Bet-El Synagogue (Caracas)
{{Short description|Sephardic Orthodox synagogue in Caracas, Venezuela}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{for|similarly named synagogues|Beth-El (disambiguation){{!}}Beth-El}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Bet-El Synagogue
| native_name = {{ubl|{{langx|he|בית הכנסת בית-אל (קראקס)}}|{{langx|es|Asociación Bet-El}}}}
| native_name_lang =
| image = Hejal de la Asociacion Bet El 2011.jpg
| image_upright = 1.4
| alt =
| caption = Heichal, designed by Harry Abend
| map_type = Venezuela
| map_size = 250
| map_alt =
| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Location of the synagogue in Venezuela
| coordinates =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| religious_affiliation = Orthodox Judaism
| rite = Nusach Sefard
| locale =
| location = Avenida Cajigal, San Bernardino, Caracas
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| country = Venezuela
| administration =
| organisational_status = Synagogue
| functional_status = Active
| heritage_designation =
| ownership = Israelite Association of Venezuela
| leadership = Rabbi Isaac Sananes
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| funded_by = Edmond Safra
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| capacity = 400 worshippers
| established =
| groundbreaking = 1969
| year_completed = 1973
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}}
The Bet-El Synagogue ({{langx|he|בית הכנסת בית-אל (קראקס)||House of God}}; {{langx|es|Asociación Bet-El}}), is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Avenida Cajigal, in the San Bernardino neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela. The congregation is affiliated with the Israelite Association of Venezuela and worships in the Sephardic rite.
Currently,{{when|date=October 2024}} the rabbi of the synagogue is Isaac Sananes.
History
The synagogue was built between 1969 and 1973, with donations from Brazilian banker Edmond Safra. The congregation comprises Jews mostly from Aleppo (Syria), Melilla (Spain) and northern Morocco, especially from the cities of Tetouan and Chefchaouen.
The synagogue can accommodate about 300 people in the men's section, which is adorned with stained glass windows designed by the Israeli artist Yaacov Agam; in addition to this, the wall that contains the Heichal is a sculpture made by the Venezuelan artist Harry Abend{{cite web |url=http://www.analitica.com/archivo/art1998.11/contenido/MuseoVirtual/museoVirtual.htm |title=Harry Abend |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908013327/http://www.analitica.com/archivo/art1998.11/contenido/MuseoVirtual/museoVirtual.htm |archive-date=2011-09-08 |work=Museo Virtual |publisher=Venezuela Analítica |date=1998 |access-date= }}{{cite web |url=http://www.gentiuno.com/articulo.asp?articulo=7413 |title=Las sinagogas de Caracas y sus vitrales |lang=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915142651/http://www.gentiuno.com/articulo.asp?articulo=7413 |archive-date=September 15, 2011 |work=Gentiuno.com |date= |access-date= |trans-title= }} and can accommodate about 100 people in the women's section upstairs. The synagogue also has a lounge in the basement, which is used for celebrations and bar and bat mitzvahs, wedding receptions, meals and the sheva Brachot ritual, which was inaugurated in 1988.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fercam.com.ve/centro_obras_realizadas.php |work=FERCAM |title=Obras realizadas |lang=es |date= |access-date=2011-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311153043/http://www.fercam.com.ve/centro_obras_realizadas.php |archive-date=2010-03-11 |url-status=dead }} On the top floor of the building, next to the area of prayers used by women, is a study room or Bet Midrash. Available in the synagogue are Torah with Rashi, prayer books in Hebrew and phonetic translation and Spanish for those who do not completely dominate the Hebrew language.
See also
{{stack|{{portal|Venezuela|Judaism}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Caracas}}
{{Jews and Judaism in Venezuela}}
{{coord missing|Venezuela}}
Category:1973 establishments in Venezuela
Category:20th-century synagogues in South America
Category:Buildings and structures in Caracas
Category:Orthodox Judaism in South America
Category:Sephardi Jewish culture in Venezuela
Category:Spanish diaspora in Venezuela
Category:Synagogues completed in 1973