Interesting and formidable challenges...
The process of any reconstruction of an antique structure presents interesting and formidable challenges, the solutions to which must be determined by the initial clearly set goals of the endeavour - its 'philosophy' as it were. Nonetheless contemporary distinctions (and confusions) over the approach to the project were carefully considered. We were not set to conserve the sad memory of the building that had stood derelict and abandoned since 1944. Its vestigial VenetoCatholic elements were of importance but could not take precedence over the acquired Jewish character into which these elements had been absorbed. What was foremost in our approach was to ensure that the building become structurally sound, that it reflect emphatically its Jewish character, and most important, that it be potentially of liturgical use. Parallel to this was the need to ensure that it be able to playa role in the greater life of Hania as a resource centre. All evidence of additions and detail work in plastering that had been part of its Jewish character were retained as were the obvious Venetian elements dating back to the 15th century.

In certain areas, e.g. the Lauder Garden, discoveries made there under the floor of the former women's section and in the excavation to the south demanded significant changes in the approach to the project. The discovery of the fragmented sections of the pediment now in its original position over the Rothschild Gate was a major find, which corroborated the observations of Rabbi Evlagon concerning its original character at the time of its erection in 1900.

The following pictures and running commentary are an outline of the project and its evolution from 1996 until its near completion in August 1999.

Shortly after the earthquake of 1995...
Within hours of the earthquake the area immediately in front of the entrance to the sanctuary proper on the north side gave way. Several of the heavy cedar beams cracked and the concentrated weight of the roof at this point began to exert a perceptible pressure on the main central beams. In response to an SOS the World Monuments Fund and the International Survey of Jewish Monuments immediately set in motion plans to assist us in saving the building.

The front facade shortly after the earthquake of 1995...
Within days of the earthquake the north-west corner of the synagogue broke open. In his memoir written in 1932 and corroborated in correspondence in the Alliance Israelite Archive in Paris, R, Evlagon mentions repairs to this area of the synagogue that were carried out c. 1900 after the building had suffered damage through earthquake. At this time funds were sent by Albert Rothschild of Vienna and repairs were carried out, In the course of minutely examining the opened seams it became obvious that the work at that time had been cosmetic. The seams had been filled in with rubble and plastered over so that the 1995 earthquake had broken open the fill but had also increased their depth. By this time as well almost all of the lower plaster of the walls had broken off making them vulnerable to the saline winter winds of Hania.

Left: The north-west corner of the synagogue with the Rothschild Gate to the left. In this photograph some of the early fill can be seen in the lower part of the opened seam. The rubble in the foreground was part of the accumulated refuse that hdd been thrown into the courtyard over the years. Right: The east facade and oculus.

The badly set roof beams...
In this photograph the badly set roof beams are apparent as is the disparate character of the walls. The Venetian piers and gothic arches were stable and solid whereas the curtain walls were light and of little if any structural value. The brick fill in the arch and the window were both put in by squatters after the II World War, To the left can be seen a vertical iron 'support' dating back to the 19th cent, and used to tie the curtain wall to the gothic arch. Essentially all this had done was to increase pressure.

Rubble in the north courtyard with the entrance to the synagogue to the left and the door leading into the shamash's lodge in the centre.

The doorway and its supporting stones...
The doorway and its supporting stones was part of the work carried out in the 17th cent. Beyond it can be seen the present Lauder Garden as it was in 1996. Prior to W/W II the portion just beyond the door to the stair base was covered bya domed structure that served as the women's section and visual access to the synagogue was through a lattice set in the gothic arch.

In late 1996 work began...
The entire roof was removed and in the course of this not only were its structural problems made more apparent.

The removal of the roof was followed by the lowering of the east pediment and the removal of the oculus. This was made necessary due to its lack of stability as well as the need to re-enforce the original inner Venetian structure and its gothic piers and arches, Work was also carried out in the shamash's lodge in the north courtyard. This addition to the site was in fact late and appears to have been added in the mid-19th cent.

The new roof...
The interior looking to the east shortly after re-building the east pediment and re-setting the oculus in position. The new roof was laid upon specially treated planks of wood and over this a layer of lead sheeting, On top of this were laid tiles, Between the two arched widows dating from the 17th cent can be seen the base of the former Ehal.

The mikve or ritual bath...
The mikve or ritual bath of Etz Hayyim was apparently shared with K'K' Beth Shalom synagogue which prior to W/W II had a common courtyard. In 1965 it had been capped by a cement cover, which was removed shortly after work began on the site and the contents removed thus freeing the pipes that led into it as well as conducted water out of it. All of the arches and walls were cleaned and re-plastered.

