One of earliest Jewish settlements in historic Persia, Isfahan became home to the Jewish quarter of Jubareh, where more than dozen synagogues were built between 1880 and 1920. These synagogues, while modest in appearance, displayed rich interior ornamentation and followed traditional Persian architectural principles, blending seamlessly into the urban landscape. Their design reflects the Jewish community’s cultural symbiosis with the dominant Muslim society. This lecture explores the architectural significance of Isfahan’s synagogues, their integration into the city, and the unique transformation of residences into religious spaces, revealing a dynamic relationship between Jewish identity and Persian urbanism.
Dr. Mohammad Gharipour is an ACSA Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, where he serves as Professor, Area Chair, and Director of the Architecture Program. He holds a PhD in architecture from Georgia Institute of Technology and has taught at various institutions. Dr. Gharipour has published over 140 papers and reviews, authored and edited fifteen books (including Synagogues of the Islamic World), and organized more than thirty panels and conferences. He also founded the International Journal of Islamic Architecture and co-founded the Epidemic Urbanism Initiative. He is currently president of the Society of Architectural Historians.
Register to attend this virtual event at https://events.cornell.edu/event/synagogues-of-isfahan#about_stream
