Wadi Abu Jamil

BCD (Beirut Central District) - Beirut, Lebanon


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/plan-01g.jpg




At the city center western periphery, Wadi Abou Jamil commands superb geographic and natural qualities. It is within walking distance from the new waterfront, hotel district and Beirut Souks. A gentle topography cascading towards the seashore and a cluster of stone buildings with terracotta-tiled pitched roofs define it as a Levantine hilltown.

Together with nearby Zokak El Blatt, it has preserved buildings from the 1930-1950s, turn-of-the-twentieth-century centrally planned Lebanese houses, and Beirut's only surviving synagogue. Residences enjoy high ceilings, generous verandahs, loggias and private gardens. In some cases, fine woodwork, wrought iron, marble floors and decorative false ceilings are further evidence of their former splendor. Heritage mansions are restored to house private art and antiques collections, converted into boutique hotels, or grouped as town houses.

Solidere has initiated the design and implementation of clustered developments in Wadi Abou Jamil and Zokak El Blatt, involving infill construction together with restoration. Solidere has sold nine of these clusters together with their concepts which define the future urban and architectural character of the neighborhoods. Among these: Beirut Village 1 and Beirut Village 2, Wadi Gardens, The Courtyard, Med Invest, Stow Wadi, DBA 1, DBA 2 and DBA 3. Clusters designed and developed by other developers incluse The Pavilions and Périmètre Rue de France.

The architects are sensitive to the continuity and mix of successive architectural styles in Beirut. Construction is generally planned around an internal garden courtyard. The architects draw inspiration from the traditional central hall model and enhance it by using more articulate forms and modern features. The apartments, with their private gardens and their interiors of grand standing, offer exclusive residential accommodation combining luxury, modernity and privacy.

Source: Solidere.com




Map from the Solidere Master Plan:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/6-1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd61/beirutguy/sscunknownproject.jpg


(source: "le Commerce du Levant"- july 2007)

^^ Translation: A charming and high luxury hotel of 200 suites is planned in Wadi Bou Jamil. The 85 millions investment for the Royal Hotels & Ressorts SAL company will belong to the Kheireddine family. The plot was bought by the family and several plots between 2000 and 2004. There will be construction on 55 000 m2. The hotel will have big gardens on 2500-3000 m2, "a first time in Lebanon" said Marwan Kheireddine, member of the administration council of the company. The designer, Philippe Starck, already has finish the plans. The construction was supposed to begin in middle 2006 but it didn't because of they still didn't get the permit of construction. "Th politic situation is one of the reasons of the delay" affirmed Khereddine, taht will not give up for the project. If construction starts, it'll take about 3 years.

are they gonna destroy those old houses to build it? If so I hope it never gets built!

...the old houses AND the synagog. i realy hope they dont demolish the synagog...
???

^^they will not demolish the synagogue,it's protected as a historic site.

The plans are to incorporate the houses in the design and renovate them...i think the synagogue is next door

I thought they were going to turn those old houses into hotels

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/4537/12383012nk8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^Are there plans to renovate those ugly old houses? Because they really ruin the view...btw, tht's Saifi area?

^^ No this is not Saifi.

These will be renovated as part of Wadi Abu Jamil...

Ooo..thx
It seems they're taking their time with renovation...Do you know when will it start?

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5178/928532300c0f90a3ebcben2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

^^

Really sad to see what happened to Wadi Bou Jamil :ohno:

Is that the villa of THE PAVILLIONS on the far right?

isnt that on the left the jewish synagogue ?

On the rendering, the jewish synaguogue is on the far right...I think this means they'll renovate it...?

Nadini posted a photo of the synaguogue in the Achrafieh District of Beirut thread if you want to see it...it's the first photo of her last post there...

^^ yes the one on the far left is the Jewish Synagogue

so the Synagogue was never torn down ?

NO NO NO they don't have the right to torn it down, it belongs to the jewish community who has to restore it

NO NO NO they don't have the right to torn it down, it belongs to the jewish community who has to restore it

so why did that stupid American news artcle saying it was and it was talking about alot of crap which isnt true.

^^Are there plans to renovate those ugly old houses? Because they really ruin the view...btw, tht's Saifi area?

FYI those houses have been torn down last week

Here is what L'orient-Le-Jour wrote:

Les derniers témoins du patrimoine architectural beyrouthin tombent sous les bulldozers de Solidere

- À Wadi Abou Jmil, trois immeubles, pourtant classés, n’ont pas pu résister aux bulldozers de Solidere. Aujourd’hui, à la place des trois bâtiments, joyaux du patrimoine architectural beyrouthin, il ne reste plus qu’un amas de pierres.
Dans une lettre envoyée à L’Orient-Le Jour et que nous reproduisons ci-dessous, Amine-Jules Iskandar, architecte, s’élève contre cette atteinte à la mémoire du Liban :
« Souvenez-vous du massacre de Cana. Durant les jours qui avaient suivi, les journalistes s’étaient presque tous rendus au sud du pays pour se rendre compte de l’ampleur du désastre.
Au même moment, profitant du choc dans le pays et du fait que toute l’attention était portée sur Cana, la société Solidere avait précipité ses bulldozers sur Wadi Abou Jmil afin de raser une dizaine de bâtiments classés. Samir Kassir et son équipe n’ont pu à l’époque que déplorer la disparition de ces magnifiques témoignages du patrimoine architectural beyrouthin. À leur retour du Liban-Sud, il n’y avait plus rien à faire. Seuls trois édifices accolés à la synagogue avaient échappé au ravage.
Aujourd’hui, alors que les Libanais sont pris par la crise politico-économique, et que la presse est tout entière braquée sur l’effondrement des institutions, les bulldozers ont repris discrètement leur besogne. Les trois derniers anciens immeubles de Wadi sont éventrés puis rasés. Il n’en reste plus qu’un amas de pierres. Depuis des années pourtant, le promeneur pouvait voir bien en évidence, sur la façade de chacun d’eux, un écriteau signé Solidere et menaçant d’arrestation quiconque toucherait à un seul élément de ces édifices classés. Aujourd’hui, il vous est surtout interdit de vous aventurer dans le coin avec un appareil photo. Cela explique la mauvaise résolution des photos prises avec un téléphone portable. Nous assistons, encore une fois impuissants, à la disparition de notre patrimoine architectural, culturel et identitaire. Ces édifices représentaient le dernier témoignage d’une époque qui fut l’âge d’or de la communauté israélite beyrouthine. »"

so why did that stupid American news artcle saying it was and it was talking about alot of crap which isnt true.

The last 3 old buildings in Wadi Bu Jamil, that belonged to jewish people, were torn down. Wich means that the synagogue is the only remaining (old) building in that area now... :ohno:


But isn't this illegal??

I dont think the media is looking at the rendering that Solidere planned for it, it is the same styled buildings that will be built on the spot, they just want to make news as usual
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/plan-01g.jpg

The last 3 old buildings in Wadi Bu Jamil, that belonged to jewish people, were torn down. Which means that the synagogue is the only remaining (old) building in that area now... :ohno:


But isn't this illegal??


People don't seem to understand that there was a WAR here for decades! It was the war that destroyed these buildings, NOT Solidere. It is quite possible that the remaining structure of the buildings was not safe for renovation and maybe they HAD to bulldoze them.

^^Okay...I know that war destroyed those bldgs....but why do they like to do this is secret??Why is it forbidden to takes photos of the constructions there?? Why don't they say that the structures are not safe so they have to demolish them??

People don't seem to understand that there was a WAR here for decades! It was the war that destroyed these buildings, NOT Solidere. It is quite possible that the remaining structure of the buildings was not safe for renovation and maybe they HAD to bulldoze them.

yes beiruti, but by lebanese laws they cannot destroy or renovate property until the owners sign off! for god's sake, lebanese police couldn't go into a jewish cemetery to bury a lebanese jew because there was no one from the jewish community to let them in and they're not allowed to just break through the fence!

^^ This property is owned by Solidere, right?

^^ no solidere never bought it from the owners mainly because they were not in the country. They are required by law to buy or pay retributions BEFORE they start (verdun is being bought up like hotcakes) ... I would just hate for them to build something great and then face a lawsuit which may require them to tear it down.

that's Solidere...tears down anything historic and of value, idiots

I just updated Post #1 with a Master Plan map of the area by Solidere.

Note that the color orange signifies RESTORED buildings and the dark orange signifies RELIGIOUS buildings (Synagogue).

Looks like a lot of orange there! - contrary to the recent "article" posted saying everything has been demolished (which is more of an editorial by someone who is completely biased and anti-Solidere).

^^ yea ur right ... is blue unrestored? i think its blue .. i dunno im color blind

u know I had no idea we had an army street ... im assuming it goes by the arabic name for army? is that a recent re-naming?

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2870/23274586666971273e3bbis1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Beirut's largest synagogue in danger of demolition

Monday, 7 April, 2008 @ 4:39 AM

By Yoav Stern

The largest synagogue in Beirut is in danger of being demolished as part of a city center renovation project.

magen david abraham.jpgLebanese sources involved in preserving Jewish tradition in the country published pictures last month of the desolate synagogue, Magen Avraham, and surrounding buildings.

The photos, which were taken covertly because civilians are banned from the area, show that buildings in the area are in the process of being demolished. The roof of a building next to the synagogue has been dismantled, which some fear is the first stage of that building's destruction. At this point, the synagogue itself does not appear to have been damaged.

However, the Lebanese sources said that widespread demolition is taking place even though the structures in the area had previously been declared designated for preservation.

The renovation of central Beirut is being carried out by the Lebanese construction company Solidere, owned by the Hariri family.

Magen Avraham has been left desolate for about 20 years. The Jewish community, which at various points included tens of thousands of people, pretty much disappeared from the country in the 1980s. Sources have told Haaretz that there are still Jews living in Lebanon, but only a few admit their religious identity, fearing they would be harmed if their neighbors discovered they were Jewish.

The community's silence is a problem when it comes to Jewish communal property. Although officially there is a head of the Jewish community, which constitutes one of the 19 official religious communities in Lebanon, no one knows who it is.

Solidar has said that it is working to preserve many buildings in the heart of Beirut, including the three buildings surrounding the synagogue. The company said it submitted an opinion to the high council for urbanization saying that the buildings should be preserved, but the council has allowed the landowners to demolish the buildings as long as the original front is reconstructed.

It is not clear whether the synagogue belongs to the Jewish community or has been sold to private owners.

Source: Ha'aretz

^^ so .. to be demolished or not ?? i frankly think not.......... it would be a crime ............but regarding the other buildings.. if demolished what would be instead ??modern?

^^ It doesn't make any sense...plus look at the source of this article.

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9067/hhad1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


I wonder if this empy plot in the foreground was once one of the demolished buildings?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/syn.jpg
AP Photo Mon Apr 7, 7:36 AM ET

A Jewish synagogue abandoned decades ago is seen in central Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, April 7, 2008. When asked about reports that the Jewish synagogue might be demolished, an official with Solidere, the construction and development company that is rebuilding in the area where the synagogue is located, said they would not be demolishing any religious sites.

(AP Photo/Grace Kassab)

^^Yes,but they should start the restoration ASAP.why don't the Lebanese Jews living abroad donate money to restore this Historical Building???

هياكل عظمية من 600 سنة قبل المسيح وميدان سباق روماني في حفريات وادي أبو جميل
28 شباط 2008
مرة جديدة يكشف باطن الأرض في وسط بيروت عما يكتنزه من آثار تعود الى العهدين الهيلينستي والروماني.
وفي جديد هذه الاكتشافات في موقع وادي أبو جميل الموازي للسراي الكبير آثار هيلينستية تمثّلت بمجموعة من المدافن التي تحوي هياكل عظمية.
أما الاكتشاف الأكبر الذي وقع عليه المنقبّون برئاسة عالم الآثار الهولندي هانس كورفرز من جامعة امستردام فهو ميدان سباق روماني يمتدّ على مساحة 3500 متر مربع.
ويعمل الفريق حاليا على ازالة الطبقة الترابية عن المدافن لاجراء الفحوصات المخبرية والدراسات العلمية المرافقة لها لتحديد العصر الذي تعود اليه، الذي يرجّح انه بين العامين 632 و64 قبل الميلا

^^ Translation or summary, please?

^^About new ruins found in Wadi Bu Jamil Area,dating back to 600 BC.mainly a "hippodrome" and a Cemetery.

It also say The hippodrome is 3500 square meters!!! Is this possible??

^^ Is this a new discovery?

^^Discovered on February 28 2008

^^ So maybe this is what all the secretive "demolition" is about? They are excavating...

I think i read somwhere that they knew it was there a couple years back...maybe the reconfirmed..i hate to see those demolitions but maybe it makes it easier if we get an archeogical park there

^^I don't think we would have any archeological park in Beirut. They discvored millions of archeological sites in Downtown Beirut, Achrafieh...etc...where are they???
Beirut is built on archeological...do you remember the Gardens of Forgiveness? Didn't they say they found many columns and I don't know what, and that they'll be part of the garden? What happened to them?

^^They r still part of the Garden,but they put the works there on-hold.

