Oslo Synagogue

The Oslo Synagogue (Norwegian: Synagogen i Oslo) is a synagogue in Oslo, Norway. The 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.'[1]

Det Mosaiske Trossamfund
Exterior of the synagogue in Oslo, note concrete barriers
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
RegionSt. Hanshaugen
Location
LocationBergstien 13, 0172 Oslo, Norway
Geographic coordinates59.9257029°N 10.7428643°E / 59.9257029; 10.7428643
Website
www.dmt.oslo.no

King Harald V and Crown Prince Haakon visited the synagogue in June, 2009.[2][3]

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.[4] 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.[5]

Bhatti was acquitted for terror charges, but still convicted for co-conspiracy to the shooting (along with several other unrelated charges) which was instead judged as "coarse vandalism".[6] The three other men were acquitted of all charges.[7]

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.[8] The demonstration received international media attention.[9][10] 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.[11]

See also

References
  1. Synagogues of Europe; Architecture, History, Meaning, MIT Press, 1985; revised edition, MIT Press, 1986; Dover reprint, 1996, p. 94
  2. Norway king visits local Jewish community
  3. Jun 10, 2009, Jerusalem Post, King of Norway visits Jewish community
  4. Synagogue shooting spurs calls for tighter security, Aftenposten English edition
  5. "Israeli embassy target of Oslo synagogue attackers". Archived from the original on 2007-03-01. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
  6. "Bhatti dømt til forvaring" (in Norwegian). NRK. 20 February 2009.
  7. "Frikjent for terrorplaner". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 3 June 2008.
  8. "Muslims form 'ring of peace' to protect Oslo synagogue". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  9. 21 Feb 2015, VG, Norske muslimers fredsring får bred internasjonal omtale
  10. Grymer, Torunn; Skille, Øyvind Bye; Kalajdzic, Pedja (21 February 2015). "1.300 people formed «Ring of Peace» outside Oslo synagogue after young Muslims initiative". NRK. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  11. "Misinformation mars Oslo interfaith 'peace ring'". The Times of Israel. 23 February 2015.
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