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JWR VerifiedFounding RecordJWR-2026-000285

Oldest Synagogue in Singapore

Record holder

Maghain Aboth SynagoguePlace

Record value

April 4, 1878

Holder country: SingaporeAchievement location: SingaporeAchievement date: 4 April 1878Current record

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Maghain Aboth Synagogue

Maghain Aboth Synagogue — record-holder site.Gaurav / Wikimedia CommonsSourceCC BY-SA 3.0

Official record definition

The oldest surviving purpose-built synagogue building in Singapore, measured by the consecration date of the current synagogue building.

Measurement methodology

Comparative historic-site review using official heritage, institutional and specialist sources; the claim is limited to the wording and geographic scope stated in the record definition.

Measurement point: Documented construction, dedication, establishment or continuous-use date, according to the frozen record definition.

Record story

Maghain Aboth Synagogue in Singapore holds the record for the Oldest Surviving Synagogue in Southeast Asia. The purpose-built synagogue, located on Waterloo Street in the city, was consecrated on 4 April 1878. This date serves as the measurement for the record. Designated as a Singapore National Monument, the building remains a living place of worship for its community and an important site of the country’s Jewish heritage.

The achievement is defined as the oldest surviving purpose-built synagogue within the specified geographic region. Its status was determined through a comparative historic-site review using official heritage and institutional sources. The claim is explicitly supported by Singapore's National Heritage Board, which identifies Maghain Aboth Synagogue as the oldest of its kind surviving in Southeast Asia.

Media

How JWR verified this record

Verification date
27 September 2026
Verification standard
JWR Verification Standard 1.0

Achievement evidence

Official/institutional sources document Maghain Aboth Synagogue's qualifying date, identity and synagogue use.

Superiority evidence

Singapore's National Heritage Board explicitly states that Maghain Aboth is the oldest surviving synagogue in Southeast Asia.

Jewish Eligibility — Verified by JWR

Jewish eligibility verification

Evidence establishing that the holder qualifies as Jewish for JWR purposes.

  • Monument Focus: Maghain Aboth Synagogue — National Heritage Board / Roots.sg

Achievement / record verification

Evidence establishing that the holder achieved the result and holds the record as defined.

  • Maghain Aboth Synagogue — Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore

Superiority / counter-candidate verification

Evidence comparing the result with other candidates relevant to the record claim.

  • Monument Focus: Maghain Aboth Synagogue — National Heritage Board / Roots.sg

Jewish eligibility, achievement and superiority evidence retain their separate classifications and are never merged. Context and provenance are not presented as proof of the achievement. Restricted evidence and internal research notes are never published. Learn more about the seven-stage process on the verification page.

Sources & Verification

History

  1. Verified

    Verified according to JWR Verification Standard 1.0.

  2. Publishedv1

    Published to the official JWR registry.

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