Synagogue

Red light for synagogues; green light for events halls

Interior Minister orders preparations for outdoor prayer in small quorums on High Holidays, while events may have up to 500 attendees.

'Budget shed' features stained glass from a synagogue's windows

Welsh synagogue’s stained glass windows resurface in British man’s backyard shed.

100-year old LA synagogue given $14.9 mil state renovation grant

East LA's Breed Sreet Shul was once center of Jewish life in the city until community moved elsewhere and it fell into disrepair.

A once-majestic Bulgarian synagogue is granted new life

A dilapidated Bulgarian synagogue will become a cultural center — and lifeline for a dwindling community.

Ohio synagogue’s lawyer: Zoning case not about ‘public safety’

Lawyer for Aleksander Shul alleges that Cleveland suburb and its mayor used city building codes to keep synagogue from operating.

'The ghosts of Manhattan': Bot shows where synagogues used to be

A 20-year-old college student in Texas is mapping every Manhattan address that used to be a synagogue.

World Org of Synagogues: Prepare ground for outside prayer

With children aged 12 and below now asked to provide negative Corona results, synagogues are preparing to return to outside services.

Beit Shemesh synagogue demolished - with Torah scroll inside

'Even if the city needed to evacuate the synagogue, care should have been taken to respect the Torah scroll,' Beit Shemesh resident says.

Bnei Brak: Swastikas graffitied on Religious Zionist synagogue

Vandals deface Bnei Brak synagogue with swastikas, throw objects at entrance.

Historic Scottish synagogue to feature Jewish heritage center

Center in 19th century Glasgow synagogue will feature history and stories of Scotland's Jewish community.

Delta variant forcing synagogues to re-evaluate holiday plans

Synagogues made COVID-safe High Holiday plans. Then came the Delta variant.

London synagogue whose history dates back to 1867 closing

Historic South London Synagogue closing its doors due to aging and dwindling membership and lack of local Jewish community in the area.

Poway synagogue shooter pleads guilty, receives life sentence

Shooter who killed one and injured three during Passover in 2019 still faces federal charges, under which the death penalty may be sought.

'A single law for theaters and synagogues'

Religious Affairs Ministry formulating plan for synagogues during holiday season, promises single standard for all venues.

California to fund restoration of 106-year old synagogue

Breed Street Shul in Boyle Heights was founded in 1915 by Easter European Jews but fell out of use after WWII when community moved away.

Bread spread out at synagogue on Tisha B'Av fast

Worshippers shocked to find rolls of bread all over entrance to synagogue on saddest fast day of Jewish calendar.

Decrepit synagogue, once used as a church, is being redesigned

A law professor and artist are transforming a decrepit former South Side Chicago synagogue into a green community space.

German synagogue restored thanks to interfaith efforts

In a German city with 30 Jews, a restored Art Deco synagogue will house interfaith efforts.

Ohio city closes synagogue for violating building, zoning codes

After ongoing dispute with city, owner of Aleksander Shul now faces $65,000 fine and four years probation for alleged code violations.

Thief returns to the scene of the crime - and is caught

Arab who entered Israel illegally returns to scene of electronics theft - and is caught.

Explosive device detonates outside Queens synagogue

No one hurt after driver of van tosses explosive device that lands outside Shaare Tova Synagogue.

Jerusalem synagogue evacuated due to fire

Rabbi Rafi Feuerstein's National Religious synagogue evacuated due to fire. Residents say they saw person starting fire deliberately.

Connecting communities between Israel and the Diaspora

Arutz Sheva speaks to Noa Lewis of the Connecting Communities project as well as two rabbis whose communities now share a connection.

How did Diaspora communities survive Covid-19?

Arutz Sheva talks with Rabbi Shalom Axelrod of Young Israel of Woodmere and Rabbi Jaron Engelmayer, Chief Rabbi of Vienna.

Watch: Returning to the Synagogues - Special online conference

Arutz Sheva hosts online conference as diaspora Jewish communities return to synagogues which were locked down in wake of Covid-19

Post-COVID return to synagogues: The women's angle

Panel discussion with Orly Goldklang of Makor Rishon and Ofra Lax from B'Sheva on how it will feel to once again pray indoors.

Jerusalem Chief Rabbi: Return to the synagogues

Rabbi Shlomo Amar criticizes people who continue to pray in the street after COVID restrictions on synagogues have been lifted.

Swastika discovered on ark at Frankfurt airport synagogue

Synagogue ark in German airport defaced with swastika during COVID closure.

Decades after its destruction, Hungarian synagogue reopens

Hungarian synagogue reopens as Jewish cultural center 150 years after its founding, decades after Holocaust destruction.

Arabs infiltrate Jewish town, set fire to synagogue

Arab terrorists infiltrate Oz Zion, attempt to set its synagogue on fire.

