Tel Aviv. Sephardic Synagogue

Image from the book: Jewish Palestine: A Celebration of the Yishuv

The Ohel Moed or Great Sephardi Synagogue is located on Shadal Street, just north of Yehuda Ha-Levi Street. It was designed by the firm of Joseph Berlin (1877–1952) and Richard Pacovský (1887–1968). Berlin, who originally came from Mogilev (Mahilyow, now Belarus), trained and initially worked as an architect in St Petersburg before making aliyah in 1921. He set up the joint practice with Pacovský, who trained as a civil engineer in Prague, after two years working as chief architect in the Histadrut’s Public Works Office. As we saw, he also drew up the plans for the Mograbi Opera. With the construction of the cupola still to go, work on the synagogue was interrupted in 1928 because funds initially ran out. The synagogue was eventually inaugurated in 1931. The imposing cupola that once dominated the neighbourhood is now dwarfed by the high-rise business premises surrounding it.

L. A. Robitschek. Published and printed by TMUNA Jerusalem P. O. B. 221. Printed in Palestine.