30 November,2010 07:04 AM IST | | Sudeshna Chowdhury
Restored Magen David Synagogue is set to welcome worshippers with grand opening on the first night of Hanukkah
With Hanukkah around the corner, the Jewish community in Mumbai has more than one reason to rejoice.
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Not only do they have the festival of lights to look forward to, but also the second opening of the Magen David Synagogue at Byculla.
The Magen David Synagogue, which will be reopened tomorrow, being renovated
The sky-blue building fell into a state of decay long ago with no one to shoulder the cost of its repair. However, the structure built in 1861 has been restored to its past glory.
"A samaritan donated generously to renovate the place and the official reopening of the synagogue will be on December 1," said Solomon Sopher, chairman of the Magen David Synagogue.
Sopher added that Mark Sofer, Israeli ambassador to India and Orna Sergev, consul general of Israel will also be attending the function.
The renovation took almost one-and-a-half years to complete and today, the synagogue bears a completely different look.
Sopher further elaborated that the renovation was possible because of the donation of Rs 75 lakh that they received from Moshe Levy, an Israeli, who is the President of Safeguard Security Systems.u00a0
"When I came to India three years back, I felt really bad when I went to this synagogue and I wanted to do something about it," says Levy who is in Mumbai to attend the inaugural function.
Levy's son Isaac feels that it is a step in building a strong relationship between Israel and India. Alice Jacob, the honorary Hazan (one who holds prayers) of the synagogue believes that the renovation might see more people coming to the synagogue for prayer sessions.
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"The population of Jews is dwindling but there might be some increase in the number of Jews attending prayer sessions. We will have to wait and watch," said Jacob.
The inauguration of the structure will be coupled with the celebration of the first night of Hanukkah (an eight-day Jewish holiday).
The Synagogue
David Sassoon, the founder of the Sassoon dynasty in India, built the Magen David Synagogue in 1861. It is a tall one-storied building in the style of Victorian architecture. There is a prayer hall with an upper gallery exclusively for ladies.
