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European Commission president José Manuel Barroso recently met with leaders from the three monotheist religions.
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BRUSSELS (EJP)---European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and the chief rabbi of Great Britain and the Commonwealth, Sir Jonathan Sacks, will solemnly dedicate Brussels main synagogue as “Great Synagogue of Europe”, during a ceremony to be held on Wednesday.
The ceremony will be conducted by Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui of the "Grande Synagogue de la Rue de la Régence" and will be attended by chief rabbis from a number of European countries, representatives from the EU institutions, the Brussels diplomatic corps and the Belgian civil society.
"Our demand to dedicate our synagogue was willingly accepted by the European Commission," Rabbi Guigui told EJP.
"In a society where violence and fear are more and more present, the EU appears to be convinced that the European construction must not only be based on economic interests but also on religious and spiritual wellbeing," he added.
A spokesman for the European Commission told EJP that Barroso was invited to attend and address the ceremony. "He accepted the invitation as he is very attached to an ongoing dialogue with churches and communities of beliefs," Jens Mester added.
Barroso recently met with religious leaders from the three monotheist religions.
The traditional liturgical service of dedication will feature world-renowned ‘hazanim’ or cantors, including Benjamin Muller, accompanied by the choir of the European Union.
It will also include the reading of a specially drafted prayer for Europe in Dutch and French and the unveiling of a special plaque featuring the dedication inside the synagogue by President Barroso.
The European Commission president will also sign a document of dedication, along with Chief rabbi Sacks, Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui and two witnesses.
The Great Synagogue of Brussels, which is located on Rue de la Régence, in the city’s centre, near the law courts, is often described as a "stately Romanesque" building.
It was designed by architect Desire De Keyser and completed in 1878.
The facade features a three-storied gabled midsection flanked by four-story towers. This ornate building also houses several Jewish institutions, including the Consistoire and the “Communauté Israélite de Bruxelles” (Jewish community of Brussels).
Around 20,000 Jews live in Brussels.
