One of Tel Aviv's most impressive and elegant buildings will be getting a facelift: the Great Synagogue on Allenby Street is to be restored and renovated.
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The Tel Aviv Foundation announced that the project was made possible by a $20 million donation from the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation, to be matched by the Tel Aviv Municipality.
Architect Uri Padan, a specialist in the conservation of historical buildings, will head the project, set to begin in about a year and a half. The synagogue is expected to reopen in 2025.
The renovation will restore the building's original 1920s appearance. The dome atop the synagogue will be revealed, and three of the four colonnades surrounding it will be demolished. The renovated synagogue will also include a new visitors' center.
The project is being advanced by the Tel Aviv Yafo Municipality. In addition to renovating the synagogue itself, its square, presently used as a parking lot, will be turned into a municipal square open to the public. The new square will be attuned to the building's character and surroundings.
The idea of building Tel Aviv's first synagogue arose in 1909, but took 21 years to realize. The synagogue's appearance and character were influenced over the years by a range of styles, each reflecting the construction stages and the period's architectural trends, from Orientalism to Modernism. In its first years, the synagogue served as a gathering place and a cultural center for the residents of the young city.
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After the establishment of the state, and as Tel Aviv grew, it lost its central status and was nearly abandoned. In the 1960s, the building was renovated by architects Abba Elhanani and Nissan Canaan, in an attempt to lend it a more modern look.
Dr. Hila Oren, CEO of the Tel Aviv Foundation: "The Municipality will match the donation, as we always do. Our collaboration with the Darhi Foundation in renovating the Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv illustrates the importance of cooperation between philanthropic organizations and the municipality in preserving the First Hebrew City."
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