Ben Ezra Synagogue

Name: Cairo Top Tours
Address: Egypt - Giza - Al-Ahram St.5th Hassan Said St. from Ahram St Giza P.O. Box 6, Egypt, EG
Telephone: +201022772955
Price range: 40$

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Ben Ezra Synagogue

05 16, 2023

Synagogue of Ben Ezra

The specific founding date of the Ben Ezra Synagogue is unclear, however, evidence from geniza documents indicates it was around prior to 882 CE and possibly before the Islamic era. In 882, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church sold a church and its property to a Jewish group, causing certain 19th-century academics to speculate that this occasion led to the creation of Ben Ezra. However, the buyers backed the Talmudic schools in Babylonia, whereas Ben Ezra followed the teachings of the rival Talmudic schools in Syria Palaestina. Modern academics agree that the 882 land deal involved a competing religious institution. There is limited information regarding the original structure. In approximately 1012, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the Fatimid calipha, ordered the destruction of all Jewish and Christian places of worship. The Ben Ezra Synagogue was torn down, and its bricks and timber were sold for scrap.

Construction of the second building took place in the 11th century and was completed in 1168.

Between the years 1025 and 1040, al-Zahir li-i'zaz Din Allah, the following caliph, approved the repair of Christian and Jewish institutions, resulting in the rebuilding of the synagogue. Studying a carved wooden Torah ark door, linked to the synagogue, sheds light on the synagogue's renovation history. The door is jointly owned by the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore and the Yeshiva University Museum in New York. Radiocarbon dating has verified that the wood originates from the 11th century CE.

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Egypt Tours FAQ

Read top Egypt tours FAQs

The Ben Ezra Synagogue is situated in the Fustat region of Old Cairo, Egypt. It is a Jewish place of worship. Originally a Coptic church, it was sold to the Jewish community in 882 AD. Subsequently, the synagogue was destroyed and reconstructed between 1025 and 1040, specifically during the Fatimid era.

The Ben Ezra synagogue is a special place that is connected to a smart person from a long time ago named Moses Maimonides. In the 1800s, people found a big collection of old papers there that tell us a lot about what life was like for Jewish people in the past. It's like finding a hidden treasure!

The Coptic Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while most religious sites are open in the mornings for mass and during select afternoons for tours.

Ben Ezra Synagogue features a blend of architectural styles, including Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish influences. Visitors can explore the synagogue's interior, which includes a prayer hall, Torah ark, and a geniza (storeroom) where sacred texts and documents were stored.

Yes, Egypt boasts numerous luxurious resorts and health spas offering relaxation services and various treatments.

Originally a Christian church, the Synagogue was purchased by Abraham Ibn Ezra of Jerusalem in 882 for 20,000 dinars when the annual taxes levied by the Muslim rulers during the reign of Ahmed Ibn Tulun increased. From that point on, the church became a Jewish synagogue.

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