We are pleased to share an illustrated report by the Izmir Jewish Heritage project, summarising the restoration work carried out on the various synagogues that comprise the Jewish complex and which will be administered by the Izmir Jewish Visitors’ Center. The project is led by the Jewish Community Foundation of Izmir in Turkey and its local project team.
The report shows before and after photos of the sites, and provides basic information as to their current uses. On JHE we have made regular posts about the progress on individual synagogues.
The report states:
“İzmir Jewish Heritage Visitor Center” is being gradually formed through conservation of the historical synagogues.
The visitor center encloses 9 synagogues, built in the past centuries with typical Sephardic architectural style. Each synagogue tells a unique story of its own. Walking from one synagogue to another, the visitor is absorbed into an authentic historical and cultural journey, set in the social context of the old Jewish district.
Over the last decade, we have succeeded in restoring/conserving 3 out of 5 synagogues that faced complete collapse.
Currently, we are taking 2 more synagogues under protection in order to make the whole site accessible to visitors.Furthermore, our architects will make ready the implementation plans for these 2 synagogues by the end of Summer 2023.