^^I don't think we would have any archeological park in Beirut. They discvored millions of archeological sites in Downtown Beirut, Achrafieh...etc...where are they???
Beirut is built on archeological...do you remember the Gardens of Forgiveness? Didn't they say they found many columns and I don't know what, and that they'll be part of the garden? What happened to them?

This is one of the great mysteries of the BCD... no one but a select few knows what really happened to the columns. I spoke with an archaeologist that was part of the excavation and they didnt even tell here what happened with them (20-30). Apparently a truck came in the middle of the night and took everything away to be stored until construction of the garden...

Solidere denies plan to demolish synagogue

Daily Star staff
Thursday, April 10, 2008



BEIRUT: Real-estate behemoth Solidere on Wednesday denied media rumors that it planned to demolish the Maghen Abraham Synagogue at Wadi Abu Jamil in Beirut's Downtown. The synagogue and the plot of land on which it stands belong to the members of the Jewish Lebanese community, and they will decide what to do with the site, Solidere public relations officer Nabil Rached told The Daily Star on Wednesday. Like other religious edifices in the city center, the synagogue will be renovated by the relevant religious community when it decides to do so, he added.

"Solidere finds it quite strange that such rumors should circulate at this time, in spite of its recent statement" that it would not destroy the synagogue, Solidere also said in a statement. "The preservation of the synagogue falls within the important objective of the Beirut city center reconstruction master plan to conserve the places of worship of the various religious communities, as well as heritage buildings and archeological sites," it said. "In reviving Beirut's city center, Solidere upholds as one of its main principles a full commitment to keeping the heart of the capital as the symbol of union between, and congregation for, all Lebanese from all religious denominations." - The Daily Star


Heritage buildings? Why are u destroying them all..?

r we sure they r destroying them all ??

^^ No we are not sure; again, these are all rumors spread by the opposition to turn people against Solidere.

^^and this is Pathetic.people against their own country,they r opposition to LEBANON himself.
back to Topic : I think buildings there being demolished is related to the recent Archeological findings.

^^ No we are not sure; again, these are all rumors spread by the opposition to turn people against Solidere.

Ya Beiruti..ya Beiruti...we're all against the opposition but WHAT DOES SOLIDERE HAS TO DO WITH 8 MARCH??? Are you going to say now that Saint Georges Hotel put the huge banner "Stop Solidere" to turn people against Solidere and then against Hariri family and then 14 march? I don't think so...and it's the same with Wadi Bu Jamil...what does politics has to do with it??

^^ i guess he meant Opposition to solidere

Ya Beiruti..ya Beiruti...we're all against the opposition but WHAT DOES SOLIDERE HAS TO DO WITH 8 MARCH??? Are you going to say now that Saint Georges Hotel put the huge banner "Stop Solidere" to turn people against Solidere and then against Hariri family and then 14 march? I don't think so...and it's the same with Wadi Bu Jamil...what does politics has to do with it??

lol,that's exactly what they r doing :D

^^ I meant both actually, because they are usually one in the same. Solidere represents the Hariri family (which is central to March 14 - ie. gov.) and the opposition want to see Solidere fail.

Just think... if Solidere was owned by Aoun, do you think there would be a sit-in on the BCD???

^^There wouldn't even be a BCD!! It would look like som ugly places in South Beirut (I won't say South Beirut cause some parts of it are very very nice, believe me, I know ;))
What "bi 3assébné" (how do we say it in english?) is that HZ and Aoun's party say their sitting in is on public properties... :@
Do they really ignore that those land are private properties??

Anyway, back to the topic...Now, is the synagugoe the only structure left in Wadi Bu Jamil?

^^ It is the only one that is confirmed obviously, but we have no way of knowing for certain.

If you look at the pics I posted earlier you can see some old buildings surrounding the synagogue...

^^Yes, but there was an article posted here that says the last three buildings surrouding the Synagogue wee demolished..

^^ That wasn't an article, it was a (biased) editorial based on rumors and not facts.

Solidere rebuffs rumor of plans to demolish Synagogue in Beirut

Thursday, 10 April, 2008 @ 3:42 PM

http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2008/04/07/magen%20david%20abraham.jpg

Some fabricated and totally unfounded news were published lately in certain media about alleged intentions to demolish the Maghen Abraham Synagogue of Wadi Abou Jamil in Beirut city center.

Solidere finds it quite strange that such rumors should circulate at this time, in spite of its recent statement in this respect. The company reiterated on that occasion that the Synagogue is to be restored by the members of the Jewish Lebanese community residing in Lebanon - who can confirm the matter - exactly as was the case for other religious buildings of the city center. Those places of worship were renovated by their respective communities, following their own decision as to the timing of the restoration.

The preservation of the Synagogue falls within the important objective of the Beirut city center reconstruction master plan, to conserve the places of worship of the various religious communities, as well as heritage buildings and archaeological sites.

In reviving Beirut city center, Solidere upholds as one of its main principles a full commitment to keeping the heart of the capital as the symbol of union between, and congregation for, all Lebanese from all religious denominations.

Nabil Rached
Solidere Press Relations Officer

A building that has been demolished on March 19 2008

http://thejewsoflebanon.org/me/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/before-2.jpg

http://thejewsoflebanon.org/me/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/rasage-du-rdc.jpg

http://thejewsoflebanon.org/me/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/eventrement-du-2eme-batiment.jpg

http://thejewsoflebanon.org/me/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/enlevement-des-tuiles-du-2eme-batiment.jpg

^^They could have just renovate it!!!!

^^ maybe it was too damaged to renovate??

^^Look at it! This it look too damaged to renovated?? Some other buildings in Beirut are way more damaged and no one ever thought of demolishing or renovate them...
Those bldgs would look more "authentic" if they were renovated and not rebuilt IMO

Looks dont matter ... the damage chould be interiorly :tongue:

Or maybe not only was it not practical to renovate them, but also too EXPENSIVE!

It is so much cheaper/easier to to just demolish and rebuild.

Honestly, do we really want to renovate those old plain-looking "box-style" low-rises (behind the synagogue)?

halla2 let's wait and see what will happen to this area...

Or maybe not only was it not practical to renovate them, but also too EXPENSIVE!

It is so much cheaper/easier to to just demolish and rebuild.

Honestly, do we really want to renovate those old plain-looking "box-style" low-rises (behind the synagogue)?

whats wrong with box style buildlings? box-style buildings are nicer than modern weird-shaped ones. IMO.
btw, there are so many of those old style buildings in beirut, no harm done in demolishing some of them, i mean, land is pretty scarce, and we need to reclaim land to build new(purposely-built) architecture.

BloggingBeirut : With tight security in place, Solidere - the Hariri run construction company - is rapidly demolishing all that remains of Beirut's Heritage in Wadi Abu Jamil. The only building that still stands is the Magen Abraham Synagogue - but for how long?

http://www.bloggingbeirut.com/images/april08/synagogue2.jpg

The building behind the synagogue was the Talmud-Torah Salim Tarrab School.
It was a major communal institution.

http://www.bloggingbeirut.com/images/april08/synagogue3.jpg

All that's left of Wadi Abu Jamil - April 2008.

http://www.bloggingbeirut.com/images/april08/synagogue.jpg

^^ Keep in mind that BloggingBeirut is a pro-Opposition anti-Hariri site so their "reporting" is totally biased. How about we see pics after demolition? And weren't these designated for demolition years ago - why didn't anyone complain then?

^^bloggingbeirut.com is a pro-clAOUN site

i dont think they ll jeperdise their credibility by false information just because they r pro-opposition??
... and these buildings were awaiting destruction anyway right ?
this article is kinda leaning towards the opposition but why r u guys that sure the site is pro-opposition ?

^^ if u r a constant visitor to that website you will know what i am talking about.

^^ Just the fact that he mentioned Solidere as "Hariri-run" is unprofessional with the intention to smear the image of March 14. There is no need to stress the so-called political affiliation of a non-partisan company.

typical lebanese, you guys :) it honestly doesnt matter who he supports?...the buildings are gone, and he's reporting it.
i'm sort of glad those buildings are gone; they're too spaced out. not very convenient for a city-center. they would have looked nice in a less-dense area.

this isn't a matter of opposition or pro-gov't...Solidere has destroyed alot of culturally important sites in the city center and continues to do so...I am neither pro or anti anything but i can't stand solidere!

^^ :P :P :P

I LOVE SOLIDERE :P Just Imagine Beirut Without Solidere,Another Dahyeh in the DownTown area :D

this isn't a matter of opposition or pro-gov't...Solidere has destroyed alot of culturally important sites in the city center and continues to do so...I am neither pro or anti anything but i can't stand solidere!

its true that they're destroying alot of old buildings, but they are doing so for a reason, and that is, simply because those old buildings are not city-type buildings. they're very far apart and take up alot of space.
solidere are keeping the best of the old, and removing the rest, which is what most old cities do. and i think its okay, as long as they dont destroy the TRULY culturally important sites such as the synagog for example.

^^ I agree with you 100%. Solidere is doing what is best for the city and they have experts that have reviewed this for years. Also, I am sure that these buildings being demolished were not in a good enough condition to be renovated.

^^so NON of the old buildings in wadi abu jamil was worthy of restoration? NON?? pleaseeeeee

^^ We dont know for sure that "all" of the buildings have been demolished. We will have to wait and see...

All we are seeing is "before" pics, but no "after" pics.

^^
http://www.bloggingbeirut.com/images/april08/synagogue.jpg
And this is?

^^ Yes... but as they love to say, "zoom out". This surely is not representative of all Wadi Abu Jamil. Of course some buildings have been demolished, no one is denying that... the question is whether all were demolished except the synagogue (which would not be in accordance with the master plan).

r u guys seriously against Solidere ... im not saying it's a Non profit organisation but im sure they have a good reason for destroying these buildings and yes the buildings r destroyed and apparently all of them ... but so what it's not like they r the last standing traditional houses in Beirut

r u guys seriously against Solidere ... im not saying it's a Non profit organisation but im sure they have a good reason for destroying these buildings and yes the buildings r destroyed and apparently all of them ... but so what it's not like they r the last standing traditional houses in Beirut

Apparently Solidere didn't destroy these buildings. The owners did, with the obligation (if enforced) to rebuild the facades.
But in general, things don't have to be black and white. Solidere can have done good things, and bad things. Because it did a great job restoring the Maarad area and establishing street wall controls and cornice line requirements doesn't mean it can't have done a bad job in preserving the character of Saifi or Wadi Bou Jamil or the Souks.
Within Solidere itself there may be people who have different views on preservation. Or there may be people who change their views. One would have to admit that it's possible, unless you want to sanctify what is, after all, a human-run organization which has, among other goals, profit targets.
And aside from that Solidere is bound to be controversial. Given the massive conflict of interest built into it, it MUST be controversial. We should be crawling all over it every day to make sure the public interest is being served. At least debate over its actions shows a modicum of life in the country...

Ok,I have NEWS for you guys !!!!!

1st: those destroyed building will be built again.YES,they will look the same but new,i think the jewish community is helping Solidere with this.

2nd: they have found a lot of interesting ruins in this area.

anyway,Here is the Article from Annahar Newspaper for today.

اكتشاف ميدان سباق الخيل الروماني الأول في بيروت والخامس في الشرق
مدرجات وحلبة وأعمدة رخامية على مساحة 3500 متر مربع ما مصيرها؟

http://www.annahar.com/media/images/Mon_pix/beea/p14-04-23328.jpg

http://www.annahar.com/media/images/Mon_pix/beea/p14-05-23328.jpg

لا تكل بيروت من إدهاشنا ولا تتعب من استيلاد كنوز ماضيها الغني من باطنها الذي يحضن آلاف السنين ويختزن شواهد عشرات الشعوب والحضارات التي صارت تشكل مجتمعة تاريخ هذا البلد العريق.
وآخر روائع الاكتشافات في وسط بيروت ظهر في وادي ابو جميل حيث عثر على ميدان سباق الخيل الروماني في العقار 1370 الذي تملكه شركة "سوليدير". فبعد اعمال تنقيب بدأت منذ نحو خمسة اشهر اظهرت معالم اثرية مهمة تعود الى الحقبة الرومانية (كانت قد أشارت واليها "النهار" منذ نحو شهرين) تم التأكد نهائيا بعدما شارفت الحفريات نهايتها من انها تعود الى ميدان لسباق الخيل من الحقبة الرومانية والبيزنطية التي تمتد بين القرنين الاول والخامس ميلادي ويقوم على مساحة 3500 متر مربع.

