The building that today serves as the synagogue was formerly a church on the premises of the St. Louis Mission to the Holy Land.
By REUVEN GAFNI
The building that today serves as the synagogue of Kehilat Moreshet Yisrael was formerly a church on the premises of the St. Louis Mission to the Holy Land. In 1972, the entire property was acquired by two donors, members of the Conservative Movement, with the objective of acquainting Israeli-born Jews with the Conservative (Masorti) form of prayers. To that end, they donated the property to the United Synagogue of America, and within a few years it became the center of the Masorti Movement in Jerusalem.
The synagogue was established on the premises formerly occupied by the church; in fact, until not too long ago its furnishings were those of the former church. Interior decoration of the synagogue's main prayer hall was originally done with construction materials and wooden beams imported from the US. In 2004 the synagogue underwent a thorough renovation. This included installation of six stained-glass windows, each of which portrays one of the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
What catches the eye at the entrance to the synagogue is a mosaic bearing its name and the Burning Bush, the symbol of the Conservative Movement. The synagogue's location in the very center of Jerusalem continues to attract visits by individuals and groups.
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