Pinkas MiBeith Elo-him...Beith Ya'akov HaBanui LeTalpioth al Churvath R. Yehuda HaChassid

Pinkas of the legendary Churvah Synagogue, Jerusalem. Founded by the followers of Yehudah HaChassid who arrived in Eretz Israel in 1700, the Churva Synagogue was destroyed in 1721 and subsequently lay in ruins until 1864 when the Aschkenazic Perushim Community rebuilt it. Baron Alphonse de Rothschild (1827-1905) laid the corner-stone and it was renamed "Beith Ya'akov" in honor of Alphonse's father, James (Ya'akov) de Rothschild. Nonetheless, it remained popularly known as the Churvah ("ruined") Synagogue. The center of Aschkenazi life - it housed Shmuel Salant's Eitz Chaim Yeshiva - it was considered the most beautiful synagogue throughout the Land of Israel and was a focal point of Jewish spiritual life in Jerusalem until it was reduced to rubble by the Arab Legion during the 1948 Israel War of Independence. In the year 2000 construction commenced to rebuild the Churvah in its 19th-century style. It was rededicated on March 15th, 2010 with Chief Rabbi Simchah HaKohen Kook appointed Grand Rabbi. This Pinkas commences with a finely composed letter of introduction signed by the Gabba'im of the Churvah Synagogue (Aaron Brockenstein and Yoel Moshe Solomon) empowering Yaakov Yehudah Reichman and Yosef Binder to collect funds for the beautification of the synagogue, in order to "gladden the hearts of all those that dwell in Jerusalem." This is followed by a testimonial signed by the Dayanim Chaim Yaakov Shapiro of Kovno, Shaul Elchanan (?) and Aryeh Leib, Safra DeDayana (Secretary of the Beth Din) officially affirming Reichman and Binder's appointment. A six-page section towards the end of the ledger describes expenditures for the furnishing and upkeep of the synagogue for the year 1896. The ledger contains much local infornation. Listed among the donors and supporters of the Churvah are many celebrated personages of the Aschkenazic community of Jerusalem, including: Rabbis Chaim Sonnenfeld, Samuel Salant, Beinush Salant, Zundel Salant, Chaim Michel Michlin and Dr. Moshe Wallach. Others are mentioned by their title or profession: The Maggid of Prosla, R. Yoseph, the owner of the Mikveh, the Shamash of the Rabbi of Lublin, the Shochet of Chabad, as well as many other tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, teachers and scribes. Many sobriquets refer to the country of origin: R. Betzalel bar Yitzchak of America and R. Chaim bar David of Africa. Also represented are members of the Rivlin, Porush, Levy and Hamburger families. - All clearly evident of the diversity of the Aschkenazic Community of Jerusalem in terms of countries of origin and professions. See Gafni, Morgenstern & Cassuto (Eds.) HaChurvah (Jerusalem, 2010)