Etz Ahayim Synagogue
Changes After Construction:
- The synagogue suffered major damage in the fires of 1703 and 1813.
- The synagogue was completely destroyed in the fire that broke out on the night of 1 October 1941; the 1825 marble ehal was preserved.
- The present synagogue building was formed by combining the two midrash buildings in the garden (Midrash Haverim and Midrash Tehilim).
- After the restoration works, the building was reopened for worship on 20 March 1994 with the Minha prayer.
Prominent Features:
- The name “Etz Ahayim” means “Tree of Life” in Hebrew.
- The marble ehal was commissioned by the Camondo Family in 1825 and survived the 1941 fire intact.
- There were midrash buildings in the synagogue garden where daily worship was conducted.
- The building is located in Ortaköy and was registered as a protected monument by the decision dated 27 November 1960.
