Sinagoga de Transito

BY: SARAH CONNOLLY AND JASNEET JHITA

Sinagoga de Transito, Toledo.  (On-line Picture) Can be found at the link <http://www.tourjudaica.com/spain3.jpg>.  13 February 2007.

Sinagoga del Transito. (Online Picture) Can be found at the link <http://archnet.org/library/images/one-image.tcl?location_id=9344&image_id=50772&start=1&limit=9>. 13 February 2007.

People-Which Famous people is this landmark associated with?  The Synagoga was attached to Ha-levi's house through a private gate and was used as a personal prayer hall.  It was built by Samuel Ben Meir Ha-Levi Abulafia, who was the founder of most sinagogues but by far this was one of the grandest one yet.  Abulafia was also treasurer and asvisor to King Pedro I of Castile (1350-1369).

Contents-What types of works and styles are inside the synagoga?  The Synagoga has a rectangular plan and its grand open sanctuary measures approximately twenty-three by nine-and-a-half meters.  In the north off of the prayer hall is a chamber for womer and to the east, three alcoves shelter Torah scrolls.  The ceiling is delicately carved and beautifully detailed with Hebrew adn Arabic inscriptions. Today, includes importaint jewish artifacts and a library.  

Architecture-What architecture style was used to build the synagoga?  The style that this sinagogue hides the most elaborate Mudejar interior of Toledo behind a rather rustic facade.  Its interior is a beautiful frieze in the prayer hall which combines Islamic, Gothic, and Hebrew geometric motifs inside.

Time Period-During which time period was the Synagoga built?  It was built between the years 1336 and 1357.  In 1494, after the Jews were banished from Spain, the building was used as a hospital as well as an asylum.  La Sinagoga de Tránsito was declared a nataional momument on May 1, 1877.

Regional Importance- How does this landmark define the culture of this region?  The Synagoga represents the Jewish part of Spain, but does not represent Spain as a whole because most of Spain is Catholic and therefore only represents a small fraction of the people in Spain which mainly live in this region. 

Geography of Castile-La Mancha

    Castilla-La Mancha is in the center of the Iberian Peninsula.  The main geographical features are plains adn mountains. Almost eighty percent of Castilla- La Mancha is below 1,000 meters above sea level.  There are four main rivers in this region: Tajo, Guadiana, Jucar, and Segura. 

Recipe

TAPAS STYLE- SQUID AND OLIVE

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup green Spanish olives, pitted, and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron stems
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup fish broth
• 1 pound clean squid cut into rings, tentacles cut in half
• Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a small casserole, add the onion, and cook slowly until the onions are transparent and melting away. Add the garlic, stir, and add the olives and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the saffron, the tomato paste, the wine and the fish broth. Cook for 5 minutes to bring the flavors together before pouring the whole mixture into a preheated earthenware dish (a Spanish cazuela), add the squid to the dish, give 1 more stir to combine and put the whole dish into the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with Spanish bruschetta.

Tapas. (Online Picture) Can be found at the link <www.pbs.org/wnet/goingplaces3/madrid/slide3.html/>. 26 February 2007.