The Sad Tale of the Maghen Abraham Synagogue

The Maghen Abraham Synagogue stands as a key Jewish place of worship in Lebanon.

Situated in Beirut’s Jewish quarter of Wadi Abu Jamil, the synagogue suffered damage from Israeli shelling during Lebanon’s Civil War. In May 2009, restoration work began. By August 2010, renovations were nearly complete, with final touches being added to the interior. Haaretz noted the synagogue was “restored to glory” and “beautifully renovated”. Though reopened, it sustained minor damage in the 2020 Beirut explosions.

A sister synagogue, Congregation Maghen Abraham, exists in Canada.

The Story

Maghen Abraham was built in 1925, funded by Moise Abraham Sassoon of Calcutta, son of Abraham Sassoon, on land given by Isaac Mann. Architect Bindo Manham designed it, with Ezra Benjamin and Joseph Balayla overseeing construction.Josef Farhi, the Jewish community leader, helped raise extra funds for the interior. The synagogue hosted Torah studies, scientific talks, weddings, and other celebrations.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Beirut boasted sixteen synagogues, all well-attended, according to a Lebanese expat who moved to Paris in 2003. Jews enjoyed equal rights with other minorities, and their numbers grew even after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, reaching about 14,000. In 1976, a year into…