(JHE) — Cleanup and first-stage rescue work at the long-ruined Forasteros (Orahim or Kedosha) synagogue in Izmir will soon begin, funded by a €67,000 grant from the German Foreign Ministry.
Izmir Jewish Heritage said work on the building — today a roofless shell — will begin “in the coming weeks.”
It said the work will entail “complete cleaning, excavating to the original floor and building of a temporary roof to reduce deterioration caused by climate and other conditions.”
The synagogue is believed to have been originally built in the 17th century, but was reconstructed in the early 18th century after being destroyed by an earthquake in 1688.
It is one of nine synagogues in central Izmir that form a unique complex. Work has been going on for several years now to revitalize these synagogues and develop the complex as a Jewish museum and educational and visitors’ center.
A report provided to JHE by Izmir Jewish Heritage detailed the dire condition of the building.
Due to the lack of roof cover, it said,
serious destruction and deterioration occurred in the main bearing walls of the building, especially due to external factors (rain, weather conditions, etc.). The direct exposure of the area to external influences has also created a serious vegetation problem. The fact that it has been used for different purposes over time and unqualified additions and interventions made during this use have unfortunately damaged the structure. Contrary to the original function of the building, meaningless wall coverings and partitions caused an increase in the deterioration of the building.
It summarized urgently needed rescue work in several categories:
Cleaning of Vegetation in and around the building
Clearing of Debris and Rubble
Removing Additions such as: ceramic wall coverings, partition walls, concrete work benches and cement plaster, joint applications made in the synagogue used for different purposes over time.
Unblocking and Clearing out the Basement (which is currently non accessible due to debris)
Conservation, Protection and Safeguarding of threatened surfaces and structures
Constructing a Protective Steel Roof (similar to that recently installed at the nearby Talmud Torah/Hevra Synagogue)
As we reported in November 2020, a broad, three-year project to sustain Jewish community and heritage in Izmir received a half-million euro grant from the EU.
The grant totals €523,000 — that is, €497,220.98 awarded under the European Commission program “Support to Civil Society Networks and Platforms in Turkey,” with the condition that the remaining 5 percent (€26,000) be provided by the Izmir Jewish Community Foundation.
The project initiated August 1, 2020 and is to last 36 months. The funding is to support restorations of synagogues, publication of books, and other activities aimed at strengthening the status of the Jewish Community in Izmir through culture.
See a detailed photo documentation of the Forasteros synagogue from the Center for Jewish Art, 2017
Read our November 2020 article, with details of the Hevra and Etz Hayim synagogue restorations