Oslo Synagogue

Orthodox synagogue in Oslo, Norway

59°55′33″N 10°44′34″E / 59.9257029°N 10.7428643°E / 59.9257029; 10.7428643ArchitectureTypeSynagogue architectureStyleNational RomanticismDate established1892 (as a congregation)Completed1920MaterialsBrickWebsitedmt.oslo.no^[1]

The Oslo Synagogue (Norwegian: Synagogen i Oslo) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Oslo, in the St. Hanshaugen region of Norway. The Det Mosaiske Trossamfund congregation was established in 1892, but the present building was erected in 1920.

Architectural historian Carol Herselle Krinsky describes the two-story tall, stuccoed building with a round tower topped with a spire supporting a Star of David as resembling "a simple and charming country chapel.'^[2]

King Harald V and Crown Prince Haakon visited the synagogue in June 2009.^[3]^[4]

History

2006 shooting attack

The synagogue was the site of a 2006 shooting attack, suspected by police to have been perpetrated by four men in a car. No one was injured.^[5] The four allegedly were the 29-year-old criminal-turned-Islamist Arfan Bhatti of Pakistani origin, a 28-year-old Norwegian-Pakistani, a 28-year-old Norwegian of foreign origin, and a 26-year-old Norwegian.^[6] Bhatti was acquitted for terror charges and convicted for co-conspiracy to the shooting (along with several other unrelated charges) which was instead judged as "coarse vandalism".^[7] The three other men were acquitted of all charges.^[8]

Interfaith peace ring

On 21 February 2015, around 1,000 people formed a human "ring of peace" outside the synagogue on Shabbat, to show that they deplore antisemitic violence. The event, which was initiated by a group of young Norwegian Muslims, occurred shortly after a string of terrorist attacks across Europe, including in the Île-de-France attacks in Paris and the Copenhagen shootings. According to organizer Hajrah Arshad, the intent of the ring was to show "that Islam is about love and unity." Zeeshan Abdullah, a co-organizer, stated that "We want to demonstrate that Jews and Muslims do not hate each other...We do not want individuals to define what Islam is for the rest of us...There are many more peace-mongers than warmongers." The crowd of Muslims, Jews, and others held hands in unity as Norway's Chief Rabbi Michael Melchior sang "Eliyahu Hanavi", the traditional song after Havdalah.^[9] The demonstration received international media attention.^[10]^[11] Some media reports stated that possibly only a minority of those present were Muslims. Ervin Kohn, the president of the Norwegian Jewish community, told enquiring reporters that the exact number of Muslims among those present at the demonstration was impossible to quantify.^[12]

References

^ "Synagogue in Oslo". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
^ Synagogues of Europe; Architecture, History, Meaning (revised (1986); Dover reprint, 1996 ed.). MIT Press. 1985. p. 94.
^ "Norway king visits local Jewish community". Y-Net News.
^ "King of Norway visits Jewish community". Jerusalem Post. June 10, 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Synagogue shooting spurs calls for tighter security". Aftenposten.
^ "Israeli embassy target of Oslo synagogue attackers". E J Press. Archived from the original on March 1, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
^ "Bhatti dømt til forvaring". NRK (in Norwegian). February 20, 2009.
^ "Frikjent for terrorplaner". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). June 3, 2008.
^ "Muslims form 'ring of peace' to protect Oslo synagogue". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
^ "Norske muslimers fredsring får bred internasjonal omtale". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). February 21, 2015.
^ Grymer, Torunn; Skille, Øyvind Bye; Kalajdzic, Pedja (February 21, 2015). "1.300 people formed «Ring of Peace» outside Oslo synagogue after young Muslims initiative". NRK (in Norwegian). Retrieved April 1, 2017.
^ "Misinformation mars Oslo interfaith 'peace ring'". The Times of Israel. February 23, 2015.