Eliyahu Hanavi/Elijah the Prophet Synagogue was originally built in Nabi Daniel St in Alexandria in the C14th. But I am surprised that the historians not know where it was, at least until restoration work revealed the remains of an older synagogue beneath the C19th structure?
With the inevitable destruction that came with the passage of time, war damage from Napoleonic armies and local riots, the building had to be re-built in 1850. This C19th version of the synagogue was monumental, exactly as we would expect from an 1850s Italian architect working for Baron Yacoub Levi de Menashe and with contributions from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. Originally located in what were the outskirts of the city, the synagogue now stands in the heart of beautiful Alexandria, in el-Mansheya Square.
Under British influence (1882-1922-1956), and under King Fuad I (reigned 1922-36), Egypt was friendly towards its Jewish population. Jews played important roles in the mercantile economy, and their population climbed to c90,000, in response to increasing persecution in Europe. Half of the 90,000 Jews lived in Alexandria.
![]()
![]()
The central aisle is defined by marble pillars on both sides.
![]()
The ark, holding all the holy scrolls,
is surrounded by menorah lamps
![]()
Men's pews, still with the brass name plates
Under the supervision of the Antiquities Ministry, the Egyptians paid for emergency repairs and then for the complete restoration of Eliyahu Hanavi. The government’s renovation initiative brought attention to the importance of the synagogue to the World Monuments Fund, a New York-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites, which allocated millions of dollars to restore eight Jewish sites in Egypt. Appropriately this synagogue went straight onto the World Monuments Fund's 2018 list of monuments-at-risk.
Because the entire Jewish population of Egypt in 2017 could sit together in a small Fiat 500 car, it is unclear how much pressure the local Jewish community provided on the Egyptian government. But there certainly were requests from organisations of Jews who had emigrated from Egypt in 1956-7, and their children. Generations of Jews had loved Egypt, spoke French at home and Arabic at work, and were integral parts of the merchant economy. Those communities absolutely had to be commemorated, and their property and synagogues respected.
This entire process was a great sign of growing interest by the Egyptian authorities in the preservation of minority groups’ heritage, a symbol of Egypt’s historical plurality and religious freedom. But who will pray, marry or be bar mitzva’d in the now beautiful Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue – just overseas tourists and consular staff? The organisations of ex-pat Egyptians have proposed to the Egyptian government a new Museum, to protect and display the community’s legacy in Egypt. Perhaps Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue will also become the home of the Jewish Museum.
This weekend marked the largest Jewish prayer gathering in Egypt for decades. 180 Jews of Egyptian origin flew to the land of their fathers for a Sabbath dedicated to the newly restored synagogue. The highlight of the day was when 12 of the synagogue’s original Torah scrolls were taken out and emotionally paraded throughout the hall. The 12 Torah scrolls were in honour of the 12 tribes of Israel.
With the inevitable destruction that came with the passage of time, war damage from Napoleonic armies and local riots, the building had to be re-built in 1850. This C19th version of the synagogue was monumental, exactly as we would expect from an 1850s Italian architect working for Baron Yacoub Levi de Menashe and with contributions from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. Originally located in what were the outskirts of the city, the synagogue now stands in the heart of beautiful Alexandria, in el-Mansheya Square.
Under British influence (1882-1922-1956), and under King Fuad I (reigned 1922-36), Egypt was friendly towards its Jewish population. Jews played important roles in the mercantile economy, and their population climbed to c90,000, in response to increasing persecution in Europe. Half of the 90,000 Jews lived in Alexandria.
Pass through fancy wrought iron gates, walk through the formal garden
and approach the front entrance to the synagoguge.
In Oct 1956, after the conflict with Britain, France and Israel in the Suez Crisis, President Gamal Abdel Nasser expressed a surge of nationalism. He introduced sweeping regulations, abolishing civil liberties and allowing the state to strip away Egyptian citizenship from any group. When the Jews were forced to leave Egypt in 1956-7, they moved to Israel and other countries, leaving behind heaps of synagogues and historical artefacts. The expelled citizens were allowed to take only one suitcase and a small sum of cash, and were forced to donate their property before emigrating.
My daughter-in-law’s entire family had lived a cosmopolitan life in Alexandria, with nice houses, plenty of synagogues and successful trading between Egypt, Greece and Italy. They would never have left Alexandria voluntarily, but they were nonetheless grateful to Australia for giving them a safe home in 1957.
