BMC halts illegal demolition at Mumbai’s Magen David Synagogue after complaint

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has issued lsquostop workrsquo notice to the Magen David Synagogue in Nagpada Byculla on May 20 following a formal complaint lodged by celebrity restaurateur Moshe Shek against the demolition of the iconic structureCelebrity chef and cultural heritage advocate Shek said he was shocked when he visited the synagogue on May 18 and saw labourers demolishing key elements of the structure Shek asked the labourers who had ordered the work but got no answers He then started filming the demolition mdash a move that provoked threats he allegedDespite this he managed to lodge a formal complaint with BMC eliciting a prompt response on Tuesday ldquoWhat I saw was heartbreakingrdquo Shek told midday ldquoThe pillars mdash that define the character of a structure like this mdash were gone The exclusive gallery for women had been reduced to rubble Even the watchman refused to respond A woman supporting the alleged perpetrator of this socalled prerestoration demolition tried to snatch my phone when she saw me filmingrdquo he saidWhen Shek visited the BMC to inquire whether permission had indeed been granted for the demolition the response was an unequivocal no He later took a BMC official to the site who was also shocked to see the extent of the damage It was confirmed that no approval had been granted for structural changes to the protected heritage siteIn a letter addressed to the municipal commissioner Shek a prominent member of Mumbairsquos Jewish community raised alarm about the illegal demolition as well as the unauthorised conversion of the adjacent school playground into a party venue ldquoThese are my roots This synagogue is my history mdash and my communityrsquos It must be savedrdquo Shek wrote in his letterldquoHeritage conservationists I consulted confirmed that this is a protected structure and altering it without proper authorisation is a clear violationrdquo Shek told midday ldquoThis synagogue is not someonersquos private propertyWhat is happening is not just illegal mdash itrsquos a robbery of Jewish cultural heritage in Indiardquo Shek said At one point Shek was told that the activity was part of a renovation But the heritage architect named in that conversation later clarified via text to Shek that their firm was not involved ldquoWe only made a preliminary proposal two years ago for fundraising There has been no further discussion sincerdquo the architect told ShekMore on synagogueThe Magen David Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish place of worship and a listed heritage structure with the BMC located in Byculla and built in 1864 It is the oldest Baghdadi Jewish synagogue in Mumbai ldquoMagen Davidrdquo translates to ldquoShield of Davidrdquo Funded by Jewish tycoon David Sassoon the synagogue began services in the 1860s when Byculla served as a retreat for Mumbairsquos wealthy elite Its architecture bears a Renaissance influence with classical motifs mdash reportedly inspired by St MartinintheFields Church in LondonPicXKobbiShoshaniUnlike most synagogues built in Middle Eastern styles Magen David was constructed in the Victorian Gothic Revival style Its high ceilings stainedglass windows teakwood interiors and iconic skyblue faccedilade make it a standout structure in Mumbairsquos dense urban landscape Renovated in 2010 with support from an Israeli philanthropist the synagogue features a prominent clock tower brass lamps tall columns and an exclusive ladiesrsquo gallery Bharat Gothoskar founder of Khaki Tours which conducts Jewish heritage walks in Mumbai said ldquoWhen I visited the synagogue a year ago it was evident that it was in crying need of restoration mdash much like what was done at the Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue in Kala GhodardquoBMC SpeakBMC officials said they had visited the site and halted the demolition An official from the BMCrsquos E Ward which covers Byculla and Mazagaon confirmed the development ldquoWe received a complaint about the issue and a designated officer visited the spot After assessment the officer will submit a report about the incident and then we will take further actionrdquo the official saidInputs by Sameer SurveatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params