Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Derbent Synagogue

The Derbent Synagogue, also known as Kele-Numaz (Russian: Дербентская синагога "Келе-Нумаз", romanizedDerbentskaya sinagoga "Kele-Numaz"; Hebrew: בית הכנסת דרבנט "קל-נומז", romanizedBeit haKnesset Derbent "Kel-Numaz") was a former Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 94 Tagi-Zade Street, in the city of Derbent in the Republic of Dagestan, in the North Caucasus of Russia.

The only synagogue in Derbent, it was destroyed in a terrorist attack on 23 June 2024. In 1997, prior to its destruction, the synagogue was listed on the Russian cultural heritage register as a monument of regional significance.

History

In 19th century Derbent the upper, oldest part of the city, closer to the citadel of Naryn-Kala, was primarily inhabited by Muslims, the central, flat part by Mountain Jews, and the lower part, near the sea by Armenians and Russians.

The Kele-Numaz synagogue was opened in 1914 and is under the supervision of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJCR).

At the beginning of the Soviet era there were 11 synagogues in the city, including the Kele-Numaz.

In February 1904 the Mountain Jewish community petitioned the city authorities to allocate land for the construction of a new synagogue. The petition said that during the time of the Derbent Khanate, the Jews built a synagogue on the 2nd Komendantskaya Street (the Midrash Eliyahu synagogue), but the number of congregants had increased beyond the synagogue's capacity.

The city authorities allocated 300 m (3,200 sq ft) to the Mountain Jewish community for the construction of a prayer house at the corner of Golitsyn Street (now Buynaksk Street) and Kolodezny Lane (now Chapayev Lane).

Restoration

In 2009 the synagogue was dismantled and reconstructed using old stones and new materials. The rebuilt building is called the Jewish Community Center. Above the main entrance of the Jewish community center a sign in Hebrew says, "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." The total area of the Jewish Community Center is 2,500 m (27,000 sq ft). There is a mikveh, the Municipal Kindergarten and the Museum of Mountain Jews. The President of Dagestan, Magomedsalam Magomedov, and rabbi Berel Lazar attended the reopening of the synagogue on March 22, 2010.

Terrorist attack

On 23 June 2024, the synagogue was attacked and burned to the ground in a terrorist attack. Days after the attack, it was reported that the congregation plans to rebuild the synagogue.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hanukaev Synagogue in Derbent". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "Synagogue of Mountain Jews "Kele-Numaz" in Derbent - the largest in the North Caucasus". stmegi.com.
  3. ^ "Синагога "Келе-Нумаз"" [Derbent Synagogue "Kele-Numaz"]. geocaching.su (in Russian).
  4. ^ "синагоги" (Searchable database). Сведения из Единого государственного реестра объектов культурного наследия (памятников истории и культуры) народов Российской Федерации (in Russian). Ministry of Culture (Russia). Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Jewish community of ancient Derbent". gorskie.ru.
  6. ^ "Synagogue "Kele-Numaz". Derbent". Ministry of Culture (Russia). Archived from the original on August 1, 2016.
  7. ^ Karpenko, Ilya. "Gate of the East". Lechaim.ru.
  8. ^ "Synagogue of Kele Numaz". Caspian Travel.
  9. ^ "Synagogue "Kele-Numaz"". Izi.travel.
  10. ^ "Synagogue "Kele-Numaz" in the city of Derbent". Russia Travel.
  11. ^ "Home page". Kele-Numaz.
  12. ^ "New synagogue and Jewish community center opened in Derbent". kavkaz-uzel.eu.
  13. ^ "Terrorists burned the Jewish synagogue in Derbent". Channel 3 Now. June 23, 2024.
  14. ^ "Nightmare in Dagestan". Glavnoe News. June 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Gunmen in Russia's Dagestan attack churches, synagogue and police post". France24. June 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "Gunmen Kill at Least 6 at Synagogue and Churches in Russian Republic". New York Times. June 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Tsvaygenbaum, Israel (July 3, 2024). "What is the meaning of the destruction of the Dagestan, Russia synagogues by terrorists?". Jewish World News.
  18. ^ Bharath, Deepa (June 29, 2024). "Dagestani Jews determined to rebuild after deadly terror attacks in southern Russia". The Times of Israel. Retrieved September 8, 2024.