The synagogue compound is built at the "Hadadim Street" (see: Remarks: no. 1). It includes two adjacent rectangular synagogue compounds, surrounded by a wall and reached through a gate in the south-eastern corner. The wall also encloses an eastern courtyard, which includes a water pit, an orchard, and an additional garden on the north-western side.
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The early Rabbi Abraham Synagogue complex is built on the south. It was extended to the north adding the now deserted Ma'atuk Hadad Synagogue (see: History). Each complex once included a prayer hall preceded by an inner courtyard. However, during the years some changes were made, and today the R. Abraham Synagogue is preceded by a western peristyle, which was extended to the north, leading to the Ma'atuk Hadad Synagogue. An adjacent and additional separated inner courtyard precedes its north-western part, leading to a garden.
The Ma'atuk Hadad complex was built in several stages and comprises a prayer hall, abided by a supplementary learning room, adjacent to the eastern wall.
Two arched entrance doors are in the western wall of the inner yard, the southern one leads to R. Abraham prayer hall, while the northern leads to Ma'atuk Hadad. Two arched windows, marked with protruding friezes, flank each door and are adorned with Stars of David. Benches are built along the walls.
The two compounds form one unit, reached through several entrances. The original main door leads to the western inner yard and is on the south-western corner. Two supplementary later openings are on the western side of the wall; the southern leads to the same yard, while the northern leads to the yard preceding Ma'atuk Hadad complex.
The compound building stages
The R. Abraham complex comprising the western inner courtyard, the prayer hall and the eastern back yard, was the first to be built.
The broad rectangular inner front yard is surrounded in the west and south with an L-shaped peristyle. The placement of an additional arcade, which runs from east to west and now divides the court into two square spaces, indicates that formerly it was the northern borders of the court, forming a U-shaped peristyle.
Since the northern compound was built by R. Abraham for the use of his father, Isaac Hadad when he was still active, it may be assumed that the synagogue was built before 1750, the year Isaac Hadad died. However, the praying hall was later divided into two spaces, creating a learning room, while the front court was also separated into two asymmetrical spaces.
An additional extension was built in the beginning of the twentieth century, whereas the northern side of the yard has been blocked, and divided into various rooms. At that time, a door and two windows were opened corresponding to the former arcade.
The back yard is reached through the eastern wall and leads to supplementary rooms, including a genizah room at its north.
R. Abraham Synagogue exterior
The prayer hall located at the southern part of the complex is a rectangular basilica of a single floor with a central square clearstorey. The western wall is the façade, which borders the front inner yard.
The southern side forms the outer wall, the eastern wall is adjacent to the back yard and the northern wall to the Ma'atuk Hadad prayer hall.
The prayer hall is accessed through the main arched door in the western wall, whereas a door leading to the back yard is on the south-eastern corner, and two additional entrances are leading to the Ma'atuk Hadad prayer hall, at the north-western corner.
Twelve rectangular windows, three on each side, surround the clearstorey. Two additional arched windows flank the main entrance, while several others are set along the northern and eastern walls.
The prayer hall is accessed through the main arched door in the western wall. An additional door is on the north, and two other entrances are leading to the R. Abraham prayer hall on the south-eastern corner. An outer entrance to the inner courtyard is located in the southern outer wall, facing the R. Abraham inner courtyard.
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