First shul, then church, then shul again?

sarahnurit

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 7:53 pm

I have a question: if a shul became a church, can it become a shul again? There are many churches that were shuls in Europe, and I was just wandering...

proudmom

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 8:04 pm

I heard that a shul isnt allowed to become a church but a church can become a shul

sarahnurit

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 8:11 pm

I am speaking about shuls that were confiscated during nazis period etc. ...

ForeverYoung
Guest

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 9:06 pm

proudmom wrote:

I heard that a shul isnt allowed to become a church but a church can become a shul

u didn't mean that, did u?

one is not allowed to pray at an avoda zara temple.

so it's a BIG shaila...............

Tovah

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 9:24 pm

actually it's a big mitzvah.
my brother's school with is a very frum yeshiva was a church if I remember correctly.

BrachaVHatzlocha

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 9:32 pm

I know of a shul that was once a church. I guess it's not a problem.

chavamom

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 10:46 pm

There is an orthodox shul here that was once a church as well. It's been that way for about 70 years, so I'm not sure when/where the original sheila was asked. Either way, no one seems to have a problem with it.

Tefila

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 10:48 pm

Yes it's a really big mitzvah to convert a place of Tumah to a place of Kedusha Exclamation

it's is interesting concept though. But the other way around I have no clue about Confused

chavamom

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 10:53 pm

freilich wrote:

Yes it's a really big mitzvah to convert a place of Tumah to a place of Kedusha Exclamation

it's is interesting concept though. But the other way around I have no clue about Confused

Oh, and I should add that the Young Israel synagogue that moved about 15 years ago - their old building is now a Baptist church.

BrachaVHatzlocha

Sat, Sep 24 2005, 11:47 pm

I think you're not supposed to sell a shul building to/for a church, but if you don't have a choice.....what can you do??
but the other way around, church to shul, seems to be ok.

shanie5

Sun, Sep 25 2005, 10:01 am

I heard of a shul that was built, the area became unsavory, and they moved to another area, built a new shul. the first became a church this happened a second and third time (im not sure how long this went on). the shul was always bought out by the same church. finally, when they were building another shul, the church came and asked if they can have input since they would eventually be buying it anyway!!!!!
(no I have no idea if this is a true story- Scratching Head

-but anything is possible)

Rivka

Sun, Sep 25 2005, 5:13 pm

A shul can be made into a church because it is turning tuma into kedusha which is what we are anyway trying to do on this earth.
However a shul cannot be sold to a church. If a shul is sold and it becomes a school (not jewish) or something else, then that gets sold to a church, I think that is different because it isn't directly sold to a church.
But I don't know if someone can sell a shul knowing it will then straight away be sold to a church.

Chanie

Mon, Sep 26 2005, 11:15 am

there are many shuls and yeshivas that are located in former churches and christian seminaries.

sarahnurit

Thu, Sep 29 2005, 6:06 am

Happy to read this, because here in Napoli there are places thatb used to belong to the jewish community, and were then sold because of lack of funds...even the mikvaot are now 1-part of a museum; 2-the dark room of a gay bar!!!!AAAh!! embarrassed

Pearl

Thu, Sep 29 2005, 6:30 am

oy, that's too weird!!!

in my home town, the shul my grandfather z'l prayed at, has been bought about 10 years ago by the muslim community.............
very disturbing

Rivka

Sun, Oct 02 2005, 11:12 am

I heard there is nothing wrong with a Shul being a mosque because they don't worship idols. But just the thought that a Muslim bought the place of a shul will feel horrible because you just know they see it as some sort of victory over the Jews.
You can't help if you sell a shul and then a few years down the line someone else buys it from the other person and they in turn sell it to a church or other place of worship. I think it's just the direct sale or if you know the person you sell it to will sell it to a church.