ميدان ومدافن
ويشرح منسق الحفريات في وسط بيروت في المديرية العامة للآثار الخبير الاثري اسعد سيف ان الموقع يقسم الى ثلاثة اقسام اساسية تشكل ميدان السباق وهي:
1 - المدرجات في الناحيتين الجنوبية والشمالية من الموقع، في الجهة الشمالية لا تزال الاساسات محفوظة لكن في الجهة الشمالية المدرجات في حد ذاتها محفوظة بطريقة جيدة جدا اضافة الى جزء كبير من الحائط الذي يفصل المدرجات عن حلبة السباق.
2 - حلبة الميدان
3 - في وسط الحلبة تقوم منشأة من الحجارة تسمى شوكة او ما يعرف بـSpina تدور حولها الاحصنة خلال السباق لا يزال محفوظا منها نحو 90 مترا مربعا.
وعلى المدرجات ينتشر على الارض عدد من اعمدة الغرانيت الرمادي وقواعدها وتيجانها، وجدت في مكانها الاصلي وكانت تستعمل كركائز لشاحط من الخشب والقرميد كان يغطي المدرجات. كذلك وجدت تحت مستوى الميدان انشاءات ومدافن تعود الى الحقبة الهلنستية.
ويشير سيف الى انه في حفرية اقيمت سابقا في الموقع المجاور الذي يضم حاليا الحديقة العامة تبين وجود اجزاء من امتدادات للحلبة الوسطية Spina ، وفي موقع ثان مجاور تم التنقيب فيه العام الفائت عثر على اجزاء من المدرجات محفورة في الصخر، لافتا الى انه من المحتمل جدا وجود امتداد لميدان السباق في الجهة الغربية من منطقة وادي ابو جميل حيث تقوم حاليا مشاتل شركة سوليدير.
اما من الجهة الشرقية فيتوقع اكتشاف المداخل الاساسية للميدان التي تقع ناحية كنيس اليهود ومحيطه في الحفريات التي يجب اقامتها لاحقا في المكان الذي هدمت فيه مبان تاريخية يفترض ان تعيد سوليدير بناءها كما كانت سابقا.
اعمال التنقيب يقوم بها فريق مشترك من الطلاب والاثريين من الجامعة اللبنانية وجامعة امستردام برئاسة خبير الآثار هانز كورفر وفي اشراف المديرية العامة للآثار. وتحتم الاهمية القصوى لهذه الاكتشافات عقد لقاءات على اعلى المستويات بين وزارة الثقافة ومديرية الاثار من جهة وشركة سوليدير مالكة العقار من جهة اخرى للبحث في مصيرها والذي يبدو ان الاثريين سيوصون بالمحافظة عليها في مكانها الاساسي في اطار موقع مكشوف كون ميدان السباق هذا يشكل معلما اساسيا من معالم بيروت الرومانية. ويذكر ان حفريات الانقاذ التي جرت في العقار القريب الذي انشىء عليه الفرع الرئيسي لبنك عودة في باب ادريس أواخر التسعينيات من القرن الفائت اظهرت "اساسات مدرجات ميدان سباق الخيل الروماني من دون العثور على حلبة السباق في حينه. لكن عند الوصول الى الصخر الطبيعي وجدت كل المقاطع" على ما قاله الاثري كورفر الذي نقب في الموقع.
واضاف: "الان يمكننا اثبات فكرة جان لوفريه بالوقائع ان ميدان سباق الخيل كان في هذه المنطقة وليس في ساحة الشهداء مثلما كان البعض يعتقد" (من كتاب: وسط بيروت بين الاكتشافات والجرافات).

نصوص وسحر
يتمتع ميدان سباق الخيل الروماني في بيروت بالاهمية الاثرية ذاتها التي تتمتع بها مدرسة الحقوق، وهو الخامس في الشرق بعد ميادين صور في الجنوب والقيصرية في فلسطين وجرش في الاردن وبصرى في الشام، وورد ذكره في نصوص من القرن الرابع والنقوش التي تتكلم على السحر والشعوذة التي غالبا ما كان يلجأ اليها الرومان.
وتذكر المؤرخة نينا جيدجيان في كتابها "بيروت عبر العصور" انه "في عام 1929 واثناء اقامة اشغال بناء قصر لقنصل اليونان في المكان الذي كان يقوم فيه ميدان سباق الخيل الروماني اكتشف العمال لوحة من الرصاص بطول 15 سنتيمترا وعرض 10 سنتيمترات موجودة الآن في مستودعات المتحف الوطني، تحمل نصا عن السحر هو الاول الذي يعثر عليه في فينيقيا، ويلقي الاذى من السحر، قبل الفي عام، على 35 حصانا جاهزين للركض في ميدان سباق الخيل وكل حصان منذور للشيطان و يرفع الخيالة اللون الازرق".
وتقول ان "اول ذكر لميدان سباق الخيل في بيروت ورد في كتاب لعالم جغرافي من القرن الرابع الذي ابتدع نوعا ما الدليل السياحي الاول في العصور القديمة ويسمي فيه المدن الرئيسية في آسيا ونشاطاتها الثقافية والرياضية ومنها بيروت. وفي القرن الرابع قلقت السلطات الدينية من الانجذاب الذي كان يشكله ميدان السباق في بيروت على طلاب مدرسة الحقوق، فالشبيبة كانت تفسدها ألعاب السبق وممارسات السحر الاسود فتدخلت الكنيسة في الوقت المناسب واعادت النظام واحرقت علانية نصوص الشعوذة والسحر في قلب وسط بيروت البيزنطية (...)".
هذا النص وغيره يشير الى العلاقة الوطيدة والوثيقة التي كانت تربط ميدان السباق بالحياة اليومية لاهالي بيريت.
منذ عقود يفتش الاثريون عن معلمين اساسيين في بيروت: ميدان سباق الخيل ومدرسة الحقوق. فهل يكون اكتشاف ميدان السباق فأل خير لاكتشاف مدرسة الحقوق؟.

مي عبود ابي عقل

Apparently Solidere didn't destroy these buildings. The owners did, with the obligation (if enforced) to rebuild the facades.
But in general, things don't have to be black and white. Solidere can have done good things, and bad things. Because it did a great job restoring the Maarad area and establishing street wall controls and cornice line requirements doesn't mean it can't have done a bad job in preserving the character of Saifi or Wadi Bou Jamil or the Souks.
Within Solidere itself there may be people who have different views on preservation. Or there may be people who change their views. One would have to admit that it's possible, unless you want to sanctify what is, after all, a human-run organization which has, among other goals, profit targets.
And aside from that Solidere is bound to be controversial. Given the massive conflict of interest built into it, it MUST be controversial. We should be crawling all over it every day to make sure the public interest is being served. At least debate over its actions shows a modicum of life in the country...

:applause:

Very nicely put, I couldnt have said it better myself. Solidere is not perfect, nothing is.

Ok,I have NEWS for you guys !!!!!

1st: those destroyed building will be built again.YES,they will look the same but new,i think the jewish community is helping Solidere with this.

2nd: they have found a lot of interesting ruins in this area.






Thank you for posting this news Hassoun. I had a feeling that Solidere would stay true to its original master plan for this area. However, as a fan of archaeology, I am more interested in the excavations... could you please elaborate more on what was discovered and what would be made of it?

^^ok,i will try to do my best.

They found the Ancient Hippodrome of Beirut,FINALLY!!!!!!! it's the 2nd to be found in Lebanon after Tyre's hippodrome and the fifth in the region.It was so important in Beirut's History.it was associated in 'BLACK MAGIC'.YES!!! in the 4th Century The Religious Authorities in Beirut Decided to Close it because the Young people learning in the SCHOOL OF LAW,were distracted by it they used to go Race and even be part of the Magic activities there.They are so Excited that they finally found it ,they say the hippodrome and the School of law are the most important Beirut Landmarks,they found the hippodrome now,and they will continue excavating the rest of it,but they didn't find the School of law (Which i wasn't aware of :S).and they hope the new excavations will reveal it soon :)

oh and they will try to keep the hippodrome an open space for people to visit once they are done with Excavating.

But if they want to preserve it (and they MUST), that means they won't build the houses again?

^^Yes,this is strange,i couldn't understand this.Well,i guess we will have to wait.maybe they won't build all the buildings.

Or maybe they will adjust the footprints of the rebuilt buildings to accomadate a portion of the Hippodrome..Its the largest ever found in ME...i dont think they will be able to rebuild the entire thing

Hassoun, the School of Law is the oldest law school in the world (the first), and if found would be Lebanon's most important archaeological site! I think it is rumored that it is underneath Nijmeh Square so that would be impossible to excavate.

Anyway, thanks for the info, and I hope this settles all the complaints about Solidere's "lack of respect" for the BCD's history...

wow thats interesting! it would be nice to rebuild the school of law and re-establish it. i read it was the most important law school, and was used by SOO many roman scholars and such.

can you give me informations about the residential project COURTYARD in wadi abou jmil?

^^i think the school of law is not under nijme square but under the grand serail if its in close proximity to wadi abou jamil and the serail is a very old and historic building who knows maybe it was built above it i dont think its under nijme square because if it was they would have at least found an indication to thank while excavating the archeological tell (hopefully the area that will become the garden of forgiveness) yet again i donno....

i wish they would try to restore more than they destroy, its a shame, they were beautiful buildings...but i know they will build property as elegant and long lasting in design and architecture :)

Actually they did find collumns etc in nejmeh sqr

Courtesy of Luciana
Ocotber 16th 2008
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2956862857_643e4a5e2c_o.jpg

Wadi Abu Jamil synagogue to be restored
October 20, 2008

The head of the Jewish community in Lebanon announced plans to restore a synagogue in Wadi Abu Jamil, an area in Beirut which was formerly known as the Valley of the Jews.

In an interview with the Al-Arabiya satellite station on Sunday night, Yitzhak Azari said the renovation, which would require $7 million, was expected to begin within a year.

Azari said that the Jewish community in Lebanon was part of “a range of communities that constitute the fabric of Lebanese society and is entitled, like any other, to a place of worship.”

The next project, Azari said, would be the restoration of a Jewish cemetery in Sodeco.

Al-Arabiya quoted a source from Solidere, who, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Lebanese living in Lebanon would renovate the buildings like any other religious buildings in downtown Beirut, but the source denied that Solidere was paying for the restoration.

Hezbollah official Hussein Rahhal, on the other hand, said no one had contacted Hezbollah regarding the synagogue restoration, adding that Hezbollah had “nothing to do with this matter.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doesn't 7 mil sound like alot just for the synagouge? I thought it was 1 mil..
If the Jewish community wanted to contact Hezbollah to discuss their view, only then would the party articulate its position, he added.

-NOW Staff

--

^^ They did Say "One million" in the Arabic version
http://www.nowlebanon.com/Arabic/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=63453

I dont get it, what does Hezballah have anything to do with this? Why were they even asked if they had been contacted?

^^i duuno,may be they fear the construction site would be attacked by them if they started renovation but still it doesn't make any sense
they should contact the goverment

Courtesy of Luciana
Ocotber 16th 2008
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2956862857_643e4a5e2c_o.jpg


can u pls mention which project this pic relates to?

what picture is this for?? which project?
how the hell do u delete a msg on this thing!!!!

^^ "Beirut Square" will be built in that lot

Guess who destroyed it.... Yup, The Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Back when they attacked Beirut in the 80s.. Part of their campaign of forcing Jews to leave to Israel.

In 2 reports and articles I read, Hezbollah spokesman stated that they have no problem with its restoration, because Hezbollah has no problem with the Jewish people.

^^ Who R they to have a saying in that matter .... ???!!

^^tab ma shu da55alak if they want to do a statment about any subject they want? Walla it's forbidden kamèn?

^^ tayeb bsharafkon enta w yeh..
Are you really doing this?

Ok Housam, We can't deny the fact that Hezbollah is a major player in anything that goes on in Lebanon and the majority of a Lebanese sect stand behind them (sadly).

Beirut Guy, nothing is forbidden w ma fi shi bel 2ouwe! bas as a sovereign people living in Lebanon we refuse to take permission from anyone but the state!

^^tab ma shu da55alak if they want to do a statment about any subject they want? Walla it's forbidden kamèn?

EveryOne has the freedom to say anything he wants, last time i checked we were living in a free country, i forbidded no one ,neither did i talk aggressively :),,,,,,,

maybe you think HZ should have a saying in this matter or any matter like it??

Insupportable! First you say Hezbollah shouldn't have any objection, and then when they do say they don't have any, you answer back saying they shouldn't say a word about this matter...decidez-vous!

^^i Didnt say HZ shouldn't have any "objection" i said he shouldnt be ascked in the first place so By "Saying" I meant "Decision"

the people who will renovate the syn.... wanna ask Hezbullah,so not Hezb told them to do so,this is because Hezb is the most sensitive in lebanon to cases concerning israel,jews,zionism,...which is a real fact.
so although the goverment is the legimite reference,taking the opinion of Hezb in such a matter isn't bad after all :cheers:

For Real?? If some people want to restore a "house of God" and think they should ask a Party instead of the Lebanese gov. isnt considered bad for you...!??

One of Lebanon's sole remaining synagogue was set to get a restoration that has the rare blessing of all the factions in this divided country, even that of the anti-Israeli Hezbollah. But the global financial crisis has scuttled the effort for now, leaving the Magen Abraham chained, padlocked, badly damaged and rife with weeds'

Todays picture

Lebanon's wrecked synagogue awaits restoration
By Hussein Dakroub
Associated Press
Posted: 11/19/2008 02:55:08 PM PST


BEIRUT, Lebanon — One of Lebanon's sole remaining synagogues was set to get a restoration that has the rare blessing of all the factions in this divided country — even that of the anti-Israeli Hezbollah. But the global financial crisis has scuttled the effort for now, leaving the Magen Abraham chained, padlocked, badly damaged and rife with weeds.

