Most of the Hassidic people in Israel lived in Safed at that time. Many wanted to move to Jerusalem, but they had no community there. Hassidic culture was different. Their synagogues were not only houses of worship. They were the very center of the community! Life was communal and everyone shared joyous and sad occasions together in the synagogue.

So, father and son, Rabbis Israel and Nisan Bek, set out to find a space that would be inclusive of the Hassidic community in Jerusalem. The city was small back then. Today’s Jewish Quarter of the Old City was the only place where Jews could live in Jerusalem.

The Beks were members of the Rozhin sect of Judaism. Their renowned Rabbi was known as the Rebbe of Sadigura. The Rebbe encouraged the Beks to purchase land for a central synagogue and community center. In 1843, they found the perfect spot overlooking the Temple Mount and its Western Wall and they purchased the property.

After many setbacks in raising funds and obtaining building permits, the synagogue was finally inaugurated on August 19, 1872.

The three-story synagogue “Tiferet Yisrael” was considered one of the most beautiful synagogues in Jerusalem. It had commanding views of the Temple Mount, the Mount of Olives, and beyond. Community members donated generously with outstanding silver objects for the glorious new spiritual center.

What happened to the printing business?
Israel Bek moved his printing press and his family to Jerusalem. He founded a newspaper called “Havatzelet” in 1863. Sadly, the Ottoman authorities shut it down after he published only five issues.

The newspaper was later published by Rabbi Bek’s son-in-law, Israel Dov Frumkin. The newspaper became an important organ for the Hasidic community well into the early 1900s.

Rabbi Israel Bek passed away in 1874, just two years after the inauguration of Tiferet Yisrael.