The Oslo Synagogue ( Norwegian : Synagogen i Oslo ) is a synagogue in Oslo, Norway . The congregation was established in 1892, but the present building was erected in 1920. Architectural historian Carol Herselle Krinsky describes the two-story tall, stuccoed building with a round tower of a spire supporting a Star of David as resembling a simple and charming country chapel. ‘ [1]
King Harald V and Crown Prince Haakon visited the synagogue in June, 2009. [2] [3]
2006 shooting attack
The synagogue was the site of a 2006 shooting attack, suspected by police to have been perpetrated by four men in a car. No one was injured. [4] The alleged 29th-year-old criminal-turned-Islamist Arfan Bhatti of Pakistani origin, a 28-year-old Norwegian-Pakistani, a 28-year-old Norwegian of foreign origin, and a 26- year-old Norwegian. [5]
Bhatti was acquitted for terror charges, but still convicted for co-conspiracy to the shooting (along with several other unrelated charges) which was instead judged as “coarse vandalism”. [6]The three other men were acquitted of all charges. [7]
On February 21, 2015, around 1,000 people formed a “ring of peace” outside the synagogue, to show that they deplore the harassment of Jews. The event, which was initiated by Norwegian Muslims, was shortly after the terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen . The demonstration received international media attention. [8] [9] Some media reports that have been reported to have been limited to those present in Muslims. Ervin Kohn, president of the Norwegian Jewish community, told reporters that the exact number of Muslims among those present at the demonstration was impossible to quantify. [10]
See also
- Trondheim Synagogue
- Jewish Museum in Oslo
- History of the Jews in Norway
- The Holocaust in Norway
References
- Jump up^ Synagogues of Europe; Architecture, History, Meaning, MIT Press, 1985; revised edition, MIT Press, 1986; Dover reprinted, 1996, p. 94
- Jump up^ Norway king visits local Jewish community
- Jump up^ Jun 10, 2009, Jerusalem Post, King of Norway visits Jewish community
- Jump up^ Synagogue shooting spurs call for tighter security, Aftenposten English edition[1]
- Jump up^ Israeli Embassy of Oslo synagogue attackers
- Jump up^ “Bhatti dømt til forvaring” (in Norwegian). NRK. February 20, 2009.
- Jump up^ “Frikjent for terrorplaner” . Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 3 June 2008.
- Jump up^ 21 Feb 2015, VG,Norske muslimers fredsring får bred internasjonal omtale
- Jump up^ Grymer, Torunn; Skille, Øyvind Bye; Kalajdzic, Pedja (21 February 2015). “1,300 people formed” Ring of Peace “outside Oslo synagogue after young Muslims initiative” . NRK . Retrieved 1 April 2017 .
- Jump up^ “Misinformation march Oslo interfaith ‘peace ring ‘ ” . The Times of Israel . February 23, 2015.