Reconstruction of oldest Beirut synagogue underway

The Lebanese Jewish Community Council has begun with the rebuilding of Beirut’s dilapidated Magen Abraham synagogue, the country’s oldest and most important. It was badly damaged during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. Even after the fighting ended, the remaining Jews from the once 20,000-strong community did not have the money to repair or even maintain the building. The synagogue was built in 1926 in Beirut's main Jewish neighborhood of Wadi Abou Jmil. It sat on the battle lines dividing the city during the civil war. The damage meant the building was abandoned for the last 30 years, leaving the small Jewish community without a place of worship. Until the renovation began, the structure was filled with empty bottles, broken glass and shattered bricks from the roof.

An unnamed Jewish official told the news agency AP that the Community Council did not yet have the funds to complete the renovation. "So far, no donations have come from Jewish donors overseas," he was quoted as saying, adding that the money to begin restoring the synagogue's roof came from the Jewish Council's own budget. He said the renovation was estimated to cost US$ 1 to 1.5 million.