In an emotional closing of the circle, the Tiferet Yisrael shul in Beit Shemesh was rededicated Wednesday night, just 48 hours before Rosh Hashanah.
The shul was completely destroyed months ago after being struck by a missile during a tragic attack that claimed the lives of nine Beit Shemesh residents. Following the destruction, accelerated reconstruction work was carried out to allow mispallelim to return to the shul for the upcoming Yom Tov.
The rededication ceremony was attended by Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg, Deputy Mayor Moshe Shitrit, Deputy Mayor Nati Gabai, city council members Eden Ben Shitrit and Avi Arנטרוי, City Manager Eliad Avramchik, members of the bereaved families, the shul’s gabbaim and others involved in the rebuilding effort.
A mezuzah was affixed to the entrance, followed by a Mincha minyan. The mezuzah was placed by Tzion Revach, a gabbai of the shul and the father of Gabriel Revach z”l, who was killed in the disaster.
Revach was personally involved in the rebuilding process, working together with city officials to speed up construction, bring in the necessary equipment and furniture, and install the Aron Kodesh so that the shul could reopen as quickly as possible.
The project was completed in cooperation with the bereaved families, the shul’s gabbaim, the Beit Shemesh Municipality and the city’s professional departments. The goal was to finish the work before Rosh Hashanah and enable residents to begin the new year in the shul where they had davened for decades.
Mayor Greenberg said, “Several weeks ago, we promised that the shul would be ready for Rosh Hashanah, and today, 48 hours before the holiday, we completed the mission. The rebuilding of the shul is proof that no one will break us. No one will break the Jewish people.”
“I want to thank my aide Yishai Asher, who took this project personally, Deputy Mayor Moshe Shitrit, Deputy Mayor Nati Gabai, the emergency team, the operations director and everyone who took part in the work, as well as the shul’s gabbaim, who worked together with us to rebuild the shul,” he added.
Tzion Revach said, “This is a day of celebration. We have restored the shul to its former glory—the shul that stood here for 70 years. The mayor joined the project and completed it in record time. It is extremely moving for me, and this is our rebuilding after the terrible tragedy that claimed the life of my son, Gabriel, Hashem yikom damo.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