The synagogue, like the country's once-thriving Jewish community, fell prey to the savage 1975-90 civil war. Once the fighting ended, the few dozen Jews who remained could not maintain the proud old structure.

A $1 million project set to begin in November had been organized by the Lebanese Jewish community to restore the two-story ramshackle building which is now surrounded by the gleaming new skyscrapers of Beirut's downtown building boom.

But potential overseas Jewish donors who were to provide the bulk of the funds said the reconstruction would have to wait because of the hard times brought on by the global financial crisis, said Isaac Arazi, leader of the country's tiny Jewish community.

"I'll wait for two or three months. If no money is forthcoming, I'll launch a fundraising campaign in America and Europe for the rebuilding project," he told The Associated Press.

The building's need is acute.

Garbage, empty bottles, broken glass and shattered roof bricks are scattered on the synagogue's floor. Wide cracks cover the walls and stairways leading to the second floor.

But the Stars of David inscribed on walls have been left untouched, as have the Hebrew writings even though Muslim militiamen had apparently used some of the building's rooms as offices during the sectarian fighting.

The synagogue sat on the battle lines dividing the city during the civil war.

The 65-year-old Arazi said that as many as 22,000 Jews lived in Lebanon in the mid-1960s. The number dropped to 15,000 at the outbreak of the civil war in 1975 and by its end, 100 were left.

During the conflict in which 150,000 people out of a population of 4 million were killed, Beirut's main Jewish neighborhood, Wadi Abou Jmil, fell under the control of Muslim militias battling their Christian counterparts.

Jews did not take part in the fighting, but the violence forced many to emigrate. The trickle turned into a flood when the community became a target of Muslim militants two years after Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 and occupied parts of the country and briefly Beirut.

Muslims displaced from other parts of the country gradually moved into the shattered old streets of the neighborhood that had once been filled with Jewish shops selling clothes, perfume and kosher meat, until much of the area was razed in the rebuilding projects of the 1990s.

There was rare consensus among Lebanon's fractious factions that the synagogue should be restored, although none has offered up any cash.

Lebanon's Western-backed government, which includes Hezbollah's representatives, welcomed the restoration of the synagogue "because it is a place of worship," said an official in the prime minister's office, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations.

Even Hezbollah, the militant Shiite Muslim group which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist and has fought the Jewish state for decades, backs restoration. "We respect divine religions, including the Jewish religion," said Hussein Rahhal, Hezbollah's media chief.

"The problem is with Israel's occupation (of Arab lands), not with the Jews."

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d184/rhmud/capt_217972a401184712b514a3e803aa6c.jpg
In this Feb. 24, 2009 photo, construction sites, left, and gleaming new skyscrapers, right, surround the Magen Abraham Synagogue in Beirut, Lebanon.

(AP Photo/Grace Kassab)

courtesy of dudrea
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu287/Nadini234/dudrea.jpg

so does this mean construction " renovation " has begun ??

^^dosn't look like it

Beirut’s synagogue reconstruction kicks off

Construction could spell a new beginning for Lebanon’s underground Jewish community.
By Ben Gilbert - GlobalPost

Published: July 31, 2009 17:38 ET
Updated: August 1, 2009 15:03 ET-A
BEIRUT — A long-delayed plan to renovate Beirut’s only synagogue is finally coming to fruition.

The Lebanese architect working with Lebanon’s tiny Jewish community to rehabilitate Beirut’s Maghan Avraham Synagogue told GlobalPost that the Jewish Community Council was reviewing three contractors’ bids for the reconstruction. Once the council decides on a contractor — likely this weekend — work could begin within a week, said the architect, who is also one of the bidders.

“The rehabilitation is moving ahead,” said the architect, who asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about personal security. “It will start before winter.”

The synagogue was partially destroyed in the 1980s during the Lebanese civil war. The roof has since collapsed and graffiti covers the walls. Trees, shrubs and trash litter what was once the Lebanese Jewish community’s biggest and most sacred house of worship. Lebanon has several other synagogues that have sat dormant for decades.

But at Maghan Avraham Synagogue, the first signs of renovation are finally evident. The synagogue’s rusty and padlocked gate has been removed. Scaffolding has been erected inside the main building, and a small new concrete driveway leads from the synagogue’s small garden to the street.

“They’re taking out the rubbish,” said a security guard standing nearby.

Renovation will cost between $1 million and $2 million, and all of Lebanon’s political parties have so far blessed the work, including the militantly anti-Israel group Hezbollah, according to the architect. But part of the reason for speaking with the media now, the architect said, was to conduct a “test” to see if any Lebanese had concerns about the project.

“It would be a shame to start and then have to stop,” he said. “We would rather not start at all.”

Yet the architect said the biggest obstacle to the synagogue’s rehabilitation was the location of the structure. The synagogue is in a sensitive security area, near the home of Lebanon’s incoming prime minister and U.S. ally, Saad Hariri, in downtown Beirut. A police station and dozens of private security guards are posted nearby. The architect said the security measures imposed by the government may drive up construction costs and prolong the project.

“There’s a big list of things we cannot do,” he said. “We are not allowed to work after a certain hour. We are not allowed to put scaffolding on the outside of the synagogue.”

But the precautions also mean the location is secure. The architect, who is not Jewish, said one of the reasons he took the rehabilitation project was that it was in such a heavily guarded location. The danger he feels is not from any Lebanese political parties, he said, but from “some crazy guy who wants to be a hero.”

Due to similar security concerns, Lebanon’s tiny Jewish community maintains a low profile. There are an estimated 100 to 150 Lebanese Jews living in Lebanon, but thousands more live outside the country, scattered from Canada to Europe to Israel. The Lebanese Jewish community once numbered around 20,000, according to historians; most of them left after creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

The Arab Israeli war of 1967 saw more Lebanese Jews emigrate, but a small community remained. The neighborhood most densely populated by Jews and home to the synagogue, called Wadi Abu Jamil, was protected by the Palestine Liberation Organization during Lebanon’s civil war. The synagogue continued functioning until 1982, when Israel’s devastating invasion of Lebanon increased animosity against Lebanese Jews. But according to The Associated Press, the synagogue’s demise didn’t come at the hands of anti-Jewish feelings. Rather it was caused by an Israeli artillery barrage: An Israeli shell blew scored a direct hit on the synagogue in early August 1982, and brought down the structure’s roof, according to the A.P.

Still, it was only in 1985 that the Jewish community went completely underground, when alleged Islamic militants kidnapped a dozen prominent Jewish community leaders. Several were murdered, including the president and vice president of the Jewish Community Council, Isaac Sasson and Eli Hallak.

Indicative of the fear Lebanese Jews still feel in Lebanon, the head of the community does not give interviews to the media. However, a website, Jews of Lebanon, and a Facebook group have served as bulletin boards for the synagogue’s rehabilitation effort, and for the Lebanese Jewish community still in the country and scattered around the world (click here to see a video announcing the synagogue’s reconstruction).

The project to rehabilitate the synagogue was originally slated to begin in September 2006. But the summer war between Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah, delayed the plan. The following three years left Lebanon in political chaos.

“Now after the [Lebanese] election, and positive signs of political life, we think it’s time to begin this work,” the architect said.

The architect said the renovation would begin with replacement of the collapsed red tile roof.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/lebanon/090729/lebanon%E2%80%99s-synagogue-reconstruction-kicks

Great News ..it will look beautiful in dwntwn..and cement dwntwn as also a spiritual place which brings togeather all religions.

Renovation of Beirut synagogue gets under way
By Josie Ensor
Daily Star staff
Tuesday, August 04, 2009

BEIRUT: Renovation of the dilapid*ated synagogue in Downtown Beirut began on the weekend after a years-long delay, according to the Lebanese Jewish Community Council. Beirut’s oldest and last remaining synagogue Maghen Abraham in Wadi Abou Jamil, damaged by Israeli shelling during Israel’s 1982 invasion, is finally undergoing much-needed restoration after suffering several set-backs.

The damage meant the synagogue has been abandoned for the last 30 years, leaving the Lebanese Jewish community without a place of worship, but it is now beginning to see some life again; the rusty padlocked gate has been removed and scaffolding has been erected in the synagogue’s interior.

Restoration is now starting to be made to the gaping hole in the building’s roof and the chandeliers that once hung from the ceiling and the benches that were used for prayer are set to be returned to their former state.

The project to renovate the synagogue was scheduled to begin in 2006 but work was postponed due to instability in the country following the 34-day war with Israel.

The work is said to be costing around $1 million and could take up to a year to complete, according to Lebanese Jewish Community Council, the non-profit organization in charge of the renovation effort.

Much of the funding has come from the 65-year-old leader of the diminishing community, Isaac Arazi, who has already managed to raise $40,000 from private donors in the expatriate Lebanese Jewish community and other anonymous benefactors in the diaspora.

Solidere, the construction firm responsible for much of Central Beirut’s Civil War rebuilding work, has also agreed to donate $150,000 toward the renovation effort. The company also donated a further $2 million to 14 different religious organizations in Lebanon to help them restore their places of worship.

Solidere’s reconstruction contract with the synagogue ensures that the place of worship remains under the ownership of the Jewish community and the building will not be destroyed.

The long-anticipated work was well received on the weekend, with one member of the synagogue’s Facebook group writing: “Finally! Let’s enjoy the integration and multi ethnicities in our beautiful Middle East.”

Another expressed her optimism of a prosperous future for the community: “[I] really hope that all synagogues in Lebanon will be renovated and that no religion or sect will feel marginalized or outside the society.”

However, one of the architects bidding for the renovation contract said on Friday that the project still faces big obstacles due to its proximity to the home of incoming Prime Minister Saad Hariri. The government’s current tight security measures in the surrounding area mean construction costs could well be driven up and the project prolonged, the source, who did not wish for his name to be used, is quoted by Global Post as saying.

He said various restrictions have been placed on the construction work, including a prohibitive work schedule and a ban on any scaffolding being erected on the building’s exterior.

However, he believes that the positive signs of political life that have followed the calm Leban-ese elections show that now is the time for the work to begin.

Maghen Abraham, located in the former Jewish quarter, is one of the last remaining symbols of Lebanon’s vanishing Jewish community, which is now estimated to have just 100-150 members, down from the thousands-strong numbers it saw in the first half of the 20th century. Despite this, Judaism is still one of the 17 officially-recognized faiths in Lebanon.

Built in 1925, the synagogue served as the hub of the thriving community in the 1940s.

The renovation project was first given the green light by the late former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and has since received the public support of outgoing Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and March 8’s Hizbullah, with a party spokesman quoted as saying that any restoration work to the place of worship is welcome.

Source: News beiruter
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0120a4c57878970b-500pi
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0120a4c57b2c970b-500pi

Since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, Beirut’s Maghen-Abraham synagogue sat empty as other buildings in the Wadi Abou-Jamil neighborhood were renovated into multimillion-dollar condos, offices or hotels. Last week, restoration began on the 84-year-old synagogue, Beirut's oldest remaining Jewish house of worship, launching what will be a yearlong, million-dollar undertaking. Private Jewish donors abroad, many of Lebanese descent, funded the project, along with a $150,000 donation from Solidere, Prime Minister-elect Saad Hariri’s company, according to the Lebanese Jewish Community Council.

Lebanon's Jewish community once numbered 22,000, and Judaism is still recognized as an official religion in the country. But many Jews fled during the civil war, and now Lebanon is home to less than 200. A diaspora of 2,000 lives between Lebanon and other countries. Some of them are members of Maghen-Abraham's Facebook fan page.
Renovations Underway
Maghen-Abraham’s renovation received the blessing of Lebanon’s religious communities, even the militant anti-Israel group Hezbollah. Last year a spokesman for the group said, “We respect the Jewish religion just like we do Christianity. The Jews have always lived among us. We have an issue with Israel's occupation of land.”

The project has provided Hezbollah an opportunity to assert that it is anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic. Similarly, the PLO protected the area during Lebanon’s long civil war under the same stated purpose. While attempting to root out the PLO, Israeli artillery hit the synagogue’s roof, contributing to the damage already done by the civil war, some historians claim.
Despite the endorsement of Lebanon’s religious communities, the renovation project remains secretive. Since breaking ground at the site, the story has received little or no attention in Lebanese newspapers. The architect told the Global Post that he was advised to raise scaffolding only inside the building .
At the site, a worker leads a visitor through the synagogue grounds to a group of men clearing shrubs. “No pictures, no journalists," he orders. "A woman came last week and took pictures, and the police came and arrested her.”
So far, little renovation work has been done. The red tile roofing has been removed. Workers are scraping off paint from small buildings surrounding the synagogue. On a recent visit another group was seen removing a large palm tree with a small bulldozer.

“We’re removing the plants,” the impromptu guide says, gesturing to the massive overgrowth of the grounds and interior of the building, a symptom of decades-long abandonment.
"You need to go now," he adds, declining to give his name
-- Jahd Khalil in Beirut
Photos, from top: The Maghen-Abraham synagogue in February; the synagogue on Tuesday, with renovations underway. Credit: Jahd Khalil

^^ I wonder if there are any renderings of what it will look like once complete? For instance, will the surrounding trees be removed and replaced with smaller ones?

