The Jerusalem Great Synagogue, Main synagogue in King George Street, Jerusalem, Israel.

The Jerusalem Great Synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue at 56 King George Street, next to Heichal Shlomo. Its light beige stone facade has a central bay of five tall stained-glass windows with blue, red and purple patterns, set between pale stone mullions. Above the dark metal entrance grille, an inscription reads "THE JERUSALEM GREAT SYNAGOGUE" in Hebrew and English, and two blue-and-white flags flank the doors.

Plans for a central Jerusalem synagogue were raised in 1923 by Chief Rabbis Abraham Kook and Jacob Meir. The cornerstone was laid in June 1969, and the building, sponsored by Sir Isaac Wolfson, was inaugurated on Tu B'Av 1982. It was dedicated to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and to fallen IDF soldiers.

The main sanctuary was planned as an Ashkenazi synagogue, with the prayer rite and the professional cantors following Ashkenazi practice. Seating reverses the usual Ashkenazi layout: worshippers face the Torah reading platform with their backs to the wall, a Sephardic arrangement chosen to unite the different communities. A small ground-floor synagogue, Hazon Ovadia, serves the Sephardic rite and is named for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who prayed there every Shabbat.

The interior is organized according to Orthodox Jewish tradition, with separate seating areas for men and women in different sections. Visitors should wear modest clothing and observe rules for quiet and respect, especially during prayer times.

The lobby displays an extensive collection of mezuzah cases from different periods and styles of Jewish religious craftsmanship. These objects offer visitors a rare look at the handmade diversity and aesthetic traditions behind these ritual items.