A media storm broke out in Lebanon over rumors Hizbullah
planned to fund the renovation of the 83-year-old Magen
Avraham Synagogue in the center of Beirut where the Jewish
Quarter used to be. Speculations in various newspapers
focused on the identity of the figures behind the funding of
the project, which was described as "unique."
For now Hizbullah has refused to officially confirm or deny
the report. The Shiite organization's media chief, Hussein
Rachal, said the Lebanese government is responsible for the
matter and if the heads of the Jewish community in Lebanon
contact Hizbullah they would hear his position on the
issue.
According to another rumor Hizbullah and the Siniora
government merely agreed to the renovation plan, which would
be funded by Jewish-American donors of Lebanese descent.
Aschak (Yitzchak) Arazi, who heads the Jewish community, said
the cost of the project was estimated at $1 million and so
far $40,000 in contributions has been raised. He hopes the
shul will reopen next year, saying there are also plans to
renovate the cemetery located in a central part of the city,
where 4,500 Jews lie buried.
A few weeks ago Shmuel Beimond, a Jewish community board
member, told a French news agency the government would allow
the Jews to renovate the stately beis knesses that had
been destroyed. "The Jews of Lebanon are compelled to pray at
home because the synagogue is still in ruins," he said. "The
community school and study hall are also in ruins, so we must
send our children to non-Jewish schools and speak Hebrew only
during prayers."
The Lebanese Jewish community has ancient roots, stretching
back to the aftermath of Churban Bayis Sheini, when Jews are
known to have lived in Sidon and many more came to pray at a
gravesite where Tzefania was said to lie buried. In 1492
Spanish Jews arrived after the Expulsion, settling in Lebanon
and all other parts of the Ottoman Empire.
When the State of Israel was founded in 1948 many Syrian Jews
fled to Lebanon to escape unrest. Most settled in Beirut,
which had 200 Jews in 1830 and 6,000 Jews in 1951.
In the 1930s and 40s Lebanon had a total of 16,000 Jews, who
until 1960 represented 3% of the general population. They
owned businesses in Beirut and ran their own schools. Their
circumstances in Lebanon were good compared to the situation
in other Middle East countries, thanks to a Muslim minority
and good ties with non-Muslim ethnic groups. The Jews of
Mount Lebanon maintained ties with the Druse, who defended
them against rioters, and the Jews of Beirut were on good
terms with the Maronite Christians. In Beirut the Jews set up
a militia called the Jewish Army, comprised of Christian
fighters. The militia was active primarily in the Jewish
Quarter, defending the Jews against attacks.
Until the First Lebanon War in 1982 there were 20,000 Jews
living in Lebanon, mostly in Beirut, Baalbek, Tripoli and
Sidon, but the Israeli invasion brought a wave of attacks
against the Jewish community. After 11 of its leaders were
kidnapped and murdered by Muslim extremists, most of the
Jewish population fled the country.
Today a small number of elderly Jews still reside in Beirut,
mostly in Christian neighborhoods on the east side of the
city, and do not make their religion known publicly.
