Egypt set to open Ben Ezra Synagogue
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced its intention to open the ancient Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo soon, after completing about 95% of restoration works, in a move aimed at revitalizing religious tourism.
CAIRO — The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced Sept. 23 its plan to open the ancient Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo soon, after completing about 95% of restoration works.
The ministry began restoring the Ben Ezra Synagogue, located in the complex of religions in the Old Cairo district, in mid-April after it had been untouched for 30 years.
The Ben Ezra Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Egypt and served in the past as a center for many celebrations, gatherings and prayers for Jews in Egypt. But today, the synagogue is no longer used for that purpose, rather it is only dedicated to archaeological visits.
The synagogue is believed to have been built on the remains of a Coptic Orthodox church that was sold to members of the Jewish community in Egypt in 882, and it was named after Abraham Ibn Ezra, a prominent Jewish religious scholar and philosopher.
