Asia is home to a diverse range of synagogues, from the historic Ohel David Synagogue in Pune, India to the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue in Burma, or the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem and many other old Jewish synagogues. These synagogues reflect the complex history of Jewish communities in the region, shaped by trade, migration, and cultural exchange. To find out some of the popular synagogues to visit when traveling in Asia, read on.
1. Blue Synagogue or Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue in Bombay, India
Fleeing persecution from the Ottoman Turks in 18th century Iran, David Sassoon reached India and made his home here. He built an empire while living here. After his death in 1864, his grandchildren, Jacob and Elias built the Kneseth Elyahoo Synagogue in 1884 to give the Jews of Bombay somewhere to worship. They hired the architects Gostling & Morris to build the Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue in built in the classical revival style and once had Minton tile floors that had been imported from Stoke-on-Trent, England.
My sister’s friend Judah Samuel who worked at the Ministry of Tourism for Israel before he passed, used to invite us to Pesach services and other events at this synagogue. The synagogue was designed with a stone masonry base and a superstructure of brick masonry. The outside of the synagogue is painted blue and white while the interiors have lovely stained glass windows that were restored between 2017 to 2019. It’s a must-visit on any real tour of Mumbai.
Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue is located at 55, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Fort, Mumbai.
2. Magen David Synagogue in Mumbai, India
More of the Baghdadi Jews fled from the persecution in Baghdad to Bombay in the 1800’s. To give the growing Jewish population in Mumbai a place to worship David Sassoon had the Magen David Synagogue built between 1861 and 1864. This synagogue is probably one of the largest in Asia outside of Israel, and the adjoining grounds and two schools once served the thriving Jewish community in the area. Now of course, to ensure survival, the schools have been opened to other religious communities in the area.
The last time we visited was in 2018 to attend the celebration for the 175th anniversary of the Shaare Rason Synagogue here. The event was held here at the Magen David because the much smaller Shaare Rason could not handle the crowds while the Magen David grounds were built for grand functions.
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Promiment folk who attended were the Governor of Maharashtra, India, H. E. Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, along with guests of honour Rabbi Romiel Daniel, the President of the Indian Jewish Congregation of USA and Rabbi Ya’aqob Menashe, the Senior Leader and Trustee of the Sir Jacob Sassoon Charity and Allied Trusts and Synagogues, India. The Consul General of Israel for India was also present, along with sis’s friend Judah David Samuel (d. Nov 2022), the President of the Synagogue who campaigned for the restoration with Sinora Kolatkar.
We haven’t found a working website link, but if you want to visit, the Magen David Synagogue is located at 340, Sir J. J. Road, Opp Richardson and Cruddas Ltd, Byculla, Mumbai.
3. Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, India
By Atchaya from Twins on Toes
Paradesi translates to “foreigners” in “Malayalam” and “Tamil”. Also known as Pardesi synagogue, Cochin Jewish Synagogue, and Mattancherry Synagogue; The Paradesi Synagogue was built in 1568 AD by the Sephardic Portuguese-speaking Jews. It was built for the flourishing immigrants who wanted to escape persecution from Spain and Portugal.
Located in the Jewish town of Kochi in the Indian state of Kerala, Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning Jewish prayer house in Kerala. The last major celebration happened in December 2018 to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the synagogue. More than 150 community members from Israel, the USA, Australia, Canada, England, etc. came to the Jewish town of Kochi.
The prayer hall features the golden pulpit or the Bimah at the center, two brass pillars, silver chandeliers from Belgium, and “Tamid”, a perpetual lamp in every Jewish synagogue since the days of Solomon. The hand-painted blue-willow patterned tiles were brought from Canton, China in the 18th century. Each tile was painted with vegetable dye, making no two tiles alike
The 45-foot clock tower was constructed in 1760 by a Jewish businessman Ezekiel Rahabi. It has four faces with numerals in Latin, Hebrew, and Malayalam, and one side is blank. Even today the clock keeps time. The Paradesi Synagogue is a unique synagogue that beautifully blends Jewish tradition with Kerala architecture. If you are interested in history, culture, and spirituality, a visit to this living museum of Paradesi Synagogue is a must.
4. Ohel David Synagogue in Pune, India
Literally translating to the Tent of David, the Ohel David was another construction project was in 1863 started by David Sassoon, a Baghdadi Jew who made India his home and completed by his children in 1867. Located in Camp or the Cantonment Area in Pune, it’s one of the largest in India. Featuring English Gothic architecture, it was constructed by General Henry St Clair Wilkins who was also credited with constructing the Sassoon Hospital and the Tomb of David Sassoon, and the Prag Mahal in Bhuj, Gujarat, India.
The synagogue is called Lal Deval because of the bright red brick exterior. In the local language Marathi, lal means red while deval means temple. The clock on the 90-foot tall tower was imported from London. The synagogue is also home to the mausoleum of David Sassoon, as well as caretaker apartments, and a mikvah (bath) that is no longer in use.
On normal days, the synagogue is closed and guarded by local police, but you can contact the caretaker at +91-9967248100 or +91-9769966582 to arrange for a tour inside.
This is a work in progress, so we’ll add more as and when we can. Plus, it’s been ages since we visited Israel, so we don’t have any pics of those synagogues to add here. But if you would like to contribute, ping abby@abbyshearth.com
I’m an East Indian foodie and travel blogger from Bombay, India. I love baking, cooking, and making wine at home. But I also love doing stuff around the house and spending time in the Word. You’ll find more info about me here!