Bet Knesset (Synagogue) Hanassi

Israel’s second president, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, would often come to pray at this synagogue on Ussishkin Street, and after he died it was renamed HaNassi (the president) Synagogue. Jerusalem author and storyteller Simcha Raz relates that during the High Holidays, Ben-Zvi would be joined at the synagogue by a long list of Israeli dignitaries. One year, an American tourist came during High Holiday services, and wished to sit down but could not find an empty seat among the throngs of worshipers. So the synagogue’s gabai (beadle) led him to the only empty seat in the house, which happened to be beside the president. During the reading of the Torah, the American guest was called up to the lectern for an aliya and pledged to donate $250,000 to the synagogue. The donation was used to complete the synagogue building, and to this very day, a placard pays tribute to the generous guest, who chose to remain anonymous.