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Negev & South
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THE RAMBAN SYNAGOGUE
Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, the Ramban, reached The Holy City in 1267. He was forced to leave his native Spain as a result of his triumph
in the famous disputation with Pablo Christiani and other Catholic priests. Upon arrival he wrote his son and described Jerusalem as wretched and desolate. The neglect was due largely to the struggle and defeat of the Crusaders by the MAMELUKES, Moslem rulers from Egypt. This was followed by a brief Tatar conquest, resulting in added destruction. Be that as it may, Jerusalem in the Ramban's time was void of any functioning synagogue!With permission from the authorities, the Ramban chose an abandoned building, covered by a dome supported on four pillars to establish a synagogue. Now the two remaining Jews of the Old City could expect new arrivals from all over to increase the Jewish population of the Old City. This we know from a letter to his son.
In the 15th century, forced to vacate and increased in number, the Jews relocated the Synagogue to another site. This building, long and narrow, divided down the center by 5 columns, is the present day "traditional" Ramban Synagogue of the Jewish Quarter.
During the 16th century the synagogue was confiscated by the Moslems and turned into a workshop. By the turn of the 19th century, it was being used as a cheese factory. During the period from 1949 till 1967, the locals had used it as a goat and sheep pen. It was restored and renovated after the 6 day war of 1967. It has taken the place of it's neighbor, THE HURVA as the main synagogue of the Jewish Quarter.
Ancient Jerusalem
The Western Wall
The Herodian Quarter
The Cardo
The Citadel
Ophel Excavations
Broad Wall
Burnt House
Western Wall Tunnels
Synagogues
The Ramban Synagogue
The Hurva Synagogue
The 4 Sephardic Synagogues
The Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue
The City of David
Area G
Warren's Shaft
Gihon Spring
Hezekiah's Tunnel
Mishkenot
Shaananim
Machaneh Yisrael
Nahalat Shiva
Meah Shearim
Yemin Moshe
JERUSALEM HIGHLIGHTS
Museums
Yad Vashem
Israel Museum
Bible Lands Museum
Tower of David
Government
The Knesset
The Supreme Court
City Hall
Historical Sites
The Mount of Olives
The City of David