Cymbalist Synagogue in Tel Aviv

Mario Botta – Cymbalist Synagogue in Tel Aviv, 1997 – 1998

A point of reference for dialogue
With its distinctive square base rising into two spiral towers, the Cymbalista Synagogue and the Jewish Heritage Center of Tel Aviv University stands out as one of the most striking architectural works on campus and in Israel. Designed by world-renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta, the building contains the highest quality materials and furnishings from around the world, including the Torah Ark in Pakistani onyx stone, the interior walls in golden stone from Tuscany, the floor in black granite from Zimbabwe, the reddish external stone of the Italian Dolomites and the light wooden ceiling from Switzerland.

Offered by TAU Governor Norbert Cymbalista and his wife Paulette, the Center was designed to house a synagogue and bridge the gap between religious and secular segments of Israeli society in an academic setting. According to Norbert Cymbalista, "it was created in the spirit of respect for tradition, but also in the awareness that dialogue and the acceptance of different points of view are essential for the development of Israel as a democratic society".