Great Synagogue of Europe

Great Synagogue of Europe
Great Synagogue of Europe
Grande synagogue d'Europe (French); Grote Synagoge van Europa (Dutch);
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism
District	Sablon/Zavel
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Albert Guigui
Status	Active
Location
Location	Rue de la Régence / Regentschapsstraat 32; 1000 City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region
Country	Belgium
	Location of the synagogue in Brussels
Geographic coordinates	50°50′20″N 4°21′18″E / 50.83889°N 4.35500°E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Désiré De Keyser [fr]
Type	Synagogue architecture
Style	Romanesque Revival
Groundbreaking	1875
Completed	1878

The Great Synagogue of Europe (French: Grande synagogue d'Europe; Dutch: Grote Synagoge van Europa), formerly known as the Great Synagogue of Brussels (French: Grande synagogue de Bruxelles; Dutch: Grote Synagoge van Brussel), is the main synagogue in Brussels, Belgium, which was dedicated as a focal point for European Jews in 2008.

The building was designed in 1875 in a Romanesque-Byzantine style by the architect Désiré De Keyser [fr] and constructed in 1878. The synagogue survived the Holocaust in which 25,000 Belgian Jews died. Its chief rabbi is Albert Guigui and there are approximately 15,000 persons of Jewish faith in the city (as of 2008).^[1] It is located at 32, rue de la Régence/Regentschapsstraat in the Sablon/Zavel district (south-eastern part of Brussels' city centre). This site is served by the tram stop Petit Sablon/Kleine Zavel (on lines 92 and 93)

History

The synagogue was dedicated as the "Great Synagogue of Europe" on 4 June 2008 by then-President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, and two of Europe's leading rabbis who signed a document of dedication. The ceremony also involved singing by the European Choir and the reading of a "Prayer for Europe." The prayer wished for EU leaders to act justly in creating a "spiritual union" and to ask for happiness for European citizens.^[2] The act was of a more political nature, as in the 19th century, responding to the Age of Enlightenment, Great Synagogues were built in many capitals of Europe to show that Jews were full and free citizens. This is something the Jewish community now wished to show at a European level.^[1] It is hoped that the building will become a focus for Judaism in Europe, as St. Peter's Basilica is for Roman Catholics.^[2]

Anti-semitic incident

On Rosh Hashanah, 18 September 1982, the synagogue was attacked by a man with a submachine gun, seriously wounding four people.^[3]^[4] The attack has been attributed to the Abu Nidal Organization.^[5]