Hecht Synagogue, Orthodox synagogue at Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus, Jerusalem, Israel.
Hecht Synagogue is an Orthodox house of worship located on the Hebrew University Mount Scopus campus. The building features white Jerusalem stone construction, a women's gallery, and geometric interior designs that shape the entire prayer space.
The synagogue was established by the family of Mayer Jacob "Chic" Hecht, a Republican U.S. Senator from Nevada and Ambassador to the Bahamas, and was designed by Israeli architect Ram Karmi. It opened officially on 29 June 1981, on the floor above the Faculty of Humanities on the Mount Scopus campus.
The synagogue is named for Meir Yaakov "Chic" Hecht, a Nevada senator and U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas whose family established it. It sits on the floor above the Faculty of Humanities, and its minimalist design places the women's section on the gallery level. Like the campus, it stays closed on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays.
The synagogue sits on the floor above the Faculty of Humanities on the Mount Scopus campus, and it is closed on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays along with the rest of the campus. Plan a visit for a weekday and dress modestly for the prayer space.
The Torah ark is set at an angle rather than facing the window directly, so the huge glass pane frames the Temple Mount and the Old City beside the prayer hall. The building sits on the floor above the Faculty of Humanities, and the women's section occupies the gallery level.
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