Renovations for Magen Avraham Synagogue were reportedly paid for by donors from communities of several religions in Beirut.
By JPOST.COM STAFFBeirut's Magen Avraham Synagogue(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Beirut's Magen Avraham Synagogue is due to reopen its doors after extensive renovations, according to a report by Israel Radio.The current structure was destroyed by Israeli shelling during the Lebanon Wars.Many Jewish residents of Lebanon subsequently emigrated following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 fearing reprisals.Magen Avraham Synagogue is the Lebanese capital's only synagogue. It is located in Beirut's former Jewish district, Wadi Abu Jamil.The synagogue's predecessor was destroyed in an earthquake which shook Beirut in 502 CE.Judaism is one of 18 religious sects officially recognized in Lebanon. The country’s Jewish population peaked at around 20,000 at the turn of the last century, but today numbers only a few dozen – almost all in Beirut.