Eliyahu Hanavi was one of two extant synagogues in Alexandria, where there had once been 12 thriving communities. This building could seat 700 worshipers and was the last functioning synagogue in Egypt, until it had to be closed on security grounds in 2012. It might have been one of the largest Jewish buildings in the Middle East, but after some of its roof collapsed, the synagogue remained exposed to the elements; rainwater seeped into the walls and floors. Only immediate repairs prevented it from becoming a danger, particularly for the women who sat upstairs.
Peaceful relations between Egypt and Israel have occurred since 1977, when President Anwar Sadat visited Israel. But Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani didn’t get to tour a number of archaeological sites in Alexandria until 2017. In a press release, the Minister noted that the Egyptian government was interested in preserving all of the country's monuments and heritage, be they Islamic, Pharaonic, Jewish or Coptic. He ordered structural and architectural reinforcement to the synagogue, restoration of the main façades, ornate walls, wood and copper elements, and lighting. The marble columns, which are still beautiful, marked out the seating space and the brass name plates are still affixed to the pews of the regular male worshippers.
The restoration of Eliyahu Hanavi was a clear sign of the local authorities’ growing interest in the preservation of minority groups’ heritage, a symbol of Egypt’s historical pluralism. It reflected a time when diverse communities lived together in a spirit of religious freedom.
My daughter-in-law’s entire family had lived a cosmopolitan life in Alexandria, with nice houses, plenty of synagogues and successful trading between Egypt, Greece and Italy. They would never have left Alexandria voluntarily, but they were nonetheless grateful to Australia for giving them a safe home in 1957.
Eliyahu Hanavi was one of two extant synagogues in Alexandria, where there had once been 12 thriving communities. This building could seat 700 worshipers and was the last functioning synagogue in Egypt, until it had to be closed on security grounds in 2012. It might have been one of the largest Jewish buildings in the Middle East, but after some of its roof collapsed, the synagogue remained exposed to the elements; rainwater seeped into the walls and floors. Only immediate repairs prevented it from becoming a danger, particularly for the women who sat upstairs.
Peaceful relations between Egypt and Israel have occurred since 1977, when President Anwar Sadat visited Israel. But Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani didn’t get to tour a number of archaeological sites in Alexandria until 2017. In a press release, the Minister noted that the Egyptian government was interested in preserving all of the country's monuments and heritage, be they Islamic, Pharaonic, Jewish or Coptic. He ordered structural and architectural reinforcement to the synagogue, restoration of the main façades, ornate walls, wood and copper elements, and lighting. The marble columns, which are still beautiful, marked out the seating space and the brass name plates are still affixed to the pews of the regular male worshippers.
The restoration of Eliyahu Hanavi was a clear sign of the local authorities’ growing interest in the preservation of minority groups’ heritage, a symbol of Egypt’s historical pluralism. It reflected a time when diverse communities lived together in a spirit of religious freedom.
is surrounded by menorah lamps
Under the supervision of the Antiquities Ministry, the Egyptians paid for emergency repairs and then for the complete restoration of Eliyahu Hanavi. The government’s renovation initiative brought attention to the importance of the synagogue to the World Monuments Fund, a New York-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites, which allocated millions of dollars to restore eight Jewish sites in Egypt. Appropriately this synagogue went straight onto the World Monuments Fund's 2018 list of monuments-at-risk.
Because the entire Jewish population of Egypt in 2017 could sit together in a small Fiat 500 car, it is unclear how much pressure the local Jewish community provided on the Egyptian government. But there certainly were requests from organisations of Jews who had emigrated from Egypt in 1956-7, and their children. Generations of Jews had loved Egypt, spoke French at home and Arabic at work, and were integral parts of the merchant economy. Those communities absolutely had to be commemorated, and their property and synagogues respected.
This entire process was a great sign of growing interest by the Egyptian authorities in the preservation of minority groups’ heritage, a symbol of Egypt’s historical plurality and religious freedom. But who will pray, marry or be bar mitzva’d in the now beautiful Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue – just overseas tourists and consular staff? The organisations of ex-pat Egyptians have proposed to the Egyptian government a new Museum, to protect and display the community’s legacy in Egypt. Perhaps Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue will also become the home of the Jewish Museum.
This weekend marked the largest Jewish prayer gathering in Egypt for decades. 180 Jews of Egyptian origin flew to the land of their fathers for a Sabbath dedicated to the newly restored synagogue. The highlight of the day was when 12 of the synagogue’s original Torah scrolls were taken out and emotionally paraded throughout the hall. The 12 Torah scrolls were in honour of the 12 tribes of Israel.