Antakya Synagogue

The Antakya Synagogue is a former Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 56 Kurtuluş Caddesi, in Antakya, in the Hatay Province of Turkey, near the border with Syria. Built in 1890, the synagogue was used as a place of worship until it was severely damaged in the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes.

The synagogue served the few remaining members of the once thriving, 2,300-year-old Jewish community of ancient Antioch (largely composed of descendants of Syrian Jews^[2]), and which was one of the world's oldest Jewish communities, that by 2014, had shrunk to fewer than 20 members.^[3][4][5]

The building was erected in 1890. Because Antakya is north of Jerusalem, the synagogue is built with the Torah Ark on the southern wall in a semi-circular apse.^[6]

The synagogue was badly damaged in the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes.^[7] The leaders of the Jewish community were also killed in the earthquake, and the entire Jewish community, numbering 14 members, was evacuated from Antakya.^[8][9]

1. ^ "Synagogue in Antakya". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
2. ^ Bar'el, Zvi (August 12, 2013). "Head of tiny Jewish community in Turkey: There's no love between Israeli citizens". Haaretz.
3. ^ Chudakoff, Danya (May 14, 2014). "Turkey's Jewish community longs for the past: With only 18 members remaining, Antakya's Jewish community struggles to hold onto its rich history and culture". Al Jazeera.
4. ^ Ghermezian, Shirin (May 19, 2014). "Only 18 Members Remain in 2,300-Year-Old Turkish Jewish Community Following Political, Economic Turmoil". Algemeiner Journal.
5. ^ Kaplan, Michael (October 28, 2014). "Jews Spent Centuries in Antakya, Turkey. Now, There's Only 17 Left". The Jewish Daily Forward.
6. ^ Zack, Joel A. (2008). Historic synagogues of Turkey. American Sephardi Federation. p. 188.
7. ^ "Turkey earthquake: 2500-year-old Jewish presence in Antakya may come to an end". Middle East Eye. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
8. ^ Berban, Lazar (February 16, 2023). "14 Jews rescued from devastated Turkish city of Antakya, given shelter in Istanbul". Times of Israel.
9. ^ "Antakya Jewish Community was also Destroyed by the Earthquake". Şalom. February 13, 2023.

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