Great Synagogue (Gibraltar)

Synagogue in Gibraltar

For similarly named synagogues, see Great Synagogue (disambiguation).

For other uses of "Shaar Hashamayim", see Shaar Hashamayim (disambiguation).

Great Synagogue of Gibraltar
(Kahal Kadosh Sha'ar HaShamayim)

* Ladino: Esnoga Grande
* (Hebrew: קהל קדוש שער השמיים)
* (Ladino: Esnoga Sha'ar Hashamayim)

Torah ark in the synagogue, early 20th century

Religion
Affiliation| Orthodox Judaism
Rite| Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organizational status| Synagogue
Status| Active
Location
Location| 47/49 Engineer Lane, Gibraltar, British Overseas Territories
Country| United Kingdom

Location of the synagogue in Gibraltar

Geographic coordinates| 36°08′31″N 5°21′09″W﻿ / ﻿36.141828°N 5.352511°W﻿ / 36.141828; -5.352511
Architecture
Type| Synagogue architecture
Style| Regency
Founder| Rabbi Isaac Nieto
Date established| 1724 (as a congregation)
Groundbreaking| 1724
Completed| 1812
[1][2][3]

The Great Synagogue of Gibraltar (Ladino: Esnoga Grande), also known as Kahal Kadosh Sha'ar HaShamayim[a] (Hebrew: קהל קדוש שער השמיים, lit. 'Holy Congregation Gate of Heaven'; Ladino: Esnoga Sha'ar Hashamayim), is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It was the first synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula to operate following the Jewish expulsions from Spain and Portugal in 1492 and 1497 respectively.[4] Completed in the 1720s, it is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in Gibraltar[5][6] and is Gibraltar's principal synagogue.[7]

## History

[edit]

The Sha'ar HaShamayim congregation was founded in 1724[b] by Isaac Nieto from London. Nieto was also the first Rabbi to lead the congregation[9][11] and was one of the Jewish merchants who settled in Gibraltar in the early eighteenth century. During the 1727 Siege of Gibraltar, he was Gibraltar's sole importer of food supplies from Morocco.[3] Following the death of his father in 1728, Nieto returned to London where, in 1732, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of the Bevis Marks Synagogue.[2] His partner James Argatt became the beneficiary of his decision to leave Gibraltar; the monopoly of Moroccan food imports was transferred to him.[3]

The synagogue was inaugurated in 1724 on a plot of land granted to the Jews by the then Governor of Gibraltar, Richard Kane. Having been rebuilt several times, the present building largely dates from 1812, completed in the Regency style,[5] and shares features in common with the parent Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam (1675) and Bevis Marks Synagogue (1701).[12]

The entrance to the original building was on Synagogue Lane, now Serfaty's Passage.

Following its destruction in the storm of 30 December 1766, a larger synagogue was rebuilt at the same site in 1768, but with an entrance on Engineer Lane. The second building was also destroyed during attacks by the Spanish on 17 May 1781. A third building was constructed after the conclusion of the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

In 1812, that version of the synagogue was damaged by fire and had to be partially rebuilt. The current vaulted ceiling of the synagogue dates from that 1812 renovation.[3][7] The synagogue at 47/49 Engineer Lane has colourful tiles, marble floors, wrought iron spindles, and wooden furniture.[13] The façade of the two-and-a-half-storey, domestic-scale building features round-arched windows flanking a round-arched doorway.[14]

The building is listed under the Heritage and Antiquities Act.[5]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Main entrance to the synagogue

* Window of the synagogue with Hebrew and English writing

* Inside the synagogue

## See also

[edit]

