Jump to content

Tiféret Israel Synagogue

Coordinates: 10°29′56″N 66°53′18″W / 10.4990°N 66.8883°W / 10.4990; -66.8883
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tiféret Israel Synagogue
  • Hebrew: בית הכנסת תפארת ישראל
  • Spanish: Sinagoga Tiféret Israel
The synagogue and head office of the Israelite Association of Venezuela, in 2007
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteNusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
OwnershipIsraelite Association of Venezuela
StatusActive
Location
LocationEl Recreo, Plaza Venezuela, Caracas
CountryVenezuela
Tiféret Israel Synagogue is located in Caracas
Tiféret Israel Synagogue
Location of the synagogue in Caracas
Geographic coordinates10°29′56″N 66°53′18″W / 10.4990°N 66.8883°W / 10.4990; -66.8883
Architecture
Groundbreaking1956
Completed1963

The Tiféret Israel Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת תפארת ישראל; Spanish: Sinagoga Tiféret Israel) is a Jewish synagogue located in El Recreo, close to Plaza Venezuela in Caracas, capital of Venezuela. It is also the headquarters of the Israelite Association of Venezuela.

History

[edit]

In 1954, the Sephardic Jewish community of Caracas reached an agreement to buy private land in Maripérez, Caracas, in order to build a synagogue to replace the one located in the El Conde area, which had to be demolished as part of the construction of the Bolivar Avenue, the main highway during that time.[citation needed] Finally in 1956 the first stone was laid; the synagogue was formally inaugurated and opened to the public in 1963, and since then has served as a religious temple for the Jewish community of Caracas.[citation needed]

2009 attack

[edit]

In late January 2009, the synagogue was badly damaged in a well-organized attack,[1] following escalating tensions between the Israeli and Venezuelan governments after the Gaza–Israel conflict of 2008–2009.[2] The attack followed an article inciting anti-Semitic violence, which appeared (later removed, and replaced by an apology) on a government website. [3][4][5] An armed gang consisting of 15 unidentified men broke into the synagogue, tied and gagged security guards and occupied the building for several hours.[6] Anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli graffiti was daubed on the walls[7] and the synagogue office and Holy Ark were ransacked. They also called for Jews to be expelled from the country. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro condemned the act as a "criminal act of vandalism". The Information Minister Jesse Chacón also condemned the attack and denied it had any connection with the government. Three former policemen and three civilians were found guilty and sentenced to ten years in jail.[8]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Grupo armado asalta una sinagoga en Caracas". EFE (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Venezuela Expels Israeli Envoy After Gaza Invasion". Bloomberg. 6 January 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Venezuela's Jews fear more attacks". Yahoo News. 2 June 2008.
  4. ^ "Grupo armado causa destrozos en la Asociación Israelita de Venezuela". El Universal (in Spanish). 1 February 2009.
  5. ^ "Synagogue in Venezuela vandalized". Jerusalem Post. 1 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Synagogue desecrated in Venezuela". BBC News. 1 February 2009.
  7. ^ "Images". Confederación de Asociaciones Israelitas de Venezuela. 1 February 2009.
  8. ^ "MP logró condena de 10 años para 3 ex policías y 3 civiles por robo a Sinagoga en Caracas" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Justicia. 23 July 2011. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
[edit]

Media related to Sinagoga Tiféret Israel at Wikimedia Commons