Underground Shul Opens in World’s Deepest Subway Station

By COLlive reporter

An inauguration ceremony was recently held at Tahanat HaRakevet Yerushalaim–Yitzhak Navon, the railway passenger terminal in Jerusalem named after Israel’s fifth president.

The station, the world’s deepest heavy-rail passenger station, and the fourth deepest underground station in the world, designated a special space for a shul called “Mesilas David Hamelech.”

This underground shul, located around 260 feet below street level, was built with the help of Chabad and will be run by Shliach Rabbi Yeshayahu Weiss.

The station is located near Binyanei HaUma and constitutes part of a major public transportation hub, being situated adjacent to the Jerusalem Central Bus Station as well as next to a station serving current and future lines of the Jerusalem Light Rail.

“This shul gives a whole new meaning to the words of Tehillim “From the depths I have called You, O Lord”,” commented Israel’s former chief rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau.

The shul houses an Aron Kodesh that was donated by R’ Velvel and Sarah Farkash of Crown Heights, in honor of the Rebbe’s Shluchim, and in memory of Sarah’s brother who passed away as a young child, Menachem Mendel Berkowitz obm, the son of R’ Motel and Braina Berkowitz, who was known for his kindness and good heart.

Moshe Shimoni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Israel Railways, said the opening of the new shul is a historic event similar to the first train ride in the holy land of Israel in 1892.

Michael Maixner, CEO of Israel Railways, said the train provides the nation in Israel with a connection to the physical land and Jerusalem, while Chabad’s mission of to provide the spiritual connection.

People present included Rabbi Avrohom Michoel Halperin, member of Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad in Israel, Rabbi Mendel Wilhelm, the Shliach to the Egged transportation services and others.

Following the ceremony, donors were honored with cutting the ribbon, a mezuzah was placed at the front entrance of the station and the first minyan for Mincha was held at the Shul.