^^ Thanks for moving the posts here. I'm not really sure what they're planning on doing. They could be clearing out the inside of valuables in preparation to tear the place down and rebuild with a new design, or they could be keeping everything the same and just renovating. None of the articles have even mentioned a completion date.

^^ Thanks for moving the posts here. I'm not really sure what they're planning on doing. They could be clearing out the inside of valuables in preparation to tear the place down and rebuild with a new design, or they could be keeping everything the same and just renovating. None of the articles have even mentioned a completion date.

Yes they did they will take 1 year and will cost a million dollars. This is a renovation and will match the historic pictures. There are no valuables inside LOL its gutted. The scrolls were removed in the 80s.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/Htlebmn/capt_373eb1e6bc3b46b8bec62769e3e966.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/Htlebmn/capt_5a2c704586b648be8001f1ac489267.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/Htlebmn/capt_65c7a5b2f5414669a72d52d0986bca.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/Htlebmn/capt_d97e72f7b80e4a5689a905c74d1b04.jpg

^^ :banana: :banana: :banana:

A new Era in Lebanon's history has just begun.

it's going to be a gorgeous adition to the city :)

At the site, a worker leads a visitor through the synagogue grounds to a group of men clearing shrubs. “No pictures, no journalists," he orders. "A woman came last week and took pictures, and the police came and arrested her.”

when i was walking in the area i took pictures of some workers cleaning the place up but i was chased by solider security trying to take my camera but i managed to keep one picture. :D

when i was walking in the area i took pictures of some workers cleaning the place up but i was chased by solider security trying to take my camera but i managed to keep one picture. :D

WTF? They can't do that!
There was a report on the news about it yesterday, and they made it a point to mention that they made multiple requests for an interview from the council and they were refused each request!

^^They also hassled my sister and I back in May. It's because Saad Hariri has a house nearby.

^^They also hassled my sister and I back in May. It's because Saad Hariri has a house nearby.

Last I heard, he still wasn't Amish and cannot be killed by a flash ... such crap! His father used to pose with people on the street and take pictures!

What's ridiculous is that someone who had the capacity to launch some kind of attack, who had access to such things as stolen trucks and explosives - and knew how to use them - would probably have no trouble taking as many photos as he/they wanted without being seen.
Meanwhile regular citizens taking photos are harassed, and the guards go chasing them instead of looking out for the guys with the stolen trucks, etc....

Last I heard, he still wasn't Amish and cannot be killed by a flash ... such crap! His father used to pose with people on the street and take pictures!

Haha, I know what you mean. It's very sad and shows the state of paranoia in Lebanon.

Rafic Hariri was a very different person from his son Saad, much much more open.

Back in 2006 (before the war), I was going down Fakhredine Street near the old Holiday Inn. I was going to take an overview photograph of the Solidere area and a security guard came up telling me I can't take pictures. He said it was because Solidere's Chairman, Nasser Shammaa "lived in the area."

How does Lebanon expect to promote itself as a friendly place for tourists when it has these ridiculous no photo restrictions?

^^They also hassled my sister and I back in May. It's because Saad Hariri has a house nearby.

actually that is a whole different story, when i saw the guards coming i hid my camera and took out my cell and took a couple of pics to make them think i was using it to take pics instead and they asked me to erase all pics on it so i refused and left.. a couple of mins later i was on weygand street and i see three cars stopping around me where armed men procedeed to come down and present themselves as ISF asking for my IDs, then they detained me for 10-15 mins,took my phone and erased every single pic i had taken.
Luckily i had showed them my canadian ids or i would have probably been slapped around a few times just for fun

actually that is a whole different story, when i saw the guards coming i hid my camera and took out my cell and took a couple of pics to make them think i was using it to take pics instead and they asked me to erase all pics on it so i refused and left.. a couple of mins later i was on weygand street and i see three cars stopping around me where armed men procedeed to come down and present themselves as ISF asking for my IDs, then they detained me for 10-15 mins,took my phone and erased every single pic i had taken.
Luckily i had showed them my canadian ids or i would have probably been slapped around a few times just for fun

That's just ridiculous. Were they they really ISF or did they just claim that?

I faced the ISF with my friend near Nabih Berri's residence in May, but they were fine.

BTW, if you erase pictures from your camera's memory card, there is a good chance you can salvage all the pictures provided you don't write to the memory card after erasing them.

this is the only pic i managed to take of the synagogue:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1788/236g.jpg

and these are the pics that almost got me arrested lol

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5425/206bla.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2635/207q.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2084/209v.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4642/210e.jpg

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/8658/235hki.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9122/238g.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/5937/239u.jpg

actually that is a whole different story, when i saw the guards coming i hid my camera and took out my cell and took a couple of pics to make them think i was using it to take pics instead and they asked me to erase all pics on it so i refused and left.. a couple of mins later i was on weygand street and i see three cars stopping around me where armed men procedeed to come down and present themselves as ISF asking for my IDs, then they detained me for 10-15 mins,took my phone and erased every single pic i had taken.
Luckily i had showed them my canadian ids or i would have probably been slapped around a few times just for fun

I seriously can't believe what I'm reading ....

Back in May, I was taking my American friend to Ramlet el-Baida and the corniche on his last day before he heads to the airport.

Behind the Dunes Center in Verdun, an ISF soldier came up to my friend and I. We looked "suspicious" because we were carrying cameras. He asked us where we were going, and I told him we were going to the corniche. He checked out our cameras to make sure that they were cameras and then warned us not to take any pictures in the area. We complied and walked through. Another ISF guard saw us and yelled at us asking where we were going, and I told him the corniche. He asked us from where we came from and I told him from behind the Dunes Center. He then let us go.

This is all for a large security cordoned area around the Speaker of Parliament's residence. All for Nabih Berri or as my uncle calls him...al esteeeeeeeezzzzz. :-)

^^ I live in the area, I pass by that guy's house on my way bw starbucks and corniche all the time... never had trouble. Do you happen to have a beard and an M16 by any chance? :P
He's ruined the neighborhood ... in fact, I have a video from "victory day" when an army of mopeds came into our neighborhood and had a mini-ashoura on the street corner.

^^ When did you last visit? Yeah, he really ruined the neighborhood.

During my prior visit in 2006 (before the war), the cordoned secure area wasn't nearly as big and restrictive.

I once was detained for like 5 Hr for taking pictures with my dSLR near a government building outside Beirut..
It was a huge investigation and i was supposed to answer seriously ridiculous questions for 5 whole hours!!
I don't know what up with this, but it seriously sucks all over Lebanon!!
(It was fun though :)

^^ When was this?

It's a shame. It sounds like Lebanon is becoming like Syria.

Syria is not a photography friendly country and when I did a day trip to Damascus in April, the taxi driver warned me to be very careful of where I pointed my camera and not to take any pictures of police, military, or government buildings.

^^ When did you last visit? Yeah, he really ruined the neighborhood.

During my prior visit in 2006 (before the war), the cordoned secure area wasn't nearly as big and restrictive.

August 2007 ... exactly 2 years ago :cry: I should upload the video and post it ... it's quite entertaining, especially in the end where my sister decided to blare a harriri song

August 2007 ... exactly 2 years ago :cry: I should upload the video and post it ... it's quite entertaining, especially in the end where my sister decided to blare a harriri song

My grandaunt (is there such a term?) lives on a street just off Mar Elias and told me about the Hezbollah/Amal hooligans that were causing chaos and setting tires on fire very close to her apartment during the week of May 7, 2008. On the same street, my uncle has a pharmacy that got very heavily damaged. The glass were shattered and the cabinets destroyed.

This is our country...

^^ When was this?

It's a shame. It sounds like Lebanon is becoming like Syria.

Syria is not a photography friendly country and when I did a day trip to Damascus in April, the taxi driver warned me to be very careful of where I pointed my camera and not to take any pictures of police, military, or government buildings.

Ya big time sadly :(
It happened earlier this year.. So disappointing

I didn't know they had 18 synagogues!

uzEzNEtmthI

^^
Breaking News: interior cleanup of the Synagogue nearly completed, roof completely removed

Some repetition but some new facts:

Lebanon Jewish community rebuilds ornate synagogue
By Rana Moussaoui (AFP) – 12 hours ago

BEIRUT — Victim of decades of neglect and violence, the Magen Abraham synagogue in central Beirut is coming back to life as workers renovate the imposing structure for a vanishing community.

"We're ecstatic," Isaac Arazi, president of the Lebanese Jewish Community Council which is funding the project through donations, told AFP.

"We hope this initiative will ensure that the community grows once again," said Arazi, whose community is one of the 18 religious confessions that co-exist in the tiny Mediterranean country.

Jews have been living in Lebanon for 2,000 years but their numbers have shrunk from 22,000 before the 1975-1990 civil war to around 300, according to unofficial estimates.

The synagogue's last rabbi fled the country in 1997 as Lebanese Jews left the country in droves, particularly after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, where the words "Jews" and "Israelis" are often synonymous.

Dozens of workers have erected scaffolding inside the Magen Abraham synagogue, one of the largest and most ornate in the Arab world which opened to worshippers in 1926, after clearing wide swathes of bushes and weeds.

Arcades bearing the Star of David and Hebrew inscriptions once hidden by the wild vegetation are now emerging from the shadows.

But political graffiti scrawled by militiamen on the arcades and at the entrance to the temple during the civil war still bear testimony to a time when it was caught in the crossfire of rival factions.

The red-tiled roof also needs restoring as well as the abandoned office of the rabbi which lies close to the entrance of the synagogue.

The temple is located in Wadi Abu Jmil -- once known as Wadi al-Yahud or the 'Valley of the Jews' in Arabic -- a neighbourhood that abuts the restored city centre of Beirut, where battles raged during the civil war.

It also lies close to the prime minister's office and parliament and Lebanese authorities have given their blessings for the renovation project at the synagogue.

The renovation of Magen Abraham has given hope to Jews who have chosen to stay in their native Lebanon despite the upheavals of the past decades.

"If all goes well, we expect the renovation to be completed within 12 to 15 months," Arazi said.

The Lebanese Jewish Community Council has called for donations to help cover renovation costs, which Arazi estimates will reach one million dollars. Some Lebanese Jews who live abroad are financing the project.

"We want to restore the synagogue to the way it was before, with all its furniture, carpets and chandeliers," Arazi said.

Looters had stripped the synagogue of everything during war: benches, windows, tiles and even the marble altar were stolen.

"We really would like those who stole them to return them, because they date back 80 years," Arazi said.

He also expects the council to renovate a Jewish cemetery in Beirut and two other synagogues -- one in the southern coastal city of Sidon and another in the southeastern mountain resort of Aley.

The Aley synagogue is the country's oldest temple built in 1870.

"In principle, we start work on the cemetery next week," he added.

A Talmud-Torah school that stood behind Magen Abraham was razed to the ground at the end of the devastating civil war by real estate giant Solidere which oversaw the reconstruction of Beirut's city centre.

Arazi said that none of Lebanon's religious communities and political parties, including the militant Shiite group Hezbollah, have expressed any reservations concerning the reconstruction project.

"Nobody has protested and we have not received any threats."

1. I myself got yelled at trying to photograph the synagogue which pissed me off
2. I can't believe Solidere razed the school, I thought they were not allowed to do this?
3. I'm so happy to hear that other synagogues are being renovated! I heard Aley used to have a big Jewish community. I went to Sidon and Deir Qamar, and I couldnt find the synagogues in either town. Isn't the synagogue in Deir El Qamar still in good shape?

Back in Spring 2003, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the inside of the synagogue. My cousin was working for some residential projects in the Solidere area and he gave me a tour of the Beirut Central District (BCD) and made it a point to take me inside the synagogue.

Hey, does anyone know what building is going up directly next to Elie Saab?

Renovation pics

Courtesy of Leliaam

Late October

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4097856566_ca57736edf.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/4097098991_0da50cab09.jpg

Courtesy of Leliaam

November 11

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4097860472_3496be2037.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4097861208_dde1d9e8b5.jpg

and these are the pics that almost got me arrested lol



http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2635/207q.jpg



isn't this that building that we were fighting about on the BEIRUT thread ???

^^It is. That's the Besancon School in Clemenceau.

Roof is nearly complete


courtesy of L.M.
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs055.snc3/14261_187684701024_52472386024_3024389_3906124_n.jpg

Im happy to see the roof but the tiles dont look like a traditional kind..

..

Im happy to see the roof but the tiles dont look like a traditional kind..

that's true, here in Venice during restorations of roofs 50% of the tiles used must be old and used whereas the remaining 50% can be new, to give it an old feel even after being restored...such as this pic

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/3410/tetti.jpg (http://img44.imageshack.us/i/tetti.jpg/)

Old Beirut and Venise have a lot in common: red tiled roofs, the arches...there's a building somewhere near AUB that looks like it's been taken out from Venise and put there.

Traditional Lebanese architecture is heavily influenced from Venetian architecture. Particularly the three arched doorway! The venetians used to have a trading post in Beirut, also one of the Maan Emir's was exiled to Italy, and introduced many Italian influences, such as Landscaping and Architecture.

