Hurva synagogue – an outstanding monument of Jerusalem with the tragic and controversial history. Today it is one of the largest centers of Judaism and a stumbling block in relations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Religious buildings existed on this spot since the time of the First Temple. In the winter of 1700, he came to Jerusalem from Poland preacher Yehuda Hasid, accompanied by approximately 500 Ashkenazi (Jews of Eastern and Central Europe). The community has set a goal to build at the old place the great synagogue. But the project proved too expensive, the community was in debt as a result of all Ashkenazi just ran him out of town.

Over a century later he came to Jerusalem with his followers of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov (modern Belarus). The revival of the new synagogue, the community sought to demonstrate the return of the Ashkenazim in Jerusalem. But the real construction permit from the Turkish authorities granted to the Jews with the support of the great powers only in 1854, the first stone was laid a year later.

Construction was slow, money was collected throughout Western Europe. Contributed even the king of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm IV, whose name is carved over the main entrance next to the names of other benefactors.

In 1864, Assad Effendi, the chief architect of the Sultan, completed the work. The synagogue was called the "House of Jacob" – in memory of the banker Jacob (James Mayer) de Rothschild, the family which has always helped the Jewish diasporas. But the people continued to call the Hurva, "wreck", in remembrance of stones left over from unfinished in the XVIII century Church.

The synagogue in neo-Byzantine style, was crowned by a large dome with twelve Windows. The building became one of the most high in Jerusalem. The ark brought from Kherson, kept fifty-Torah scrolls, the walls were decorated with frescoes. The Hurva was considered the most beautiful synagogue of Jerusalem. But the 27 may 1948, during the battle for the city of Jordanian troops blew up the majestic building. During the six-day war of 1967, Israeli paratroopers broke into the Old city, found on the site of the temple a pile of bricks.

The idea of the restoration of the synagogue arose instantly, arguing only what to do: create a copy of the previous or develop a new project? The famous architect Louis Kahn designed the synagogue is a monument in the form of a majestic pyramid. But won the idea of restoring the historic appearance.

In 1977 the sky of Jerusalem drew temporary stone arch is a copy of one of the four who supported before the dome of Hurva. The reconstruction work under the guidance of architect Nahum Meltzer began in 2005, the synagogue officially opened in 2010. The Palestinians considered the reconstruction of the synagogue near the Temple mount provocation and made protests.

The interiors of Harvy carefully restored according to preserved old photo. In the Windows of the elegant stained glass Windows, the walls are decorated with acrylic murals. The biggest story of them inspired by Psalm 136: "by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when they remembered Zion".