The Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center sitting at the heart of Tel Aviv University's campus has been designated a protected historic site by the Council for the Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel, one of Israel's top conservation authorities.
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Completed in 1998, the building is currently the "youngest" in the country to hold this status.
The designation signifies the building's singular qualities – both in its architectural and social aspects – and ensures the physical preservation of the synagogue as a building of historic significance.
An impressive structure with its broad square base rising into two spiraling towers, emblematic of a Torah scroll, the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center is a landmark work of architecture on campus and in Israel. It functions as a synagogue.
The center also serves as an academic and cultural meeting ground and includes a study room and library. Its facilities include an auditorium and museum. Members of the public can use the synagogue as a venue for weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Swiss real estate developer, philanthropist, and university honorary doctor Norbert Cymbalista and his wife, Paulette, commissioned the building. It was devised to house a synagogue and bridge the gaps between religious and secular segments of Israeli society – and between the different denominations of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform – in an academic environment.
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Renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta designed the building. It contains materials and furnishings from around the world, including the Torah ark made of Pakistani onyx stone, golden-hued stone interior walls from Tuscany, black granite flooring from Zimbabwe, brick-red exterior stone from the Italian Dolomites, and a light wood ceiling from Switzerland.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