The Last Jews of Beirut (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josie-ensor/the-last-jews-of-beirut_b_391032.html)

BEIRUT: The last Jews of Beirut will have to wait longer for their only place of worship to be restored from ruin as the project runs out of support.

It has not been long since it was announced that the Lebanese capital's remaining synagogue was set to be repaired after 30 years of disuse, promising to give the Lebanese Jewish community a new lease of life.

However, the Lebanese Jewish Community Council, the non-profit organization in charge of the renovation effort, has announced they have run out of funds.

As dozens of new hotels spring up in the downtown area, work to the crumbling Maghen Abraham synagogue has been forced to stop, threatening the small Jewish community's existence in Lebanon.

Money promised to them from major construction firm Solidere, owned by the Sunni Prime Minister Saad Hariri, has not materialized and the organization has been forced to appeal to the international community to help carry on the work.

"The limited 'phase 1' funding of this historic renovation was made possible by the Lebanese Jewish Council and businessmen abroad," the group's spokesman Aaron-Michel Beydoun said. "These funds merely cover the cost of vital infrastructure repair."

"The money we have is from our own modest resources and I can't imagine the first phase taking too long before [more] funding will be needed to continue," he added.

Beydoun stressed that support for the synagogue would not merely be a financial gesture, "but rather a reaffirmation of your belief in Lebanon's rich tradition of cultural pluralism and religious diversity."

The group says $1 million is needed for the work, which was expected to take a year.

Maghen Abraham, situated in the former Jewish quarter, is one of the last remaining symbols of Lebanon's vanishing Jewish community, which is now estimated to have just 100-150 members, down from the thousands-strong numbers it saw in the first half of the 20th century.

Despite this, Judaism remains one of the country's 18 officially recognized religions.

But the Jews of Lebanon have been without a place of worship since Israeli shelling destroyed their synagogue in 1982, and plans to renovate it had to be postponed several times due to the 2006 war with Israel and the global financial crisis.

The last rabbi fled the capital in the late 1990s and many remaining Jews hide their identity to avoid persecution.

Some have already lost faith that the Jewish community in the Arab country will ever see life again.

Liza Srour is the last remaining Jew living in the old Jewish quarter of Wadi Abu Jamil in a run-down building set to be demolished. Most of the houses around her that were once owned by members of the community have either been torn down or sold to Soldiere.

Liza now lives with only her cats for company and says she speaks little to old friends in the area. She does not visit the synagogue as she finds it too difficult to look at the ruins.

"[It is] impossible, for me, a Jew, to really feel part of this country," she said. "Don't get me wrong, I am Lebanese, 100 percent Lebanese. But I am rejected, because people think I am Israeli, or a Zionist or a Mossad agent.

"A lot of people know I'm Jewish and that's dangerous for me. You never know who will want to hurt me because of my religion."

Srour was offered Israeli citizenship by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 1982, but she refused, saying she was not and never would be Israeli.

However, the Lebanese government still refers to Lebanese Jews as Israelis in official documents despite having no connection to the Jewish State, and with their religion marked on their ID cards it can be hard for them to live a normal life.

Many called the planned restoration a symbol of hope that the race would live on; hailing it as the triumph of pluralism in a country deeply divided along sectarian lines, but the 18 sects Lebanon boasts could still slip down to 17 if the synagogue is left to rot.

But the Jews of Lebanon have been without a place of worship since Israeli shelling destroyed their synagogue in 1982, and plans to renovate it had to be postponed several times due to the 2006 war with Israel and the global financial crisis.

Can anyone confirm this?

Can anyone confirm this?

August 12, 1982, BEIRUT'S ONLY SYNAGOGUE IS CASUALTY OF THE ISRAELIS

"(DATELINE: BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 11) Israeli shells have fallen on Beirut's only synagogue, sending dozens of Jewish families fleeing for safety, residents said today.

"Before the Israelis invaded Lebanon to crush the Palestine Liberation Organization, about 100 Jewish families lived in the quarter near the Maghen Abraham synagogue on Wadi Abu Jamil Street in the northern half of Israeli-ringed west Beirut. It is a few blocks from the so-called green line that divides the capital into Moslem and Christian sectors.

"Now the once-lively neighborhood is virtually abandoned. Seven Jewish families remain, members of the community said in interviews.

No Harassment by Arabs: ''My house is broken, my house is broken,'' an old Jewish woman, practically deaf, mumbled in French as she sat in a chair behind the synagogue.

"Jewish residents say they have not been harassed by their Moslem neighbors or the Palestinians since the Israelis invaded Lebanon on June 6.

"Neighborhood residents, including the Jewish families, said Israeli artillery firing from east Beirut and gunboats cruising offshore had persistently pounded the district, which is also populated by large numbers of Kurds and Lebanese Shiite Moslems."

The newpaper quotes 'neighborhood residents, including Jewish families' said.." Well they would say that, wouldn't they? The residents have reverted to their cost-free default position of 'blame Israel.' For the Jewish residents, their lives probably depended on it.



Of course this is only an article and it might not be reliable. We will never know the full truth about this

I hate how ignorant we are when it comes to what really happened in the Lebanese civil war and during the Israeli invasion! It's like there are 2 stories for everything and no facts at all!
All these people who died, 15 years or mayhem and there is still no unified story for it! I don't know how I would have felt if I had a loved one die in the civil war!

I've had extended family be directly involved in the civil war. But even without that, I am outraged and appalled how we don't have an approved version of history or a monument commemorating the civilians who have died.

I've bitched enough about this in this forum to do it again here. Ugh.

yeah! but sometimes it just hits you the face, doesn't it?
Like this piece of news that no one can confirm and therefore Israel can get away to whatever they've done and twist facts about who drove the Jewish population out of Lebanon!
Same with what Lebanese Cedar posted in the aviation thread, about Israeli intercepting and shooting down a Lebanese hawker hunter in 1967! I was outraged.

yeah! but sometimes it just hits you the face, doesn't it?
Like this piece of news that no one can confirm and therefore Israel can get away to whatever they've done and twist facts about who drove the Jewish population out of Lebanon!
Same with what Lebanese Cedar posted in the aviation thread, about Israeli intercepting and shooting down a Lebanese hawker hunter in 1967! I was outraged.

I agree. Israel is the biggest winner here...

Just remember the causes of the civil war: sectarianism

Those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it!! ( we almost did last year)

I think some of the most interesting stories my grandma ever told me were about israel.

One part of a story she was telling me, they dropped leaflets telling people to evacuate an area of beirut, they were living in el mallah. So they gathered the kids and left for saida. And on the way the roads were congested because of the mass exodus of Beiruti's, and on the sides of the streets were Israeli soldiers handing out candy to cars with kids in them. My grandma grabbed the candy from his hand and threw it at him. She said they just smiled back....... That was one of the most chilling images she ever told me about.


Look at their strategy... even down to the candy.... we will bomb you, but we warned you and here is some candy on the way out.

I hope one day we (all of us in this forum) be mature enough to start a thread about the civil war and mark it as a start! I know for a fact that many people follow SSC Lebanon, it's becoming sort of like a blog

I would really like is a thread where we JUST tell civil war stories..... we don't discuss any politics, or facts... Just personal narratives as a way of documenting and remembering the civil war...


If we are mature enough, lets do this now.....
I for one want to remember the civilians lost, I want this thread to become some sort of memorial as a substitute to the one that doesn't exist in real life.

Our own memorial to our families, neighbors, and citizens. To those we lost, and those that lost themselves.
Lets remember what everyone wants to forget... the humanity behind the war.

Please guys, let's not get off topic.

If it is of interest to anyone, Nada Abdelsamad of BBC wrote a novel on the Jews of Lebanon... its based on facts but made fictional



It was once called “the Valley of the Jews” because it was the Jewish neighborhood of Beirut. Now, after a 15-year civil war, two Israeli invasions and the 2006 July War, the area in downtown Beirut is empty. But BBC Arabic journalist Nada Abdelsamad says nostalgia for the old times is still there. Her book on the Lebanese Jewish community, written in Arabic but eventually to be translated into English, will be on stands Friday, December 18 at the Arab Book Fair in Beirut, starting at 5 p.m.

Where did the idea of a book about Lebanese Jews come from?

Nada Abdelsamad: It started three years ago. After the 2006 war I was commissioned to do something about the Shia in Lebanon [for the BBC Arabic channel]. And then I decided to do something about the Jews in Lebanon, about the memory of the community, the neighbors and friends in Wadi Abu Jamil. So I did five audio packages for the radio with interviews about the Jews in Lebanon.

It’s a vacant area now. People were displaced during the war, everybody left. After the [civil] war we had the Solidere project, so nobody lives there anymore; not the people who used to live there. Wadi Abu Jamil used to be called Wadi Yehud [Valley of the Jews], because they were concentrated in it. I wasn’t able to interview anybody from the Jewish community in Lebanon. We don’t know how many of them are left. There are only 30 maximum maybe, but they are not living in Lebanon as Jews. They changed their religion, their names…

Who were the people telling the stories?

Abdelsamad: I interviewed Jews in Canada, and I was surprised at their positive feedback related to their lives in Lebanon. I was also surprised at the positive accounts the Lebanese had. It was a surprise for me at first, so I continued. I did around 40 interviews with people who used to live there. I heard many stories about [the same people]. So I rebuilt a few characters from Wadi Abu Jamil, their personalities, the way they used to live.

Tell me more about the characters you chose to highlight in the book…

Abdelsamad: It is a simple book about normal people. I have 21 stories… few stories were about important people. There is one about a Lebanese Jew who had managed to reach a top position in the government.

All of [the rest of] them are normal people. For example: there was a Jewish family who had a TV, and it was the only TV in Beirut so everybody used to go there to watch TV. I have a story about a Christian lady who married a Jewish man and left with him to Israel, and her son came during the invasion in 1982 to ask about his friends. I also have the story of Major Mike, who left here as a child and came back to Beirut and was compelled to arrest one of his childhood neighbors after an attack on the Israeli army in Sanayaa. It’s a book with true stories, but written as a novel. So it’s not journalism. I talked about love stories, I talked about doctors – one was very famous and used to be called “the doctor of the poor” both for Christians and Muslims. I talked about spies, those who were in fact spies, but also about the phantom of the spies. I hope that in a second phase I will be able to look for my characters and have them tell their own stories.

This is a sensitive topic for Lebanon. How do you think the book will be received?

Abdelsamad: It wasn’t easy to find a publisher, because people were asking, “Why now? Why this topic? Are you with them? What is your message?” There is no message. These people used to live here; it’s a vanished community. Not talking about them doesn’t mean they didn’t exist, that they didn’t have their stories, their relationships and a good memory of them. I’m expecting all kinds of reactions after the launch.

How did you convince your editor to publish the book?

Abdelsamad: Simple. They read the book and they liked it. It is the first book written by a Lebanese on this topic, and the first book in the style of a novel. It’s not scientific research. Like I said, I’m expecting all kinds of reactions.


-NowLebanon

I took this while walking in Wadi Abu Jamil and it was the only angle I could get of the synagogue without being harassed by the security guards. I walked right by it and noticed a lot of activity and workers inside it. One thing I did notice is that all of the Star of David's references on the building were no longer there. I remember last year I saw them but this year, they had been removed. I also noticed that the Hebrew inscriptions above the main door had also been removed. I wonder what's up with that...

Courtesy of me:
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/4352/dsc08931b.jpg

^^ maybe they want to install new ones as part of the entire renovation !!

Some updates:

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00549.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00547.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00546.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00540.jpgIMG

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00538.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00536.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00532.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00531.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/DSC00530.jpg

c of daylife
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/j.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/lkklk.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/jkk.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/89i.jpg

http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af121/Nadini2345/dd-1.jpg

Great pictures!

^^ nice !!!

Its painted! wow

^^ they painted it ! :( what about the original old stone facade ! they shoud've renovated that instead .

^^ What was the original facade like?

It was painted yellow before like many building from that time, the facade was covered in stucco as you can see in the final photo with the unpainted backside, they simply applied a fresh coat over the old one. only the frames of the windows, abd other details are exposed yellow stone.

I would like to attend the opening ceremony.

hmm now that I think of it .... do you think there will actually be a rabbi and the jewish community in attendance? I wonder if this synagogue will be active. I Really REALLY hope so.

I am sure the chief rabi Arazi will be there.

idk if renovating this place was a gd decision

1- jewish became a real real real minority in lebanon
2- No jewish will dare approaching this synagogue or entering it
3- in case of any small political problem this temple could be in danger
4- Jewish entering the temple could be in danger
........

idk if renovating this place was a gd decision

1- jewish became a real real real minority in lebanon

Even if there was only one jew left, he has the right to have a descent place to pray in.


2- No jewish will dare approaching this synagogue or entering it
3- in case of any small political problem this temple could be in danger
4- Jewish entering the temple could be in danger
.

You raise good points, however the area the synagogue is in, is highly protected by security guards. And politically, they got the blessing from everyone, including Hezbollah,yet I don't think that we'll see people wearing a kippa in the streets of Beirut anytime soon.

