The following information about the Sinagoga
(Synagogue) Israelita do Brás of São Paulo, Brazil, was researched by
Myriam Rosenblit Szwarcbart and has been sent to “The Bezalel
Narkiss Index of Jewish Art- Center for Jewish Art- The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem”
District: Brás- São Paulo- Brazil
Founded: 1925
“Escola
Israelita Brasileira Luiz Fleitlich”, Brazilian Jewish school in the district of Brás,
and linked to the Synagogue - Inauguration: 1937 and closing: 1972
Description of the building:
The building of this synagogue
resembles several others from the same period, in São Paulo. The entrance to
the building, with white walls and vertical stripes in blue inserts, is
possible through two side gates. Two lateral and external staircases, also in
blue color, are the access to the male sector. This synagogue was adorned with
the symbols of the zodiac or Mazalót, a common artistic theme to several
synagogues in Poland. This painting was done by a Polish Jewish artist, who
returned to Poland before World War II. There was a hall at the back of this
synagogue. This hall was used at the time the synagogue was being renovated and
painted, more than 25 years ago.
On the first floor there is an outside area
and an anteroom with plaques of honor from the opening of the synagogue. This
is the access to the inner space of the synagogue, the male sector. Through
another flight of stairs, you reach the women's sector, which has a short wall
that allows visibility to the male sector. The men's area is composed of a
central corridor, and wooden benches on the sides. These benches have spaces
for storing prayer books such as Sidurim and Machzorim. Each bank has a small
nameplate. At the end of the corridor is the Bimá, in a high floor, and Aron
Hakodesh.
Windows are located on one side and at the back of the building, and
have translucent glass, some in shades of blue. The front windows correspond
almost to the women's floor, and in those, there is a "drawing" in a format
that resembles the "Asseret Hadibrót". The doors in wood and straight
or arched, were also painted in blue.
Current state:
The building is conserved and the
synagogue maintains the prayers of “Shacharit Shabbat”. It was not possible to
retrieve the Mazalót paintings from the ceiling, and those were lost. However,
the paintings of the Mazalóts on the side walls were recovered and preserved.
The "Sinagoga (Synagogue) Israelita do Brás", which can still be seen
today, is an example of the art present in the synagogues: the mazalot
paintings and the candelabra in the Bimá (with Maguen David on its sides), the
details of the wooden benches, the "Ner Tamid", the “parochet” that covers
the Aron Hakodesh, the Menorót that flanks it and the Torót kept with care. We
also note the plaques that identify the board and fiscal council that built
this synagogue. On the first floor there is an outside area, currently covered
with plastic.
The photos of the Synagogue
described here were forwarded to the Bezalel Narkiss Center of Jewish Art: (This image belongs to the documentation project of
Myriam Szwarcbart).
Mazalót paintings: There are paintings
of Mazalót / zodiac in the short walls from the women’s sector. Despite the
same theme, the art is not similar to the "Sinagoga (Synagogue) Centro
Israelita do Cambuci". These paintings were preserved and maintained, as
we can see in the photos. However, it was not possible to preserve the
paintings that were in the ceiling
Bimá, on high floor, in wood; Menorót;
Entrance doors; Women's sector; Aron Hakodesh...
Wooden benches, with a
small niches for sidurim, each bank has a small identification plate of the former
goers; Front of the; synagogue building; Paróchet; Windows, located on one side
of the building and at the back of the building, translucent, some in shades of
blue
The Bezalel
Narkiss Index of Jewish Art- Center for Jewish Art- The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem
http://cja.huji.ac.il/search.php?mode=search&submited=submited&query=bras&area=all&cat=all&scope=3
