Temple Beth-El (Casablanca)
Orthodox synagogue in Casablanca, Morocco
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Temple Beth-El (Hebrew: בית הכנסת בית־אל, romanized: Béit hak'néset Bēṯ-ʾEl, lit. 'Synagogue of the House of God'; Arabic: معبد بيت إيل, romanized: Maʿbad bayt ʾĪl, lit. 'Temple of the House of El') also called Beit-El or the Algerian Temple,[a][1] is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue in the Sidi Belyout district of Casablanca, Morocco.
| Beth-El Synagogue | |
|---|---|
The synagogue interior, in 2017 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Sefard |
| Synagogue | |
| Leadership | Rabbi J. Azuelos |
| Status | Active |
Notable artworks | Marc Chagall-inspired stained glass windows |
| Location | |
| Location | 67, Rue Jaber ben Hayane (ex. Verlet Hanus), Sidi Belyout, Casablanca |
| Country | Morocco |
  Location of the synagogue in Greater Casablanca | |
| Coordinates | 33°35′48.54″N 7°37′46.74″W |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1949 |
| Capacity | 500 worshippers |
Overview
While Casablanca has more than 30 synagogues,[2][3][b] Beth-El is often considered the center piece of a once vibrant Jewish community. Its Marc Chagall-inspired stained glass windows[5] and other artistic elements, attract tourists to the synagogue.[6][7][1]
History
It was established in 1949 by Algerian Jewish immigrants.[8] Maurice Bengio led a mixed-gender choir that sang during weddings and certain holidays in the 1960s and 1970s, but it was cancelled after Eastern European rabbinic emissaries from a Hasidic community in Brooklyn pressured the leadership of the synagogue.[8]
The temple was completely refurbished in 1997.[9]
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