Grand Synagogue

The Grand Synagogue is the oldest preserved Jewish sanctuary in Romania, built in 1671 at the initiative of Rabbi Nathan Hannover. The synagogue couldn’t have been larger than the nearby churches, but the Jewish law mentioned that it must to be the most imposing building in the Jewish district. The solution was to build it a meter under the ground, transposing a psalter verse into architecture. In 1914, the 10m-high grand cupola was added, which features the Star of David on top. The sober exterior is in contrast to the richly adorned interior. The sculpted wooden panel, painted and gilded, and which frames the Aron Kodesh (the altar), represents a true work of art, dated 1864. An obelisk that commemorates the June 1941 Pogrom of Iași can be seen in the Romanian-Israeli Friendship Square in front of the building. (PHOTO : Odetta Marilena CARNECI ANDARACHE)