Erected from the ruins of history, Beit Midrash Ohel Yitzchak stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and rebirth. The Ohel Yitzchak Synagogue is also known as the Shomrei ha-Chomos Synagogue and the Ungarin Shul. This Hungarian synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish congregation. It sits in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Back in 1862, students of Rabbi Moses Sofer came to Jerusalem from Hungary. They established a community named Shomrei HaChomos. It means Guardians of the Walls. During the 1870s, they built a yeshiva roughly 100 meters from the Chain Gate. It was on El-Wad Street. The courtyard was purchased from the Muslim Khaladi family. Rabbi Yitzchok Ratsdorfer financed the building. He was a diamond merchant. He belonged to the Hasidic group Belz.
In 1892, the community expanded. They established a neighborhood outside the Old City walls. It was called Batei Ungarin. It is now part of Meah Shearim. By 1904, the yeshiva in the Old City was expanded, gaining a second story. Ottoman authorities initially opposed this expansion. They worried the roof would surpass the Dome of the Rock in height. To circumvent this, construction of the roof was completed overnight. Turkish law stated that a completed building could not be demolished.
The ground floor housed the Ohr Meir yeshiva. Students engaged in Torah study around the clock. The top floor featured two prayer rooms. One was for the Chasidim using Nusach Sefard. The other was for the Perushim using Nusach Ashkenaz. The building also included a mikvah.
The riots of 1920 and 1929 disrupted the yeshiva. Jewish people frequented the building until 1938. Arab violence forced them to leave. Members relocated to Meah Shearim. The building was then rented to Arabs. It was destroyed during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
After the Six-Day War in 1967, only the ground floor remained intact. It became a Jewish bookstore. Years later, the Religious Zionist organization Ateret Cohanim stepped in. An American charity funded by Irving Moskowitz bought the building. In October 2008, the yeshiva officially reopened as a synagogue.
If you stood in the men’s prayer section at the Kosel, you could head to the back left corner. Turn onto Rechov Ha’gai or El-Wad Street. You would see a flight of steps to your right. At the top of those steps, to the left, is the newly restored Ohel Yitzchak shul.
Archaeological digs at Ohel Yitzchak revealed layers of history. They found a Second Temple staircase. It descended to the Tyropoeon Valley. It led to Warren’s Gate. Pottery and coins from various periods were unearthed. A Mamluk-era public bath was also discovered.
Today, the Ohel Yitzchak Synagogue stands as a symbol of perseverance. It is a place of prayer, study, and remembrance. It links the past to the present. It reminds us of the enduring spirit of Jerusalem.