I unfortunately have a feeling that this is not being renovate to be a synagogue but I think they are renovating it to be a church...:ohno:

what ?? a church ?? where did you get this feeling ???

I unfortunately have a feeling that this is not being renovate to be a synagogue but I think they are renovating it to be a church...:ohno:

Almost Impossible

maybe he's talking about the other church that is going to be built or renovated to the north of the bubble ....

what ?? a church ?? where did you get this feeling ???


That's just my personal feelings unfrotunately. I think there are still too many people in Lebanon that associate the Jewish religion with being Israeli or having some ties to Israel. When I was in Lebanon for Christmas, I was talking to some people (friends and relatives), people that I thought were educated and open minded, and I mentioned to them that the synagogue was being renovated since I walked right by it. They either did not say anything at all and had the look of surprise on their face, as if "OMG! How can you be talking about this??" or they would say that this was not possible
due to the fact that Hizballah would never allow it. Not sure where that information came from btu I just felt that the few people that I spoke with had a negative reaction to it all. Me personally I would love to see it rebuilt as a synagogue but I my personal feelings also think that it is not going to happen, unfortunately because of some people's mentalities...

I have a feeling there is much more than a handful of people left. Remeber many changed there religions etc. Opening day i think will surprise many...alot of people will even fly in to witness and attend this event

January 21, 2010

http://i49.tinypic.com/24627a8.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/257hil2.jpg

This is exciting! Hopefully there are more jews than we think!

That's just my personal feelings unfrotunately. I think there are still too many people in Lebanon that associate the Jewish religion with being Israeli or having some ties to Israel. When I was in Lebanon for Christmas, I was talking to some people (friends and relatives), people that I thought were educated and open minded, and I mentioned to them that the synagogue was being renovated since I walked right by it. They either did not say anything at all and had the look of surprise on their face, as if "OMG! How can you be talking about this??" or they would say that this was not possible
due to the fact that Hizballah would never allow it. Not sure where that information came from btu I just felt that the few people that I spoke with had a negative reaction to it all. Me personally I would love to see it rebuilt as a synagogue but I my personal feelings also think that it is not going to happen, unfortunately because of some people's mentalities...

so if what you are saying is correct than why wouldn't they convert it into a mosque?
besides there isn't a great need for churches in the downtown area.

شالوم في وسط بيروت قريبا
[...]

يتم ترميم الكنيس اليوم في وسط العاصمة بيروت لكي يعود هيكلاً للطائفة اليهودية اللبنانية تقيم فيه شعائرها الدينية وترفع فيه الصلوات... وليس لكي يتحول الى مقصد او معلم سياحي ديني، نوع من "كان يا مكان"...

بعد انجاز عملية الترميم بفترة زمنية لا تتجاوز السنة، يتوقع ان تتم مراسم الإفتتاح الرسمي واعادة تكريس الهيكل. الدعوة على ما يبدو سوف تكون عامة وفق المصدر في الجالية اليهودية (ويمكن بعدها للعامة القيام بزيارته).

[...]



http://nowlebanon.com/Arabic/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=139281

BBC world just did a special report on the synagogue today. They havent posted the video yet, but when they do I will post it.

The main focus of the report was yes, they are rebuilding it.. but who will use it?

Im looking at this optimistically, i feel it will be used. I don't know if anyone knows Lebanese jews, but those people are obssessed with lebanon - no matter when or why they left the country. I cant see any reasons why they wouldn't want to return.

This is exciting! Hopefully there are more jews than we think!

There is... around 20% of the lebanese living in mexico... mexico city to be more specific are jews, very powerful ones actually. I know some that do plan to go to the opening.

I meant in Lebanon! although from what I understand, the Lebanese community in Mexico is very tight (not in the financial sence lol).

^^^^There are many jews that married into druze families from my village and villages surrounding. It was both jewish men and women, and although they cannot convert to my religion, they just grew accustomed to it.

Actually, its surprising when you see how many druze families actually have jewish parents/grand parents. They mix very frequently, more than you would expect from a religious group that keeps only to themselves lol

On top of that, New york lebanese jews, and Montreal lebanese jews have been showing great interest to going to the opening of the synagogue. I have read it on a few forums, and seen a lot of reports on it. Actually both those cities have synagogues called Maghen Abraham Lebanese Synagogue - in respect to their original syngague in beirut.

That is good hear, do you know if the jewish/Druze intermarriages resulted in any jewish families? another words are they living in a secular, jewish, or druze way of life?

^^^^Don't really know to be honest. But I am more leaning to secular, as it seems with the druze people the amount of shei5s and shei5a's is really low... you find their kids marrying off to other religions. Noone really is "abiding" by their religious rules anymore lol

Like for me, yes I am Durzi... but I am not 100% practicing, althogh I know my prayers and i know what things I hold to value.. but I would never take up a shei5 spot.. so in that sense to my religion i am considered a non believer, thus secular haha. weird.. i dunno how else to explain it

that was inciteful thank you!

^^^^No problem:)

Here is the video I was talking about earlier.

kind of pessimistic to some extent, and I didn't like the whole "religious debate" title. I don't feel as though this reconstruction is as controversial as the BBC is making it. Everyone I have talked to either thinks its cool its hapening or doesnt care.

But, Lisa is the coolest nonetheless... she always does interviews as being the last remaining jew in Wadi bou Jamil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8489739.stm

Yeah I agree I don't see the controvercy either, but obviously the jewish community still feels threatened in some way.

Maybe... But it will be a great milestone in the country when we return to the way we were.. its exciting.

Here is The Maghen Abraham synagogue's twitter - to keep us up to date!

http://twitter.com/MaghenAbraham

Wadi Abou Jamil: Stories About the Jews of Beirut

The beautifully recounted stories about Beirut's Jews are enlightening, but beg for details about community members who decided to leave their Lebanese homes and lives, mostly unannounced, without having been persecuted, tortured, or killed as in the Holocaust.

Wadi Abou Jamil, the book by Nada Abdelsamad about the downtown neighborhood inhabited by Jews in Beirut, is a rich narrative tracing the existence of countless Jewish families and individuals born in Lebanon, or who'd moved there from other countries, and were free to work, worship and be part of a mosaic of 18 officially recognized religious sects.

"Modern Lebanon's Jewish sect was at its peak in the 1920s. With the creation of the Greater Lebanese State in 1920, it enjoyed legal protection equal to that of other Lebanese sects," said the book's introduction.

The Jews also had privileges short of political benefits, since they lacked parliamentary representation in successive elections.

Dr. Shams, a kindly old physician who treated patients for almost no fee, or in return for chickens and eggs, was the most famous Jewish general practitioner in Lebanon.

He wrote prescriptions asking the neighborhood's pharmacist, Dr. Farhi, to dispense medication at discount rates for Wadi Abou Jamil's needy -- Jewish or otherwise.

His sudden death and funeral drew patients of all denominations to honor a man who had treated them all with equal compassion.

But others like teenager Gamalo Mezrahi left her home and friends in the Jewish Quarter for Israel when her parents decided to pack their belongings and start a new life.

The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 was the turning point for Lebanese Jewish emigration, author Abdelsamad wrote, noting that pictures of pitched battles in what had been Palestine depicting terrified Palestinians carrying whatever they could to flee the oncoming Jewish fighters and settlers filled publications of the era.

Untold numbers of Jews emigrated to Israel from 1948-on, for fear of repercussions against their community.

But others lived through the 1967 Six-Day War pitting Israel against the armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan, or stuck it out during the Lebanese Civil War, feeling more at home in Lebanon than what they considered an alien Zionist implant in the Middle East.

The 274-page book published by Dar Annahar examines the lives of Beirut's Jews as remembered by their former neighbors and friends. But most of the characters' names were changed due to the sensitivity of the stories and unfolding regional events.

One character's story was turned into a spy movie in Lebanon.


Wadi Abou Jamil author Nada Abdelsamad

The beautiful Shola Cohen worked at a local bank and often entertained well placed government officials in her apartment that was off-limits to her own neighbors.

She also disappeared for stretches of time that people found fishy.

Cohen, also known as The Pearl, was arrested in 1961, tried and sentenced to 20 years in jail for running a spy ring that provided Israel with sensitive information about military formations and other matters.

A few years later she was released and swapped for four Lebanese soldiers captured by Israel across its border with Lebanon.

Ironically, her son Yitzhak Levanon (Hebrew for Lebanon), who was born in Lebanon and speaks fluent Arabic, was named Israel's ambassador to Egypt in November 2009 (http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/11/23/92166.html).

Abdelsamad, the BBC's Arabic-language correspondent in Lebanon, wrote about the country's Jews after she was asked to report on the Shiite community in the wake of Israel's 33-day war against Lebanon in 2006.

Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah fighters who killed three Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others in a cross-border raid in July of that year triggered the war that crippled Lebanon but that an Israeli commission of inquiry deemed a "failure" for the Jewish state (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/30/AR2008013000559.html).

In Wadi Abou Jamil, Abdelsamad weaves fascinating interlaced histories about families like the Sourours, Abadis, Salamons, Basals, Zeitunes, Sakkals, Lizbonehs, Sassons, Attiyehs, Linados, Shreims, Tagers, and Shoas - Sephardic Jews -- or others identified only by their first names.

An occasional Ashkenazi name creeps into the tales of the community that, for the most part, worshipped at the Magen Abraham synagogue and sent its children to the secular Alliance Israelite School or the religious Talmud Torah School behind the temple.


Beirut's Magen Abraham Synagogue today gets a facelift
(skyscrapercity.com)

The author's graceful narrative describes the relationships, entanglements and religious traditions of the quarter's Jewish, Christian and Muslim residents.

Her very nimble prose, to be translated and published in English, lends credence to reports that Lebanon once had a thriving Jewish community numbering in the thousands, whose members were very much part of the social fabric.

But some of Wadi Abou Jamil's residents who left as children with their parents during the different waves of Jewish emigration, returned as Israeli soldiers during Israel's invasion of Lebanon and the siege of Beirut in 1982.

While pounding the city to kingdom come and cutting it off from food, water and fuel supplies, they found time to meander down memory lane to Wadi Abou Jamil in search of old neighbors and recognizable landmarks.

"The common thread in the stories about Lebanon's Jews is that they left in complete secrecy," of their own free will, the book's introduction said, adding that news about them stopped after their departure for Israel, Europe or North America.

Many were pressured to join their families in Israel and transited through the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus to get there.

One old Jewish woman, Lisa, still resides in Wadi Abou Jamil with her cats. She refused to go to Israel, choosing instead to live with her memories of a once dynamic quarter.

إعادة ترميم كنيسهم بوادي أبو جميل
يهود لبنان يصارعون للبقاء

http://www.aljazeera.net/mritems/images/2010/2/20/1_972971_1_34.jpg
(واجهة الكنيس القريب من السراي الحكومي ببيروت (الجزيرة نت

نقولا طعمة-بيروت

يصارع من تبقى من أبناء الطائفة اليهودية في لبنان للبقاء بإحياء بعض آثارهم المهملة والمهجورة في سنوات الحرب، وبدايتها مع ترميم كنيس إبراهيم ماغن الكائن في الوسط التجاري لبيروت الذي حوّلته حكومات الرئيس الراحل رفيق الحريري إلى ما يعرف اليوم بـ"سوليدير".

الوسط التجاري شكّل ساحة صراعات عنيفة ومديدة ألحقت ببنيته دمارا كبيرا وأضرارا بالغة، نال الكنيس نصيبه منها.

الطائفة اليهودية واحدة من ثماني عشرة طائفة تكّون المجتمع اللبناني، وتسمى رسميا بالطائفة الإسرائيلية. ونظرا لحساسية التسمية، قررت وزارة الداخلية اللبنانية تغيير الاسم إلى اليهودية كدين سماوي مقبول من مختلف الأديان والطوائف الأخرى.

تكثفت هجرة اليهود من لبنان أثناء الحرب الأهلية 1975 للأسباب عينها التي دفعت بأبناء بقية الطوائف إلى الهجرة، حسب ما يقول متولّي شؤونها في بيروت للجزيرة نت، متمنيا عدم ذكر اسمه.

الشعائر بالمنازل
ويفيد بأنه لم يبق من اليهود اللبنانيين سوى مائتي شخص، هم، مثله، مقيمون في لبنان بصورة دائمة ولم يغادروه، يعيشون حياتهم بصورة طبيعية ويقيمون شعائرهم في المنازل حيث لم تعد مجمّعاتهم الدينية صالحة. بينما هناك نحو ألفي مهاجر يترددون على لبنان، محافظون على هويتهم وجوازات سفرهم. لكن لوائح وزارة الداخلية تحتوي على 5500 يهودي في بيروت وحدها.

http://www.aljazeera.net/mritems/images/2010/2/20/1_972975_1_23.jpg
(لقطة للكنيس من الداخل (الجزيرة نت

وينفي أن تكون لأبناء الطائفة أي صلة بإسرائيل أو تعاطف معها، "فنحن لبنانيون أبا عن جد وموجودون هنا قبل كل الطوائف الأخرى"، مذكّرا بأن الديانة اليهودية عمرها أكثر من خمسة آلاف عام، لكن إسرائيل عمرها 61 عاما.

