Move to restore synagogue in Alexandria strikes many as “odd”

Following on The Economist’s report on the 20 Egyptians working to preserve the country’s Jewish heritage, The Guardian’s Ruth Michaelson looks into the project to restore the Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in Alexandria. The decision to restore the synagogue has struck many as odd, Michaelson writes, “given the size of the country’s Jewish population, believed to be fewer than 50 people, and the government’s unwillingness to engage with Egyptian Jewry.” Antiquities Ministry spokesperson Niven Al Aref says, “There has always been an appreciation of Jewish history and monuments … This will continue in the future, as these are part of Egypt’s heritage.”