Pro-Israel signs at two Maryland synagogues vandalized

Signs had been up for years before being defaced. Both synagogues plan on putting up new pro-Israel signs.

Objects thrown through windows of LA synagogue and kosher eatery

Friday morning, anti-Semitic hate crimes took place at Young Israel of Century City and nearby Pat's Restaurant. Investigation is ongoing.

67-year old Jewish man punched in front of Brooklyn synagogue

20-year old attacker also yells anti-Semitic insults, arrested nearby, charged with hate crime assault.

Synagogue door smashed with "small boulder" in Tucson, Arizona

Rock thrown through door leaves visible hole and smashed glass, local Jewish politician and congregation member in shock at the news.

Pro-Palestinian activists vandalize Illinois synagogue

Damage to synagogue in Skokie being investigated as a hate crime. Two suspects caught on camera.

Givat Ze'ev: For some victims, it was the second time

United Hatzalah volunteers who were at the scene of the bleachers collapse: "We heard a lot of screaming for help from people inside"

Australian city's bike path “an assault on the Jewish community”

Glen Eira's “safe cycling corridor” cuts through road with three synagogues who fear that plan will put accessibility in jeopardy.

Outrage after Bronx synagogue vandal freed without bail

Dov Hikind, former NY State Assemblyman, denounces court’s decision as sending a “horrible message.”

Top Army chaplain dedicates Torah at Fort Bliss synagogue

After three-month renovation of base's synagogue, the US Army's top chaplain dedicates Torah scroll at Fort Bliss.

Rubber bullet smashes synagogue window in Germany

No suspects in custody after rubber bullets fired at Germany synagogue.

Four synagogues in the Bronx targeted by rock throwers

New York Police investigating after four synagogues in the Bronx were targeted in a series of rock-throwing attacks.

Rare ‘fortress synagogue’ returns to Jewish ownership in Ukraine

Ukrainian town pledges to return to Jewish ownership remnants of 17th-century synagogue that Nazis partially destroyed and Soviets took over

Report: Libyan synagogue was taken over without permission

Ancient synagogue in Libya being turned into Islamic center, Jewish group says.

In Chicago, a synagogue's congregation worry for its future

Future in question for Chicago Loop Synagogue and its monumental stained-glass window.

Symbolic Synagogue unveiled on site of Nazi Massacre

Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center unveils first Jewish prayer space at Babyn Yar, site of massacre of 33,771 Jews.

Fires blaze at synagogues in central Israel

Holy Ark in Bnei Brak synagogue is burned just minutes before Ramat Gan synagogue goes up in flames.

“Return us to You, G-d, and we will return" to the Synagogues

After a year of living under the shadow of COVID, G-d is calling us to return to our shuls with joy and thanksgiving.

Europe: Synagogues sold for next to nothing

In Eastern Europe, historic synagogues are sold for the price of a used car.

Roof collapses on 18th-century former synagogue in Ukraine

Large parts of historic synagogue in Brody, Ukraine, collapse. 'If no changes take place, we'll lose a unique monument,' Jewish group says.

Synagogue organization: 'Don't forget the children'

World Synagogue Organization calls for continued outdoor prayers, suggests giving under-16s key roles in leading outdoor prayer sessions.

NJ teen confesses to plot to vandalize Midwestern synagogues

Neo-Nazi group 'The Base' was run by 19-year-old New Jersey man, who plotted attacks on at least 2 synagogues in Midwest.

'Don't enter the synagogue if you're not vaccinated'

'Prayers of someone who enters synagogue without meeting criteria are completely worthless,' head of synagogue association says.

Chabad rabbi: 'Those who spread fake news cause bloodshed'

Rabbi Yaroslavsky, one of the leading Chabad rabbis in Israel, says those not vaccinated against coronavirus may not attend synagogue.

'We won't allow lifting restrictions without opening synagogues'

MK Yitzhak Pindrus says coronavirus restrictions are still necessary, but synagogues should reopen the way cultural centers are reopening.

'Open synagogues with Green Passport plan'

Ahead of the Purim holiday, World Synagogue Organization calls on Israeli government to reopen synagogues, ensure public health.

London: Firebomb thrown near Golders Green synagogue

Police close road around synagogue after suspicious man appears with Molotov Cocktail.

Marc Chagall's synagogue up for sale by municipality

In Belarus, Marc Chagall’s synagogue is for sale to anyone willing to restore it.

Montreal police close down synagogues

Police claim too many worshippers were present in the building; the community says they complied with guidelines.

2 synagogues vandalized in central Israel

Vandals desecrate Torah scrolls after breaking into synagogues in Petah Tikva. 'This cannot be tolerated.'

Synagogue east of London to be turned into cultural center

High-profile donors save synagogue whose tiny congregation can no longer afford its upkeep, turning building into cultural center.