Babylon & BeyondPerhaps it is political, but I like to say that if it weren't for politics there are a lot of things that wouldn't get done.
Observations from Iraq, Iran,
Israel, the Arab world and beyond
EGYPT: What's behind Jewish synagogue restoration?
August 21, 2009 | 11:58 am (Los Angeles Times)
Is historical preservation or modern day cultural politics behind the restoration of the Maimonides synagogue in Cairo's ancient Jewish quarter?
Although most Egyptians are against efforts linking their country to Jewish or Israeli heritage, the move has been interpreted as an attempt by Culture Minister Farouk Hosni to win international recognition ahead of his controversial bid to become head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Hosni's bid to become the next UNESCO director-general was set back in 2008 when he said that he'd personally burn Hebrew books if he found any in Egyptian libraries. Since then, it is been reported that the ministry has been trying to make amends for Hosni's comments. It recently has begun allowing the translation of books written by Jewish and Israeli authors, a move that dismayed many Egyptians.
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According to this AFP article the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo, home of the Cairo Geniza, has also been restored.