* Gibraltar portal
* Judaism portal

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

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Also: Qahal Kadosh Sha'ar ha-Shamayim.
2. ^ However, there is substantial disagreement between authorities as to whether the synagogue was built in 1723-4[3][8] or 1749.[9][6][10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Sha'ar Hashamayim Synagogue, Gibraltar". Jewish Communities & Records UK. JewishGen and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain. 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
2. ^ a b "Judaic Treasures of the Library of Congress: The First Translations". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
3. ^ a b c d e Benady, Tito (July 2009). "The Synagogues of Gibraltar" (PDF). Rock Talk: Friends of Gibraltar (2): 14–15. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
4. ^ "Official Government of Gibraltar London Website". Archived from the original on 6 March 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
5. ^ a b c "Sha'ar HaShamayim Synagogue Engineer Lane". Heritage and Antiquities Act: Listings. HM Government of Gibraltar. Ministry of Heritage. 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
6. ^ a b "The Jewish Community of Gibraltar". European Jewish Congress. 17 April 2006. Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
7. ^ a b "Synagogues". Gibraltar Jewish Community. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
8. ^ Benady, Tito. "Communal History". jewishgibraltar.com. Gibraltar Jewish Community. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
9. ^ a b "The Jews of Gibraltar". Manfred and Anne Lehmann Foundation. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
10. ^ Hassan, Isaac (2005). Gibraltar Heritage Journal: special edition to commemorate the Gibraltar Exhibition at the Jewish Museum, London, 2004. Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society. p. 85\. ISBN 9780955025501. Retrieved 2 September 2012 - via Google Books.
11. ^ Williams, Jonathan (18 December 2008). "A True Rock of Ages". Jewish Exponent. Jewish Publishing Group. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
12. ^ "Gibraltar Jewish Heritage". Jewish Heritage UK. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
13. ^ "Virtual Jewish History Tour". jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
14. ^ Kadish, Sharman (2007). Jewish Heritage in Gibraltar: An Architectural Guide. Reading, UK: Spire Books. p. 42.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Great Synagogue, Gibraltar at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

Buildings and structures in Gibraltar

Grade A listed|

* Moorish Castle
* Napier of Magdala Battery
* Nun's Well
* Parson's Lodge Battery
* Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
* Trafalgar Cemetery

Grade B listed|

* Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
* The Convent
* Garrison Library
* Great Synagogue
* Moorish Baths
* Parliament
* St. Jago's Arch

Demolished|

* Devil's Tower
* Rosia Water Tanks
* O'Hara's Tower
* Theatre Royal

Government|

* 6 Convent Place
* City Hall
* Gibraltar House
* Gibraltar Savings Bank
* Parliament
* John Mackintosh Hall
* Main Guard
* Royal Gibraltar Post Office
* The Mount
* Victualling Yard
* Gibraltar Archives

Hospitals|

* King George V Hospital
* St Bernard's Hospital
* Royal Naval Hospital

Hotels|

* Bristol Hotel
* Caleta Palace Hotel
* The Cannon Hotel
* O'Callaghan Eliott Hotel
* Queen's Hotel
* The Rock Hotel

Lighthouses|

* Europa Point Lighthouse
* Gibraltar Aerobeacon
* Detached Mole ("B" Head) Lighthouse
* Detached Mole ("C" Head) Lighthouse
* North Mole Elbow Lighthouse
* North Mole Lighthouse
* South Mole Lighthouse

Moles|

* Detached Mole
* North Mole
* South Mole

Monuments and memorials|

* American War Memorial
* Cradle of History Monument
* Gibraltar War Memorial
* Pillars of Hercules Monument
* Gibraltar Cross of Sacrifice

Museums|

* Gibraltar Museum

Religious|

* Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
* Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
* Great Synagogue
* Other synagogues
* Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque
* Methodist Church
* Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
* St. Andrew's Church
* Trafalgar Cemetery
* Jews' Gate Cemetery
* King's Chapel
* Loreto Convent
* North Front Cemetery
* Our Lady of Sorrows Church
* Sacred Heart Church
* St. Bernard's Church
* St. Joseph's Church
* St. Paul's Church
* St. Theresa's Church

Education|

* Gibraltar College
* Gibraltar Public School
* Bayside Comprehensive School
* Westside School
* Christian Brothers School
* Talmud Torah Hebrew School
* University of Gibraltar

Transport|

* Cable Car
* Gibraltar Cruise Terminal
* Gibraltar International Airport

* Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club

Batteries, Bastions and Walls|

* Breakneck Battery
* Charles V Wall
* Devil's Gap Battery
* King's Bastion
* Flat Bastion
* Flat Bastion Magazine
* Levant Battery
* Line Wall Curtain
* Lord Airey's Battery
* Middle Hill Battery
* Moorish Wall
* North Bastion, Gibraltar
* O'Hara's Battery
* Princess Amelia's Battery
* Princess Anne's Battery
* Princess Caroline's Battery
* Princess Royal's Battery
* Rock Gun Battery
* South Bastion, Gibraltar
* Southport Gates
* Spur Battery

