Ramat-Gan, 26 April 2005.
Dear Sir,
Let me introduce myself, … my name is Elie Patan, member of the council preparing the next congress of the Jews from Egypt, which will take place next year, in Haifa, July 2006.
I am also the Webmaster of its website: http://www.wcje.net/
I read with great interest the
article: The end of the
Exodus from Egypt. By Amiram Barkat
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/568073.html
Would you please forward this document to M. Amiram Barkat.
M. Barkat began his article with: “Outside it looks like a ruin, … “. He is right, but after you see the following pictures, you’ll realize that the ruin is also “Inside”.
I am referring to the Cairo Synagogue Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, the Rambam, in “Haret El Yahoud”.
We called it simply “Keniss Rav Moshe”.
It was a holy place for thousands of people, who came to pray and ask the Rabbi’s help for their serious daily problems. I remember my grandmother going there, and sleeping in the hall, near the place where he was buried, before his bones were transferred to Tiberias.
I am not the “writing” guy, … but I deal with graphics, … That’s why I gathered a lot of pictures about the Egyptian Synagogues, and published them in our website: http://www.wcje.net/photos.htm
It’s a pity that our heritage in Egypt has come to such a sad and disastrous end.
Please… please… you write so well, and can help searching and finding a solution.
In your first article, you described the disastrous situation, ... please continue.
I am sure that situation must and can change. A lot of Jews want to help, … they just must be informed, … Information is the key word.
And good people of the media must help to reach them.
As the preservation and restoration work of the “Ezra” synagogue in “Fostat”, has been done by Phyllis Lambert, … a lot of work is waiting to be done, for preserving and safeguarding other places of our cultural and religious heritage.
We need you, people of the “Media” to write, inform, explain, persuade and reach the maximum number of people who want to help.
I am a fervent believer that: “ a picture is better than thousand words”.
The following photos, speak for themselves.
THE HOLY ARK
OF CAIRO RAV MOSHE MAIMON
(RAMBAM) SYNAGOGUE,
During
the glorious days.
1948.
The
former place, where The Rambam, was buried.
He died in 1204 in Cairo,
and according to the accepted tradition,
his bones were transferred to Tiberias for burial.
THE HEYKHAL
“Aron
Hakodesh”
Still
in good shape,
After
the roof collapsed
1993.
THE HEYKHAL
“Aron
Hakodesh”
THE
HOLY ARK
As it is today …
Desolation,
… 2005.
Water, sewage and stench inside
The Synagogue Rav Moshe
“HARAMBAM”. Cairo-2005
Photo
: Uri Lenz
Those pictures, speak for themselves.
They represent and show the actual situation of our heritage,
after a glorious past of more than two thousands years.
PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL,
JOIN US TO RESTORE
AND SAFEGUARD.