Neve Shalom Synagogue

Neve Shalom Synagogue



Called the "Oasis of Peace" or the "Valley of Peace," the Neve Shalom Synagogue is located on Büyük Hendek Street in the Galata Kuledibi district of Istanbul. Marsel Franko, a Jewish community leader, renovated the gym of the “First Coeducational Jewish School” to be used as a synagogue. It was opened during Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) on September 26, 1938. However, due to the lack of the necessary legal permission, the Istanbul Governorship subsequently decided to return it to its former state.






In 1949, all the necessary legal permissions were obtained, and the project’s development began. Among all the projects prepared for the synagogue’s construction of the, those of Elio Ventura and Bernard Motola, who had recently graduated from Istanbul Technical University, were accepted. After much struggle, the building was open for religious services on March 25, 1951.






The ceiling structure of the synagogue is a dome. The architectural calculations for the dome were made from Badin, a famous architecture, and its dome was crafted by Garbis Usta, a famous papier-maché master. The stained glass windows of the synagogue were drawn at the State Fine Arts Academy in Istanbul, and the special glasses used in the sanctuary were imported from England. The marble floor covering is made of onyx.






Neve Shalom has suffered three terrorist attacks: September 6, 1986; March 1, 1992, and November 15, 2003.