Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue

Orthodox synagogue in Safed, Israel

Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue

Hebrew: בית הכנסת האר"י האשכנזי

The synagogue, in 2020

Religion
Affiliation| Orthodox Judaism
Rite|

* Kabbalah
* Nusach Ashkenaz

Status| Active
Location
Location| Israel Najara Street, Safed, Northern District
Country| Israel

Location of the synagogue in the northeast of the Northern District

Geographic coordinates| 32°58′07″N 35°29′12″E﻿ / ﻿32.968635°N 35.486655°E﻿ / 32.968635; 35.486655
Architecture
Type| Synagogue architecture
Completed| 16th century
Materials| Stone

The Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת האר"י האשכנזי, romanized: Beit haKnesset haAri haAshkenazi) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on Israel Najara Street, in Safed, in the Northern District of Israel.

Dedicated in memory of Rabbi Isaac Luria, a kabbalist who was known by the Hebrew acronym "the ARI",[1] the synagogue was completed in the late 16th-century, several years after his death in 1572. It may be the oldest synagogue in Israel that is still in use. The synagogue is known for its colorful and ornate Holy Ark.

Though the synagogue is associated by name with the Ashkenazi community, today it serves as a place of worship for both Hasidic and Sephardic Jews and remains popular among worshippers of different affiliations.

Another old Safed synagogue dedicated to Rabbi Isaac Luria is known as the Sephardic Ari Synagogue.

## History

[edit]

The Torah Ark in the synagogue

The synagogue was established by Sephardic immigrants from Greece who arrived in Safed during the sixteenth century. When Rabbi Isaac Luria arrived in 1570, he prayed in this synagogue[dubious - discuss] on the eve of the Shabbat. During the service, he was accustomed to leave the synagogue with his disciples and walk to a nearby field to welcome the Sabbath. Alternatively, this was at the time a forested area at the margin of Safed, and the ARI used to welcome the Sabbath in these forests.[2] The Ari's tradition of welcoming the Sabbath during Kabbalat Shabbat is still echoed in Jewish communities around the world during the singing of Lecha Dodi, when worshippers turn toward the entrance of the synagogue to "greet" the sabbath.

In the eighteenth century, with the arrival of the Hasidim from Eastern Europe, the synagogue came to serve the Ashkenazi community.

The synagogue was destroyed in the Galilee earthquake of 1837, and was rebuilt 20 years later.

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War a bomb is said to have fallen in the courtyard. Shrapnel flew into the synagogue while it was packed with people seeking shelter, yet miraculously no one was hurt. This event is one of many miracles said to have taken place in Safed.

## Description

[edit]

A Hebrew inscription above the entrance lintel reads: "How awe-inspiring is this place, the synagogue of the Ari of blessed memory."

The Holy Ark was carved from olive wood by a craftsman from Galicia in the style of the synagogues of Eastern Europe. It includes an anthropomorphic image of a lion, alluding to Rabbi Luria's acronym Ari, which means lion.

## See also

[edit]

* Judaism portal
* Israel portal

* History of the Jews in Israel
* List of synagogues in Israel

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Avi-Yonah, Michael (June 1973). The Holy Land. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-03-003466-4. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
2. ^ "The Ari-Ashkenazi Shul". Ascent of Safed. n.d. Retrieved September 20, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue at Wikimedia Commons

* "The Ashkenazi HaAri Synagogue". Safed. 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Tourism in Safed

Landmarks and religious sites|

* Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue
* Abuhav Synagogue
* Joseph Caro Synagogue
* Saraya (Safed)
* Citadel of Safed

Museums and galleries|

* Frenkel Frenel Museum
* Beit Castel

Historic neighborhoods and old city|

* Safed Old City
* Artists' Quarter of Safed
* Canaan neighborhood

Nature and parks|

* Mount Meron Nature Reserve
* Ein Ziv Springs
* Birya Forest
* HaAri Ashkenazi Spring

Events and festivals|

* Klezmer Festival
* Ladino Festival

Related|

* Tourism in Israel
* Safed

* v
* t
* e

Synagogues in the State of Israel

Active|

| Central|

* Yeshurun Central (Gedera)
* Great (Petah Tikva)
* Mausoleum of Abu Hurayra (Yavne)

|

Haifa|

* Emet veShalom (Nahariya)
* Ohel Ya'akov (Zikhron Ya'akov)

Jerusalem|

* Ades
* Ari
* Belz Great
* Four Sephardic
* Great
* Hecht
* Heichal Shlomo
* Hurva
* Ohel Yitzchak
* Ohr ha-Chaim
* Old Motza
* Old Yemenite
* Or Zaruaa
* Pressburg
* Rabbi Goldstein
* Ramban
* Shemesh Sedaqah
* Shira Hadasha
* Tzuf Dvash
* Warren's Gate
* Western Wall
* Wilson's Arch
* Zoharei Chama

Northern|

* Or Torah (Acre)
* Abuhav (Safed)
* Ari Ashkenazi (Safed)

Tel Aviv|

* Beit Daniel
* Cymbalista
* Great
* Hechal Yehuda
* Itzkovitch
* Kiryat Ono[clarification needed]

Former|

| Inactive (still standing)|

* Peki'in
* Ramchal (Acre) (now a mosque)
* Shfaram Ancient
* Old synagogues of Tiberias

|

Destroyed or in ruins
(no longer standing)|

* Anim
* Arbel
* Beth Alpha
* Capernaum
* Chorazin
* Hammat Tiberias
* Hurvat Amudim
* Kfar Bar'am
* Kfar Hananiah
* Khirbet Shema
* Maon
* Maoz Haim
* Migdal
* Nabratein
* Shem and Eber Cave
* Susya
* Tzippori

* Under restoration
* Tiferet Yisrael
* Umm el-Qanatir

* List of synagogues
* Jews and Judaism
* Category
* Ancient synagogues in the Land of Israel
* Synagogues in occupied territories beyond the Green Line

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Israel

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template