وأشار إلى أن "بين اللبنانيين من ينظر نظرة تفرقة لهم، لكن الأغلبية لا تفرقهم عن الباقين". وأفاد بأن الوسط التجاري ضمّ سابقا عشرات المحلات التجارية ليهود لبنانيين، لكن كل أملاكهم دمرتها الحرب.

وقال إن اليهود موجودون في مختلف المناطق اللبنانية كطرابلس وصيدا ومناطق أخرى، ولهم آثار كثيرة منها 18 كنيسا، ومقبرة في بيروت يجري ترميمها، ومعابد أخرى ومقابر منتشرة في كل من دير القمر وبحمدون وصيدا وطرابلس، ولكن لا يتم العمل على تأهيلها حاليا.


التطورات الإقليمية انعكست تداعيات بليغة الأثر على بنية الطائفة. قليلون رصدوا حركة فردية باتجاه إسرائيل، منها على سبيل المثال عائلة طرابلسية من آل مزراحي كانت تعمل بالتجارة في شارع يعرف بشارع الكنائس، غادرت المدينة بصورة مفاجئة، فافتقدها أبناء الحي الذي سكنوه، وبعد فترة من الوقت تبين أنهم رحلوا إلى إسرائيل عقب حرب 1967، وكانت الحادثة مفاجئة للسكان خصوصا منهم من كان دائنا لها.

http://www.aljazeera.net/mritems/images/2010/2/20/1_972974_1_23.jpg
(لوحة الوصايا العشر تتصدر هيكل الكنيس(الجزيرة نت

الكنيس الأهم في لبنان حاليا هو كنيس إبراهيم ماغن، نسبة للمتبرع بإنشائه عام 1920، يقوم في محلة وادي أبو جميل على تخوم السراي، مبني من الحجر الأصفر المائل للحمرة، ومنذ خمس سنوات بدأ التحضير لترميمه بطلب من شركة "سوليدير"، بحسب متولي الطائفة.

طابع إيطالي
وتحدّث المهندس المشرف على إعادة رسومه وتصاميمه أنطوني عوض للجزيرة نت عن "طابعه الإيطالي الشبيه بالكثير من الأبنية اللبنانية التي بنيت على الطراز الطلياني في تلك الحقبة".

وقال بأنه تضمن رسومات وألوانا طغى عليها الطابع الأزرق الرائج آنذاك. وفي داخله أيضا رسومات على السقف وزخرفات تراوحت بين باروكية (نسبة إلى عصر الباروك الأوروبي) الطابع ونهضوية (نسبة إلى عصر النهضة)، وتظهر نقوش أعمدته وقناطره بذخا واهتماما كبيرين.

يحتوي الكنيس عدة لوحات بالعبرية تؤرخه وتحدّد هويته، واحدة للوصايا التوراتية العشر تتصدر هيكله، ولوحتان في الخارج لأسماء متبرعين، وأخرى تعلو مقدمته المثلثة الشكل.

المصدر: الجزيرة


http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/DF76096F-8B99-4937-8AF2-A37FAE606578.htm

These are supposed to be March 2, 2010

http://i50.tinypic.com/f0xhzm.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/2s95f7b.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/59wsvd.jpg

This is a video from the Maghen Abraham facebook page. Midway through it shows you a lot of the synagogue.. prior to its bombing. Judging from the renovation pictures and the video I think they are doing a really good job restoring it

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1099628687290&ref=mf

Also, I heard that when the synagogue is complete it will be open to everyone, except on saturdays which will be reserved only for the jews

I dont think this was posted before, but this is a reportage on the synagogue by ABC.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LZhmdAkFNMw&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LZhmdAkFNMw&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

^^ Thanks for sharing this. I'm a little disappointed in the report making it seem as though there is an opposition to the Jewish community in Lebanon (and not mention that Hizballah actually supports this project). AND they made it seem like it was the Lebanese who destroyed the site when it was actually bombed by Israel.

They changed the second level..there used to be a kinda of arch above it..

March 8, 2010

http://i47.tinypic.com/2uiixl3.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/2nbykh1.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/doku2f.jpg

March 8, 2010

http://i47.tinypic.com/2uiixl3.jpg



What is that?
looks photoshpd

those are color samples!

^^Apparently the colours are just photoshopped.. to see comparison.

But, the blue is going to be the one they go with (the marble and leopard print thing is just for show really... lol). The blue is anyways what the original walls were painted in, I am assuming blue is a must too as it seems in all our religions - its a basic feature of anything needed to ward off the evil eye.

Safra Synagogue and Community Office (Left side of Maghan Abraham)
http://i43.tinypic.com/s4nqdg.jpg

Events Hall and Rabbi's Office (Right side of Synagogue)
http://i42.tinypic.com/18ej49.jpg


***Those above two "houses" that are on the left and right of the synagogue are completed

And just some more information on the renovation
To contribute towards the historic renovation of the Maghan Abraham Synagogue in Beirut:

National Bank (ALLENBY BRANCH)
20126004 Allenby Street
Beirut Central District P.O. BOX 110435
Beirut, Lebanon
Telephone: 01 977 040
Swift Code: FINKLBBE
Account Name: Conseil Communal Israélite du Liban
Account Number: 0012-134159-008:

Synagogue in Lebanon rises from the ashes. By Pierre Sawaya

The Magen Abraham synagogue, in the heart of downtown Beirut, is bustling with renovations. Workmen are busy returning this 80-year-old place of worship to its former splendour, although the local Jewish community has dwindled dramatically – from over 22,000 prior to 1958 to less than 300 by the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

None of the political parties, not even Hizbullah, has objected to the reconstruction of the synagogue.

Why this sudden show of interest for a Jewish symbol, given the terms "Jew" and "Israeli" are often (mis)used interchangeably in Lebanon, and the country is still technically at war with Israel? Who is funding the reconstruction of the building? And what is the situation of the Jewish community in Lebanon?

Most Lebanese Jews left the country due to fear of reprisals from their Muslim and Christian compatriots after the Israeli invasion of 1982, yet the Jewish religion remains one of the 18 recognised confessions in the country.

The renovation of the synagogue comes as a sign of hope for Lebanon’s Jewish community. Some members contemplate not only a return of those Jews who left the country, but also a return to Jewish representation in Parliament. "It's only a start, but the Lebanese authorities seem to express renewed interest in our community," volunteered David, a 40-year-old French teacher in a private school in the capital, who prefers not to reveal his surname. David saw the bulk of his family take refuge in Europe to flee abuses of power during the war.

"The end of the war did not restore our rights. It is high time the Lebanese realise that a Jew is not necessarily Israeli," added David, echoing the sentiments of many other Lebanese Jews.

"No doubt the rehabilitation of the synagogue is an important step for the Jewish community of Lebanon, but we are far from the time when all Lebanese, irrespective of religious affiliation, lived in harmony," emphasises political analyst Ziad Khoury.

"The reconstruction should rather be viewed as part of the overall downtown rehabilitation project," he reflects. "Lebanon wishes to give the image of a multicultural country where the different communities live in peace, and that is the main reason why the synagogue is being renovated."

The bulk of the funding will be handled by the Jewish Community Council. A call for donations has been made to raise over $1 million to cover renovation costs. Some expatriate Lebanese Jews are contributing as well.

Other synagogues in the country are also slated for renovation, such as the ones in Sidon, in southern Lebanon, or in Aley, southeast of Beirut, where the oldest temple – built in 1870 – still stands. However, renovation will commence on these only after the overhaul of the Beirut synagogue has been completed.

From the arches engraved with the Star of David to the Hebrew inscriptions buried in rubble for 30 years, every single item in Beirut's synagogue must be scrubbed and carefully reworked. Everything was plundered during the war: benches, windowpanes, floor slabs, columns and even the majestic altar in the centre of the synagogue. Political slogans written on the arches and on the porch by militias during the civil war testify to the period when the temple was caught in the crossfire of violent fighting in downtown Beirut.

Despite the current state of the synagogue, it is stunningly beautiful.

To summarise the words of Pope John Paul II in his 10 February 2000 address to the Maronite community who had come to Rome: Lebanon is more than a nation; it a message for mankind. Viewed in that context, the reconstruction work might be the first step towards full recognition of the fundamental rights of all the communities of Lebanon.



###



* Pierre Sawaya is currently Head of Sections of the Beirut daily Al Balad’s French-language edition. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).

i think its great having this done. and i will be the first person down. But it does worry me. Beirut is a very fragile place i hope people will have an open brain about it !!! even though it shouldn't require it (them being lebanese)

coming along nicely
courtesy of kemo
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz301/Nadini23456/kemmmmo.jpg

By iSoura, taken today.


http://i43.tinypic.com/2bqz3o.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/qqxw9j.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/2ce5kde.jpg

coming along nicely
courtesy of kemo
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz301/Nadini23456/kemmmmo.jpg

The white is very ugly.. Makes it look like some kind of building in Africa or something.. Hope its not the final colour or coat of paint..

I think the white may change.. the videos here have a different colour as far as I can tell... maybe its just the lighting though

*You don't need facebook to view these!

Video 1: Exterior Painting on site
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1274001366498&ref=mf

Video 2: Interior Painting on site
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1274002446525
^It looks veryyyy nice

when is the work going to be complete ?? it's taking too long ins't it ?

^^ in 6 months I guess.

Those pics were taken during the march

http://i44.tinypic.com/a5849l.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/x6nf47.jpg

http://www.bloomberg.com/images/logos/logo_post_b.gif

Beirut's Only Synagogue to Reopen Next Year After Restoration by Diaspora
By Massoud A. Derhally - Jun 30, 2010

Restoration of Beirut’s only synagogue will be completed in October and religious services will be held there in 2011 for the first time in more than three decades, the leader of the country’s Jewish community said.

“We started from zero with this project and now we hope with the restoration we will be able to once again rebuild a community in Lebanon,” Isaac Arazi, 67, said June 24 in an interview in Beirut.

The Maghen Abraham Synagogue in Wadi Abou Jmil, the city’s historic Jewish quarter, opened in 1926 and once hosted a thriving community that has been eroded by decades of civil war. Prospects for stability have improved since elections a year ago were won by the pro-Western coalition of Saad Hariri, which formed a national unity government with rival Hezbollah and the Muslim group’s Christian allies.

The synagogue’s restoration has so far cost $700,000 and the final bill is expected to reach $1.2 million, Arazi said. Most of the financing has come from Lebanese Jews outside the country, while Christians and Muslims have also contributed.

About 100 Jews now live permanently in Lebanon, while there are some 1,900 living abroad who still own property in the country and visit regularly, according to Arazi, who owns a food-machinery business. In the mid-1960s, there were as many as 22,000 Lebanese Jews, he said.

Haven for Refugees

Historically, Lebanon was a haven for Jews, some of whom descended from people who fled the Spanish inquisition. The country later served a similar role for refugees from Nazi Germany. Lebanon had “no history of anti-Jewish tensions,” and was the only Arab country whose population of Jews increased after Israel’s creation in 1948, said Kirsten Schulze, a lecturer at the London School of Economics and author of “The Jews of Lebanon.”

Jews began to flee Lebanon, emigrating to Europe as well as North and South America, after sectarian fighting broke out in the 1970s among the nation’s Christian, Muslim and Druze factions. The last religious service at Maghen Abraham was held around the middle of that decade.

When it opens again early next year, the synagogue will have seating for 600 men and 300 women. Religious artifacts such as the Torah and other books and items required for services will be brought from Turkey and Syria, and the synagogue will seek to appoint a rabbi familiar with Middle Eastern and North African Sephardic Jewish rituals from the region, possibly from Yemen, Egypt or Turkey, Arazi said.

The community has also begun to repair the Jewish cemetery in Beirut, where about 4,500 Jews are buried, at a cost of about $200,000, and there are also plans to restore defunct synagogues elsewhere in the country, including one in Bhamdoun, a town 23 kilometers (14 miles) from the capital.

In an interview in 2008, Fouad Siniora, prime minister at the time, said the synagogue “is a religious place of worship and its restoration is welcome.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-30/beirut-s-only-synagogue-to-reopen-next-year-after-restoration-by-diaspora.html

http://i45.tinypic.com/5dmr6e.jpg

Great shot Leb FR! I can use some close up photos of the Synaguoge as you know I already have a model and lack high resolution images of the exterior.

Courtesy of Me
July 10

http://i26.tinypic.com/o91sp1.jpg

Someone is going to be dragged to te72i2 :P

:nuts: NOOOOO lol :P I actually didnt have a single security guard bother me while I was taking photos around the BCD area.

Someone is going to be dragged to te72i2 :P

Guess who got another photo today :lol:

Courtesy of Me
Taken Today

http://i30.tinypic.com/295sojp.jpg

^^ Did you try to enter?

^^ No. Im assuming its not even open to the public yet

^^ it isn't. But some people can enter to check the work progress.

Leike what's with your Kenis fetish??
Abdallah you are tempting your luck mate, stop snapping pics there cos the place is monitored like starac

Leike what's with your Kenis fetish??


uhmm?