Neveh Shalom ( Heb. בית הכנסת נווה שלום ; in translation - Oasis of Peace ) - a synagogue erected in the capital of Suriname Paramaribo in 1719 . Originally belonged to the Sephardim who left Jodensavann [1] . In 1735 it was sold to Ashkenazim [2] , settled in Suriname at the end of the XVII century [1] . In 1780, it underwent a significant expansion, as a result of which the number of seats for men was increased to 200 [2] . Subsequently burned down during a fire [2] . After major repairs and expansion of the area in 1835 - 1837, it acquired a modern look.
| Synagogue | |
| Neve Shalom | |
|---|---|
| Heb. בית הכנסת נווה לום | |
 | |
| A country |  Suriname |
| Location | |
| Denomination | |
| Founding date | |
| Building | 1719 |
| Status | acting |
| condition | Great |
The majestic wooden synagogue is currently the only one operating in Paramaribo and serving the entire Jewish diaspora of Suriname. It is a wonderful attraction of the center of the capital. Refers to the conservative direction of Shabbat Judaism [2] . It is located at the end of the street Jodenstraat [1] .
The holy ark , bima and benches are also made of wood. Contains a number of copies of the Torah , whose age is several hundred years.
A distinctive feature of the synagogue is a sandy floor. By tradition, the sand reminds of 40-year wanderings in the desert after the Exodus and the Inquisition , which destroyed religious Jews. Then marran gathered in the cellars for worship. They poured sand on the floor in order to silence the speeches of the worshipers.
The complex includes the synagogue itself, a wooden club where believers gather after the Saturday Kiddush ritual of consecration of the Sabbath. The local shamash manages both a small museum and a library. In addition, in the area of the synagogue there is a mikvah erected in 1866 , an old rabbi’s house and 18th century Sephardic tombstones.
See also
- Jews in Suriname
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Tamar Fox. Discovering Suriname's Jewish past - and present (English) // The Washington Post. - 2011. - 18 February. Archived April 12, 2013.
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 Jacqueline Shields. Suriname Virtual Jewish History Tour (eng.) . jewishvirtuallibrary.org . A project of AICE. Circulation date June 24, 2017. Archived June 24, 2017.
Links
- Suriname Synagogues (English) . surinamejewishcommunity.com . Circulation date June 24, 2017. Archived June 24, 2017.