[Leica] IMG: Cordoba's old synagogue

[Peter Klein]

Sorry if I've been a bit quiet lately--I had to take apart and pack up 
my den, which is being remodeled. That entailed going through nearly a 
quarter-century worth of stuff, deciding what gets thrown out and what 
kept. Now, from my temporary perch in a corner of the kitchen, some more 
Spain pictures.

During the time when Muslims ruled southern Spain, the three Abrahamic 
faiths got along comparatively well, with Jews and Christians occupying 
a fairly benign "dhimmi" status. As the Dutch and Americans later 
discovered, freedom of religion has some wonderful fringe benefits--the 
arts, sciences and commerce flourished. All this depended on the 
enlightenment and tolerance of the local ruler. The political climate 
alternated between periods of tolerance and intolerance, depending on 
who was in charge.

The Jewish scholar Maimonides (aka Moses be Maimon, or "the Rambam") was 
also a celebrated physician and philosopher. He was born in Cordoba in 
1135. In 1148, the "management" changed, and a period of "leave, convert 
or die" ensued. Maimonides traveled widely, and ended up in what is now 
Cairo as court physician first to the Grand Vizier, and later the Sultan 
Saladin.

Here's a statue of Maimonides:
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/24674914296/in/dateposted-public/>

And here are a few views of the old synagogue, built in c. 1315. The 
ceiling is high, but the sanctuary is not as big as it looks, measuring 
about 7 x 6.5m (22 x 21 ft.).  The pictures were taken under crowded 
tour group conditions. Note the "Moorish" style decorations coexisting 
with Hebrew quotations from the Scriptures. The other synagogues in 
Cordoba were destroyed after all Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492. 
This one survived as a hospital, a chapel and a nursery school. It has 
been partially restored and is now a national monument.

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/24583353432/in/dateposted-public/>
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/24405591060/in/dateposted-public/>
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/24583351242/in/dateposted-public/>
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563@N04/24583350482/in/dateposted-public/>

Enjoy!
--Peter