‹ The template below (Gibraltar topics) is being considered for merging with Culture of Gibraltar. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. ›

* v
* t
* e

Gibraltar topics

History

* Neanderthals in Gibraltar
* Timeline (sieges)
* Pillars of Hercules
* First Siege of Gibraltar
* Battle of Gibraltar
* Capture of Gibraltar
* George Rooke
* Treaty of Utrecht
* Thirteenth Siege of Gibraltar
* Great Siege
* George Augustus Eliott
* Gibraltar real (currency)
* World War II
* Nationality
* Genoese in Gibraltar
* Maltese in Gibraltar
* Explosion of the RFA Bedenham
* Operation Flavius (Death on the Rock)
* Aurora incident
* New Flame incident
* Fedra incident
* COVID-19

Geography

| General|

* Climate
* Geology
* Azores–Gibraltar transform fault
* Gibraltar Arc
* Iberian Peninsula

|

Environment|

* Birds
* Mammals
* Barbary macaques
* Reptiles and amphibians
* Candytuft (Iberis gibraltarica)
* Botanic Gardens
* Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS)
* Wildlife Park

Places|

| Natural|

* Bay of Gibraltar
* Catalan Bay
* Eastern Beach
* Gorham's Cave
* Rock of Gibraltar
* St. Michael's Cave
* Sandy Bay
* Strait of Gibraltar
* Vanguard Cave
* Windmill Hill

|

Built|

* Bristol Hotel
* City Hall
* The Convent
* Garrison Library
* King George V Hospital
* Moorish Castle
* The Rock Hotel
* St. Bernard's Hospital

Politics and Government

| General|

* Constitution Order
* 1969
* 2006
* Law
* court system
* LGBT rights
* Passport
* Political development in modern Gibraltar

|

People|

* Chief Minister
* Governor
* Mayor

Political issues|

* Black Swan Project controversy
* Disputed status
* isthmus
* Elections
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023
* Parliament
* Speaker
* Political parties
* Sovereignty referendums
* 1967
* 2002
* EU referendum
* European Union (Referendum) Act 2016 (Gibraltar)

Military|

* British Forces Gibraltar
* Gibraltar Defence Police
* Gibraltar Squadron
* Napier of Magdala Battery
* RAF Gibraltar
* Royal Gibraltar Police
* Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Economy

| General|

* Banks
* Gibraltar pound
* coins
* Stock Exchange
* Taxation
* Tourism

|

Communications|

* .gi (Internet domain)
* Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation
* Gibraltar Chronicle
* Gibtelecom
* Panorama
* Regulatory Authority
* Royal Gibraltar Post Office
* postage stamps and history
* postal orders
* Study Circle
* Telephone numbers

Transport|

* Airport
* Cable car
* Gibraltar–Spain border
* Shipping in Gibraltar
* Vehicle registration plates

Culture

| General|

* Cuisine
* Education
* Bayside Comprehensive School
* Westside School
* University of Gibraltar
* Miss Gibraltar
* Music
* Llévame Donde Nací
* Gibraltar Fair
* National Day
* Public holidays
* Scouting and Guiding in Gibraltar

|

Demographics|

* Gibraltarians
* list
* in the UK
* Gibraltarian status
* Languages
* English
* Llanito

Religion|

| Christianity|

* Anglicanism
* Diocese in Europe
* Bishop diocesan
* Bishop suffragan
* Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
* St. Andrew's Church (Church of Scotland)
* Methodism
* Roman Catholicism
* Diocese
* Bishop
* Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned
* Our Lady of Europe
* Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
* Trafalgar Cemetery

|

Other faiths|

* Hinduism
* Islam
* Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque
* Judaism
* Great Synagogue
* other synagogues

Sport|

| By sport|

* Basketball
* Cricket
* national team
* Cycling
* Field hockey
* national team
* Football
* Football Association
* national team
* Rugby union
* national team
* Campo Gibraltar RUFC

|

* Commonwealth Games
* Island Games
* Records in athletics
* Victoria Stadium

Symbols|

* Anthem
* Coat of arms
* Official flag
* other flags

* Category
* Commons
* Portal
* WikiProject

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