The steps leading up to the back of the Lauder Garden. These steps originally led into the lower floor of the women's section and gave access to the right to the mikve, Persons living on the site between 1945 and 1955 had constructed a toilet one of the walls of which can be seen to the left. We were especially intrigued by this entire area, filled at the time of beginning the project by the debris from the bombed women's section, Several trees had been planted in it -an olive, a pomegranate and walnut as well as a cluster of bananas of considerable circumference.

To make this area distinct...
After cleaning the grave of R. Eskenazi we sank a long N/S trench in the centre of the upper tree-planted portion of the 'garden'. The banana cluster was removed, the olive tree moved to a new spot against the east wall and the pomegranate and walnut tree left as they were. The trench revealed the other three graves dating from 1821 to 1854. Around them a separating and purely symbolic wall had been constructed so as to make this area distinct from the actual synagogue in conformance with Jewish Law. This entire area has been now cleaned and the graves given prominence, Unfortunately all of them save the graves of R. Eskenazi and that of R. Joseph Shalom had been ravaged. The stone dedication stone of R. Baruh Shalom had been shattered and some of the fragments were found in the course of the excavation. The other stones were not found. The graves are of some interest as the earliest of them conform to a very ancient type, the surface of which was covered with plaster and then the head-stone embedded in the end. As we found good evidence of their original form and manner of plastering these have been restored.

Under the spot where the olive tree is now planted we discovered the fragments of two carved wooden rimonim (finials used to decorate the supports of the Scroll of the Law). These had been carefully wrapped in what appears to have been a Torah cover of green silk satin with gold decorations. There were also found several minute fragments of Hebrew printed paper. At a later time we found as well a large deep clay pythos and in its bottom fragments of human bones but nothing else. This pythos and the other deep stone lined hole in which the rimonim had been found were repositories for religious objects and books that had long lost their use a gnize. The bones were certainly from one or the other of the graves. These have been appropriately buried in the plot under the central carved dedication stone of R. Baruh Shalom.

A small room...
A small room above the shamash's lodge had at one time functioned as a subsidiary mehitza or secluded viewing area for women. As in the case of the original main women's section on the south- east where the gothic arch had been incorporated, in this instance an arched window that still retained its grill was left intact. Access to the room was by means of an outer stair.

Work on the Lauder Garden began in clearing away the rubble from the site of the women's section, In the course of this we cut down to the original floor and discovered a support that connected to the side walls and was apparently the base of the stairs leading to the upper section. As this area was cleaned a long marble slab still coated with a layer of white washed plaster along its base came to sight It lay directly under the former stair and had been given a separating wall about it The 'double wall' mentioned by Evlagon in describing the women's section was constructed in order to separate and possibly obscure the grave of R. Hillel Eskenazi who had died in 1710.

The window had been blocked up...
In the course of making the synagogue habitable by squatters after 1945 the window had been blocked up by stones on the interior. In 1964 some repairs were made to the roof and at that time we had cleaned some of the later plaster from the walls, In the process, a prominently visible Hebrew inscription was revealed. Though one half of it was inverted the inscription was legible as was the date: '1487- 7 Adar -this entrance was built and dedicated by me, Eliyahu Kurtish,(Cortesi?). May it be His will to atone my soul and the lives of my children and grandchildren - may they be granted many years'. The inscription was especially of interest as Evlagon notes its prominent presence over the main gate leading into the north courtyard.

As this fill was obviously post W/W II we removed the stones in order to free the inscription and it was discovered that its composition was more complex than we had thought embedded with the inscription were a large number of oddly angled and well-cut stones also found in the fill, which spread out resembled sections of a puzzle -the solution to it was to take several months.

Arranging these tantalizing pieces...
In the course of arranging and re-arranging these tantalizing pieces a fine pediment took shape central to which was a recess beneath which could be made out the faint weathered line that had been left by the inscription stones, Over the main gate was a barely visible incision that had been put there to align the inscription and using this as our guide the entire pediment was re-assembled and set into its former place. As the original gate had been erected with funds provided by Albert Rothschild from Vienna in 1900 and the funding for much of the initial work on the synagogue was provided by the Rothschild Foundation in Geneva/London it seemed fitting that the gate be named the Rothschild Gate.

Details of the work progress in the Rothschild Gate.