House of Prayer

The etymological meaning of the word “synagogue” in Hebrew is “the house of assembly”, although you can claim that two additional meanings are hidden internally: study and prayer.

The Yedidia Community Synagogue, located on Lifshitz Street in Jerusalem, is a meeting point designed to serve these three purposes (assembly, study, praying) for the sake of the Yedidia Community, on all its humane, multifaceted special components.

The predominant inspiration source of the synagogue’s circular design is the unique wrapping movement of the tallit during the prayer. Functionality-wise, a series of curves in the building create an acoustic resonance box, which amplifies the cantor’s prayer voice.

At sunset, an upper light penetrates the space due west and symbols the beginning of a new day in the Jewish culture. The Holy Ark, placed on a glass wall, faces the Western Wall and is shown against the background of the Jerusalem sky.

The ramp is made of a constructive glass profile and enables male and female worshipers to ascend in a ceremonial procession from the entrance to the prayer hall. Also, it serves as a buffer between the inner and outer walls, emphasizing the difference between the unholy and holy.

One of our guiding principles was to create a design that enables women and men to sit together. Therefore, if necessary, we installed a mobile fabric partition to create a separation.

In order to blend in with the urban environment, we worked on several development works installed in front of the building’s facade.

All the furniture and construction details were adapted to ensure access to those with restricted mobility. Accordingly, the building has also served for many years as a community center for people with disabilities.