GENEVA – Marking the annual European Day of Jewish Culture on Sunday, the World Jewish Congress (WJC) brought on more than 80 ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of international organizations and UN agencies from 30 countries, some together with their families, at Geneva’s Beth Yaacov Synagogue. The gathering provided an opportunity to promote greater understanding of the history, heritage, and tradition of Geneva’s Jewish community.
The event was organized by the WJC and the Jewish Community of Geneva in partnership with the UN University for Peace and the UN Geneva Interfaith Dialogue Group, with the support of the Alfred Landecker Foundation and the Hans und Berthold Finkelstein Stiftung.
Welcoming the audience, Dr. Leon Saltiel, WJC Director of Diplomacy and Representative to the UN in Geneva, and Gregory Bradbury, board member of the Geneva Jewish Community, encouraged an open and engaging discussion, inviting participants to learn more about Geneva's Jewish heritage and to ask questions throughout the event.
Historian Jean Plançon highlighted the history and architectural significance of the synagogue, which was established in 1857 as the “Temple Israélite” during a period of expanding civil rights for Geneva's Jewish community. Designed by Zurich architect Johann Heinrich Bachofen and completed in 1859, the building drew on architectural influences from across Europe at a time when Switzerland had few established synagogue precedents of its own. Its distinctive features, including Star of David motifs and Romanesque-inspired elements, reflect the eclectic architectural currents that shaped synagogue design in the nineteenth century. The interior decorations were executed by Genevan painter and decorator Jean-Jacques Dériaz, who adorned the dome with a star-filled sky and introduced Moorish-inspired decorative motifs influenced by Granada's Alhambra. Later known as the Grande Synagogue de Genève and today the Beth Yaacov Synagogue, the building was designated a historic monument in 1989.
The presentation was followed by remarks from Rav Yaacob Gabay of the Sepharad Synagogue Hekhal Haness, who reflected on the approaching High Holidays and the symbolism of the shofar, the ram's horn sounded on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. He explained the significance of its three principal calls: tekiah, a long, unbroken blast traditionally associated with reflection and spiritual awakening; shevarim, a series of broken notes symbolizing humility and introspection; and teruah, a succession of rapid staccato sounds that serve as a call to repentance and renewal. Together, the shofar's calls invite worshippers to engage in self-examination as they enter the New Year and the period leading to Yom Kippur.
The program was complemented by violin performances by musician Bianca Favez, who played songs related to the Jewish High Holidays. All the participants received a small jar of honey in the Jewish New Year tradition, symbolizing the aspiration for a sweet and hopeful year ahead.
