Jerusalem – An impressive edifice in the Jerusalem skyline, it is hard not to notice the magnificent structure of the Belz Great Synagogue located in Kiryat Belz. But while countless visitors to Jerusalem have seen the outside of the replica of the original Shul built by the first Belzer Rebbe in 1834, a much smaller percentage have had the opportunity to tour Israel’s largest synagogue, an architectural marvel with state of the art acoustics with a seating capacity of over 8,000.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Construction of the synagogue was a fifteen year process, the identical amount of time it took to complete the original shul in the Ukraine. The centerpiece of the shul is an eighteen ton hand-carved, Brazilian walnut aron kodesh, measuring more than thirty nine feet high and capable of holding seventy sifrei Torah.
In a fascinating look inside the Belz Synagogue, Belz representative Rabbi Yechezkel Friedman takes blogger Elder of Ziyon on an exclusive video tour of the one of a kind structure.
“The shul is literally awe-inspiring,” Edler of Ziyon told VIN News. “Not only is it a remarkable architectural and artistic achievement, but the forethought that went into the building and each room inside is amazing, both on the spiritual and the practical sides. Everything is designed to enhance one’s closeness to Hashem and to minimize distractions and wasting time, whether it is to place an appropriate number of washing stations or to calculate how many exits there would be to the building. To do that on such a large scale is remarkable.”
WOW! saw the video and its really inspiring.
I davened[raqther my father] in the Belzer Klaus in the Lilienbrunngasse and it was not such an impressive edifice. However when the Bilkamener Rebbe zeicher livrocho said l’dovid mizmor and min hameizer before Tikia Shofer iz hot geshocokelt di neshomo
Dude,
Get A New Camera =!
Why did the Belzer Ruv a’h, only need a rickety wooden chair with no arms but all the other Rebbes need thrones?
Who was the architect that designed the shul?
Very impressed. Wished we had something like this in Texas.
The stick reminds me of the old yeshiva days.
good job.
WOW!!!
SPecial. he did speak a bit to fast.
I’m not a belzer chasik. but am very impressed!
Kol Hakavod.
” … capable of holding seventy sifrei Torah.”
Assuming this shul already owns a substantial quantity of Sifrei Torah (Not necessarily 70, though) how many of them will be used on a regular basis?
By “regular” I do not mean just on Simchat Torah, or summer shabbatot with “double sidrot”.
בכתבי הר”ר מענדל מרימאנאוו זי”ע איתא האיש הנכנס אחר מאה אנשים בבית המדרש אחד הוא בא מהסט”א, (ודברים פליאים הם)
ומעולם לא הבנתי למה צריכים בית המדרש גדול כל כך, מה טובה יש בזה,
הרי יתרו כבר אמר למשה רבינו ע”ה וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכָּל הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שׂנְאֵי בָצַע וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹת: ואחר כך קיבל משה את דבריו כמו שנאמר וַיִּשְׁמַע משֶׁה לְקוֹל חֹתְנוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָמָר:
ולמה לא נעשה אנחנו כמו שעשה משה רבינו ע”ה.
והקושיא הגדולה הוא על הרביס למה לא יחלקו חסידיו שיהי’ חבורות חבורות עם משפיעים ודיינים.
ולהבדיל עם הפאוי”פ עזב את הרבנית שלו, על כל פנים אין אנחנו מבקשים שיעזוב את הרבנית, רק שיעשו חבורות, ואין צריכים בית המדרש גדול כל כך, עד שאין בזה שום נחת רוח להקב”ה יותר מבית המדרש של 100 – 200 אנשים.
הכינוס הגדול בכלל ישראל יהיה בעת התגלות משיח צדקינו בב”א
So now who wants the real temple after this big shul ?
The Rebbi said that this only a temporary shul until the real one is going to come.
amazing….