The historic Yemenite synagogue in the eastern Jerusalem village of Silwan, also known as Kfar Shiloach, is currently undergoing renovations. It was built by Jewish immigrants who settled on the slopes of the Mt. of Olives in the late nineteenth century. Following the Arab uprisings of 1938, the Jews fled the village and the synagogue which has not been used as a house of worship since then.
Ateret Cohanim is financing the building’s renovations after an Arab family was evicted last year. The Supreme Court ruled that the Abu Nab family were squatting there illegally. It is estimated that some 500 Israeli Jews currently live in Silwan among 45,000 Palestinian Arabs. There have been several security incidents in the village which have created tension between the two communities.
Prof. Moshe Amirav gave a briefing on the history of the neighborhood.
