Built in the 1920s, Tel Aviv’s Great Synagogue is getting a facelift. Its historic architecture will be smoothly reconstructed to a Bauhaus-like facelift, and a new building section will be added as a visitors’ center to make its history accessible to the public. The Great Synagogue is one of the spots on the historical Tel Aviv golden line tour, currently standing in the center of the busy Allenby Street, beside a corner of hip bars and an open parking lot.
The place of prayers remains active and was also live-streaming services during the lockdowns of 2020, a long way from how it began. The website says that “on the night of the proclamation of the state, all the residents of Tel Aviv gathered to celebrate in the Great Synagogue. On the first Independence Day, a solemn prayer was held with the participation of Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, Moshe Sharet, Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, and many more Knesset members, ministers, and judges…who considered it a great honor to visit the place.”
Since being completed in 1926, it received one renovation in 1970. The renovation will be led by Uri Padan, from UP Architects, who led other historical renovation projects in the past. The construction is expected to begin in 2022 and be completed by 2025.
