Bushaif Synagogue, Jewish synagogue in Zeitan, Israel.
Bushaif Synagogue is a place of worship in Zeitan that combines traditional religious requirements with modern architectural design. The building is laid out to serve the local congregation during prayer services and community events.
The original Bushaif Synagogue stood in Zliten, Libya; according to researcher Ofer Regev it was founded by the wealthy Bushaif family after the death of its patriarch, and it burned in 1870, after which the Turkish sultan ordered it rebuilt at the expense of Zliten's Muslim population. The cornerstone of this replica in Zeitan was laid during Sukkot 1966, and contractor Amos Duan built it as a copy of the Zliten building.
The synagogue is named after Bushaif, whom Libyan Jewish tradition holds to be a righteous woman of the Second Temple era, daughter of Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest, credited with mystical healing powers. Twice a year, at Sukkot and Lag BaOmer, Libyan Jews hold a hilula here with a stage and an orchestra of Libyan musicians, food stalls, and a room for lighting candles and oil. The custom began at the original synagogue in Zliten, Libya, and continues in this building. The Libyan Jewish song "Al-Ada Ya Tarabulsia" by Shlomo Wald Wasi calls on the community to "zuru Bushaif" — visit Bushaif.
The synagogue stands in Moshav Zeitan, near Lod, and is reached by road from the Lod area; the building serves the Libyan Jewish community and hosts the annual hillula, so visits are easiest around the Sukkot and Lag BaOmer celebrations. The interior was renovated in recent years, with the ark and the bimah replaced.
The synagogue is named after Bushaif, whom Libyan Jewish tradition recalls as a righteous woman of the Second Temple era, daughter of Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest and credited with mystical healing powers. A Libyan song, "Al-Ada ya Tarabulsia" by Shlomo Wald Wasi, calls on the community to "zuru Bushaif" — visit Bushaif.
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