The Great Synagogue of Urmia

Hidden within the heart of Urmia lies a relic of profound cultural heritage—the Great Synagogue—an emblem of a once-thriving Jewish community. Once a vibrant center of worship, the Great Synagogue served as the last remaining synagogue for the city’s Jews.

The Jewish community lived in Urmia until the early 1980s, when the last family migrated. Until that time, the Great Synagogue was actively used for religious ceremonies, especially for Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

History of Jewish Presence in Urmia

Before World War I

According to research, Prior to World War I, during the Qajar era, the city accommodated a Jewish population of over 2,800 with more than eight synagogues to support their religious and cultural obligations.

World War I

The outbreak of World War I, along with the invasion and conflicts between the Russian Cossack forces and the Ottoman Turkish forces, caused significant insecurity in the northern regions neighboring Iran. As a result, a number of Jews decided to migrate across the border to the cities of Tabriz and Urmia. Later, with the expansion of insecurity in the 1940s in Iran’s Azerbaijan region, many Jewish families migrated to safer parts of the country, especially to the capital.

Founding of the Great Synagogue

Jewish trade with Urmia

Due to its proximity to Russia, Turkey, and Iraq, Urmia has always held a special commercial position. Situated along the trade routes of the Caucasus, Mesopotamia (Mian Rudan), and Asia Minor, and being home to Iran’s largest lake, Lake Urmia (formerly Lake Reza’iyeh), Urmia has played a significant role in commerce since ancient times. As a result, the city has been a major trade center for centuries, and Jews have traveled to the city for trade over the years.

First Jewish synagogue in Urmia

The Great Synagogue of Urmia was founded in the 1900s, during the reign of Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, by the generosity of “Meir Abdollah Khan Hakim” and his wife “Maral” of Urmia’s Jewish community. They covered all the expenses for the synagogue, including the purchase of land and construction costs. In over two years, the synagogue building was ready for inauguration.

Meir and Maral’s Professions

Meir Abdollah Khan Hakim was a skilled physician at the Qajar court. The title “Khan” was bestowed upon him by Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar for his expertise in medicine.

Meir’s wife, Maral, was the daughter of Sheikh Haruni, who later founded the Haruni Synagogue in Urmia. She initially worked as her husband’s assistant in treating trachoma, which is a type of eye disease. Her proficiency in this area grew to such an extent that she personally became responsible for ‎treating trachoma patients in Urmia and its surrounding areas. She was also an active figure in public welfare works, especially among women.

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2014

Notable Features of the Great Synagogue of Urmia

Stone tablets and artifacts

One of the notable features of the Great Synagogue of Urmia is the presence of four carved stone tablets in Hebrew, dating back to 1749. According to historical accounts, an earthquake struck the Urmia region in 1891, causing significant damage to several buildings, including a few older synagogues. These older synagogues were so severely damaged that they could not be repaired. Artifacts such as Babylonian Torah scrolls and the four stone tablets were moved to the Great Synagogue to preserve the memory of the destroyed synagogues. These items were placed on the southern side of the building, flanking the portico.

It is said that each tablet belonged to one synagogue and was installed in Urmia Synagogue as a commemoration after the destruction of those synagogues.

The engraved text consists of verses from the Torah or Psalms that were traditionally inscribed above the entrance doors or over the Hekhal (Torah Ark).

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2015
The remaining volume of Torah scrolls

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2014

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2014
Mishkan’s platform and Mishkan’s roof and canopy: the location of Pishnamaz

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2014

Architectural Features

The Great Synagogue of Urmia features a rectangular floor plan. The floor is covered with square bricks, and the ceiling is constructed using wooden beams and tiles. Torah verses are inscribed in embossed Hebrew calligraphy at the center and top of the synagogue’s ceiling, adding a touch of majesty to the space. The eight-sided wind tower, also adorned with Hebrew calligraphy, serves both as a ventilation system to cool the synagogue and as a skylight, showering the interior with sufficientnatural light from sunrise to sunset.

Current Condition

Following the Islamic Revolution in 1979, many Jews from Urmia migrated to Tehran or left Iran altogether. As a result, the Urmia Synagogue fell into disuse. The Torah scrolls previously kept in the synagogue were moved to other synagogues in various Iranian cities. Over time, due to the absence of maintenance and care, the Great Synagogue has gradually deteriorated, becoming a deserted place of worship.

Urmia Great Synagogue summer 2014

The engraved text consists of verses from the Torah or Psalms that were traditionally inscribed above the entrance doors or over the Hekhal (Torah Ark).

Psalm 118:19-20

פתחו לי שערי צדק אבו בם אודה י_ ה

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and praise the Lord.

זה השער ל. ה צדיקים יבואו בו

This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.

מה נורא המקום הזה………………..

How awe-inspiring and holy is this place! Is this not the house of the Lord? This is the gate of heaven.

An inscription at the bottom of the stone tablet appears to contain the date תקט, which can be interpreted as התקט, equivalent to the Hebrew year 5509. This corresponds to the Gregorian year 1748.

Remnants of the engraved stone inscription from the year 1749 AD, the Great Synagogue of Urmia, Summer 2014.