Sinagoga(Synagogue) Israelita do Brás-The Bezalel Narkiss Index of Jewish Art

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