Sinagoga Maguen David
Calle Sócrates 371, Polanco, Polanco II Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX
5552807456
http://www.maguendavid.com/
Maguén-David is a synagogue located in Mexico City that was constructed by Mathias Goeritz. The building is opaque on the outside yet translucent on the inside, as if causing the visitor to enter a spiritual dimension through its forms and colors. The design places a lot of importance on light, an essential part of Judaism that can reflect the sacred value of a building. The synagogue is recognized at a distance by the Star of David perched on two columns and carved in stone; the stained glass windows were designed by Goeritz himself along with well-known Mexican architect Mario Pani.
This temple has been servicing the orthodox Jewish community of Mexico City since the 1960s and is recognized as one of the most prominent examples of religious architecture of the XX century in the city along with the Parroquía de Nuestra Señora del Buen Consejo (Parish of Our Lady of Good Advice) and the San Ignacio de Loyola temple; all of them located in the neighborhood of Polanco, which has had a significant Jewish community for many years. Maguén-David is located in the western part of Polanco, on the corner of Masaryk avenue and Bernard Shaw street.
The synagogue continuously makes an effort to integrate itself into the wider community of Mexico City, they offer a variety of courses for a small fee, for example, there are workshops and classes for married women that focus on “healthy intimacy” and “awakening your senses”; or cooking classes that teach Israeli, Japanese, and healthy types of cuisine to assistants. Classes can cost between $200 to $600 pesos per class but are cheaper if you buy them as part of a bundle of classes. They also take their classes to schools within the community, such as classes on personal finances.
Polanco was the part of the city that received the Jewish community once they moved away from the center of the capital. The Beneficial Society of Sedaká u Marpé was founded in 1938 to assist the Jewish immigrants from Aleppo Syria who arrived in Mexico; in 1984 the Maguén-David civil association was founded in order to unite the Israeli community and also assist those less fortunate within the community through fundraisers and other types of charity. The Maguén-David Synagogue has been at the center of this community that retains its own identity at the same time that it looks to improve the quality of the community that surrounds it.
