A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Instead of writing about our new coalition government and some of its unsavoury ministers I’ve chosen a topic that’s less profane and certainly more sacred. 

I want to add a sequel to the saga of the Basilica of the Annunciation

It seems that the building of the modern church was the catalyst that spurred Israeli government authorities to further the construction of the Upper Nazareth Central Synagogue.

In 1957, a design was proposed for the Central Synagogue in Upper Nazareth, with the aim of providing a religious counterbalance to the churches and mosques in the Nazareth region. Both the basilica and the synagogue were erected by the Israeli construction company Solel Boneh and were inaugurated in 1968 and 1969, respectively.

Upper Nazareth was established as a new development town in 1956. It was an integral part of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s plan to augment the Jewish population in Galilee. In a letter written in 1957, Ben Gurion stated that “the new settlement must be a Jewish town that will assert Jewish presence in the area. Not a suburb of Arab Nazareth, but a separate town in its vicinity.”

In spite of Ben Gurion’s plans and determined efforts, Upper Nazareth has changed from being a majority Jewish town distanced from its neighbour Nazareth to a town/city with a mixed population.

According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics the population of Upper Nazareth in November 2022 (estimate) was 44,174. The increase in population together with other essential attributes was reason enough for it to be recognised as a city. According to an Upper Nazareth municipal publication the religious affiliation of the city’s residents in 2019 was: 55.8% Jews, 28.6% Arabs of whom 18.1% are Christians and 10.5% are Muslims. The missing 15.6% are listed as “Others,” described as Jews according to Israel’s Law of Return, but not according to Halacha.

By contrast, Nazareth has a population of 72,500, making it the largest city in the north of Israel. Incidentally, the Basilica of the Annunciation is claimed to be the largest church in the Middle East.

In 1960, architect Nahum Zolotov’s design for the Central Synagogue was selected from among 58 entries in a competition organised by the construction department of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services.  The competition guidelines stipulated that the synagogue should not compete with Nazareth’s churches in its height or size, but should be a building that serves the best interests of the town, its citizens and the environment. The Synagogue’s outstanding feature should be its simplicity. Yet, despite the difference in size, function, and significance, the synagogue’s design articulates an implicit, yet consistent, architectural and artistic dialogue with the basilica.

This dialogue has motivated a wealth of publications on the topic.

The construction of the monumental basilica in Nazareth impacted the structure and design of the synagogue through a dialectic interplay of visual similarity and separation.

In the synagogue’s design, the impetus to differentiate the building from other religious sites in the region is evident from the inverted concrete dome that covers the building. While the use of exposed concrete reflects a similarity with the Brutalist style that dominates the interior of the Basilica of the Annunciation, the inversion of the dome draws attention to the stark contrast between the synagogue and the church as parallel and yet diametrically opposed buildings. Indeed, architect Nahum Zolotov stated that the inverted dome was intended to distinguish the synagogue from Nazareth’s churches and mosques.

Concrete, steel, glass and local stone - the main materials used by Zolotov – are readily available and affordable. They were ideally suitable for constructing the synagogue at that time. Today, architects and their constructors can select from a wider and more versatile range of materials. Despite the limitations Zolotov chose to innovate with what was available. Instead of a towering building with a flat roof or a traditional dome, he decided to challenge accepted construction technology and build the largest dome ever erected in Israel - and then turn it upside down. A large part of the synagogue was constructed below ground level, thus emphasising the inverted dome which projects above ground level. The main entrance to the synagogue descends through a broad courtyard, further accentuating the protruding inverted dome.

                                               The main entrance to the Nof HaGalil Central Synagogue.

The ever-evolving name of Nazareth Illit demonstrates its increasing efforts to set it apart from the adjacent historical city of Nazareth. Currently, Nof HaGalil (View of Galilee) is the city’s official name.

I’m told that the synagogue has known better days and is hard put to make ends meet. It receives the same budgetary allocation as 50 other synagogues in the city.  As a result, maintenance and repairs are inadequate.   

At this juncture I want to confess that although I have been to Nof HaGalil/Upper Nazareth many times I have never visited the Central Synagogue. The references I have made are from other sources. However, if I have the opportunity, I will visit the synagogue.

I’ll conclude with a brief comment about our new government that was sworn in  last week. It concerns a particularly newsworthy incident that many foreign news outlets picked up on. On Thursday last week the Knesset elected Likud MK Amir Ohana as its speaker, shortly before the confidence vote to inaugurate Israel’s 37th government. Now that’s ground-breaking news in many ways: He was the first openly gay right-wing member of the Knesset and the first openly gay male from Likud to serve in the Knesset. He is also the first openly gay person to be appointed as a minister in the Israeli government and the first openly gay Speaker of the Knesset.

In his acceptance speech Amir Ohana thanked his parents and other family members who were seated in the Knesset gallery, for accepting him “for who I am.”

Ohana promised that the incoming coalition wouldn’t degrade LGBTG rights.

“This Knesset, under the leadership of this speaker, won’t harm them or any other family,” he said in comments directed toward his family.

Noam party incoming deputy minister Avi Maoz, looked away during  Ohana’s speech, as did members of the United Torah Judaism party. Painful as it undoubtedly was, they were obliged to vote with the coalition government, thereby confirming his appointment as Knesset Speaker.

Columnist Ben-Dror Yamini applauded the speech regretting that it was too brief.

” He should have rambled on filibuster-style and made them squirm.”

Just as I was about dispatch this post Justice Minister Yariv Levin dropped a legislative bombshell that would ostensibly manacle the authority of Israel’s High Court of Justice. I’ll try to include it in next week’s post.

Hoping 2023 will be a better year for everyone.

 

Beni                            5^th of January, 2023.