls. On the third floor, there is a Jewish school.[3] On the fourth floor is a hotel.[1][4]

From 2022 to 2023, the rabbi of the Makhachkala synagogue was Rami Davydov.[5]

Since 2023, minyan prayers have been held under the leadership of hazzan, Sultan Alkhazov.[6][7][8]

On the night of December 24, 2007, anti-Semites broke the windows of the synagogue building in Makhachkala.[9][10][11]

On June 23, 2024, during an attack in Dagestan, armed militants possibly affiliated with ISIS set fire to the Makhachkala synagogue.[12][13][14][15] The building of the synagogue was partially damaged.[16][17][18] The synagogue is still operational.

See also

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Reference

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Hana Rafael. In the homeland of our ancestors: the Jews of Makhachkala. 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Makhachkala
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Ilya Karpenko. Juhuro In The Country Of Mountains. 2007.
  4. ^ Yana Lyubarskaya. Jewish Dagestan by Boris Khanukaev. STMEGI. June 27, 2019.
  5. ^ A meeting with the new rabbi of Makhachkala was held in the Ministry of Nationalities of Dagestan. STMEGI. November 2, 2022
  6. ^ Danil Danilov. Changes in the Makhachkala synagogue. STMEGI. 14 июль 2017.
  7. ^ Hanukkah in Makhachkala. STMEGI.
  8. ^ Dagestani students visited the Makhachkala synagogue. STMEGI. May 14, 2019.
  9. ^ Anti-Semitic incidents in Russia
  10. ^ Attack on a synagogue in Makhachkala
  11. ^ A sharp outbreak of anti-Semitism in Dagestan
  12. ^ Gunmen in Russia’s Dagestan attack churches, synagogue and police post. 06-23-2024.
  13. ^ Gunmen Kill at Least 6 at Synagogue and Churches in Russian Republic. 06-23-2024.
  14. ^ Terror Attacks in Dagestan Target Synagogue, Church, and Police. The Media Line Staff November 22, 2024
  15. ^ Moshe New. Synagogue Burnt in Attack in Dagestan, Russia. June 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Philissa Cramer. Synagogues in Dagestan, Russia, targeted alongside churches in terror attack. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. June 24, 2024
  17. ^ Deera Bharath. Dagestani Jews determined to rebuild after deadly terror attacks in southern Russia. The Times of Israel. June 29, 2024
  18. ^ Tsvaygenbaum, Israel (2024-07-03). "What is the meaning of the destruction of the Dagestan, Russia synagogues by terrorists?". Jewish World News.

Media related to Makhachkala Synagogue at Wikimedia Commons

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