Abudaram
(Parmakkapi) Synagogue in Hasköy, Istanbul was rented in 1960s to be used as a
workshop as a result of the diminished number of inhabitants in the
neighborhood. The historic synagogue reopened its doors on Sunday morning with
prayers and songs, surviving decades of negligence. Community members attended
the prayer service in the dilapidated building with joy, ahead of planned
restoration efforts to restore to its former glory.
Among
the crowd witnessing this emotional and historic day, was Shai Cohen, Consul
General of Israel in Istanbul, shared his feelings with Şalom:
“It is a very emotional event. It is very
historic from this perspective. It is important to note the ability of the
community to restore all properties like this one. It also shows the positive
attitude of the authorities, restoring back properties of the minorities in
Turkey in general, and of the Jewish community in particular. It is a very good
sign for what can be achieved in terms of tolerance, and solidarity within
society. From the point of view as an Israeli diplomat, it is very emotional.
It has a lot of meanings to us, as the Israeli people. I hope it will be
possible to restore the synagogue and to make it active. It is a very historic
building. The meaning is very important; to be able to keep on the rituals in a
five hundred years’ synagogue. This would be very significant.”
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