Miracle in Holon: Iran strike hits synagogue moments after worshippers leave

Worshippers at the Great Synagogue in Holon’s Shikun Vatikim neighborhood are reeling after a missile fired from Iran struck their sacred building yesterday, shattering windows and causing extensive structural damage, but miraculously, leaving the congregation unharmed.

The attack occurred at 7:05 AM, precisely during a brief lull between the morning’s first and second prayer services. Rabbi Binyamin Hamra, head of the yeshiva and son of the late Chief Rabbi of the Syrian Jewish community, called the timing "a miracle."

"In a miraculous turn of events, the worshippers had just finished the first service at 7:05 AM and had not yet entered the second, which begins at 7:15," he said. "Precisely during the minutes when no one was inside, the terrible explosion occurred, and no one was hurt."

The building, which serves as both a house of prayer and a center of Torah learning for young men and scholars, was severely damaged. Rabbi Hamra urged the community to stay strong despite the destruction: "From amidst the thousands of shattered glass shards and widespread devastation, we will find strength. We will stand united and rise toward great light. May the One above see our suffering and give us the strength to cling to our faith and traditions."

The broader missile strike on Holon left 38 people injured, four seriously, three moderately, and 31 lightly, and forced the evacuation of 746 residents. The municipality declared five buildings unsafe, with demolitions likely in the coming days.