Historic Synagogue Justo Sierra 71

Not to be confused with Nidhe Israel Synagogue.

The Historic Synagogue Justo Sierra 71 (Spanish: Sinagoga Histórica Justo Sierra 71), formerly known as Nidjei Israel Synagogue (Spanish: Sinagoga Nidjei Israel), is an Orthodox Jewish congregation, synagogue, and cultural center, located at Justo Sierra 71, in the historic center of Mexico City (Spanish: Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de México), in Mexico. The building was completed in 1941 and serves both as a synagogue and cultural center of the Ashkenazi Jewish community.

Historic Synagogue Justo Sierra 71
Spanish: Sinagoga Histórica Justo Sierra 71
The synagogue façade, in 2014
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue (1941–1960s) Profane use (1960s–2009) Synagogue and cultural center (since 2009)
Status	Active
Location
Location	Justo Sierra 71, Historic center, Mexico City
Country	Mexico
Location of the synagogue in Mexico City
Geographic coordinates	19°26′6.5″N 99°7′41.5″W
Architecture
Architect(s)	Raquel Franklin
Type	Synagogue architecture
Style	Neo-colonial Romanesque Revival
Completed	1941
Website
sinagogajustosierra.com (in Spanish)

History

The Nidjei Israel Synagogue is the third oldest in Mexico City, and the first founded by Ashkenazi Jews. The synagogue was built for Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Poland, Russia, and Lithuania in the La Merced neighborhood. It was the second Ashkenazi synagogue in Mexico City.

Closed from the 1960s, the synagogue was used for profane purposes for over thirty years, before being extensively restored and reopened in 2009 as a synagogue and cultural center. The building is open to the public for guided tours and other tourist activities. Despite being built in the 20th century, the synagogue was granted the title of Historic Synagogue and is one of the oldest in Mexico City.

Architecture

Raquel Franklin, the architect, claimed that the building's Torah ark was influenced in its design by that of the synagogue of Shavel (Šiauliai) in Lithuania.

“The double facade of Nidjei Israel is significant: it leaves the office building towards the street, with a Neo-colonial facade in line with the colonial surroundings of the Historic Center, and which surely followed the tax incentives offered for any construction representing that style; The interior facade of the main building shows the influence of 19th century synagogue designs, inspired by the Neo-Romanesque.“

— Raquel Franklin

Mónica Unikel-Fasja, in her book Synagogues of Mexico, wrote:

“The monumentality of the bimah (sort of pulpit) is impressive, undoubtedly the most elaborate of those existing in Mexico, placed in the center in the Ashkenazi fashion. It is made of richly carved wood with cut glasses describing musical instruments: drum, harp, zither and lute, as well as recurring Jewish symbols: the talit (religious shawl), palm leaf, citron and the Star of David among sacred prayers.“

— Mónica Unikel-Fasja, Synagogues of Mexico.

The Nidjei Israel Synagogue was created based on the need for prayer spaces as the Ashkenazi Jewish community of Mexico City grew. The synagogue functioned as a ceremonial, study, celebration and community work center until the mid-1960s. It remained closed for over three decades, but on December 13, 2009 it was re-inaugurated with a community event and reopened to house various cultural and religious activities.

Gallery

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  Interior of the synagogue, in 2013
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See also

• History of the Jews in Mexico
• List of synagogues in Mexico

External links

Media related to Synagogue Nidjei Israel (Justo Sierra 71) at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website (in Spanish)