Jewish World Records emblemJewish World Records

Topic · Heritage

Oldest Synagogues in the World

Verified Jewish World Records for the oldest synagogues and synagogue sites, with documented dates, measurement scope and sources for each record.

About this topic

This page brings together a curated selection of published, verified Jewish World Records about the oldest synagogues and synagogue sites. Claims about the "oldest synagogue" depend heavily on definitions: oldest surviving building, oldest in continuous use, oldest congregation or oldest documented site are different records, and each is defined separately in the registry.

Every record listed here states its exact scope — for example a country, a state or a continent — and the evidence used to establish its date. Competing candidates are reviewed before recognition, and anyone with stronger documentation can submit a challenge through the record page.

Open a record to see its official definition, measurement methodology and public sources, or use the full explorer to narrow heritage records further by country and geographic level.

Verified records (25)

Medieval Synagogue of Tomar, Portugal
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Portugal

Record holder

Synagogue of Tomar

Record value

Built: 1430–1460

The Synagogue of Tomar, in central Portugal, is recognized as the oldest surviving purpose-built synagogue building in the country. According to the Municipality of Tomar and Portuguese heritage authorities, its construction dates to a period between 1430 and 1460; no single exact construction year has been reliably established. The building served the town’s medieval Jewish community during the fifteenth century, when Tomar was associated with the Order of Christ and Prince Henry the Navigator. Its compact prayer hall has four central columns supporting vaulted ceilings, traditionally linked to the four biblical matriarchs, while twelve wall supports evoke the twelve tribes of Israel. Jewish worship ended after the Portuguese expulsion and forced-conversion measures of 1496–1497. The building subsequently had several nonreligious uses. Recognized again as a historic synagogue in the twentieth century, it was protected as a national monument and became home to the Abraão Zacuto Jewish Museum. The documented construction interval, rather than an invented exact date, is the historically defensible record value.

Holder country
Portugal
Achievement location
Tomar, Portugal
Achievement date
1460
View full record
Synagogue of Carpentras, France
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Active Synagogue in France

Record holder

Synagogue of Carpentras

Record value

1367

The Synagogue of Carpentras was founded in 1367 and is recognized as the oldest active synagogue in France. The Jewish community of Carpentras developed under papal protection in the Comtat Venaissin, where Jews maintained a continuous communal presence despite periods of restriction and segregation. Although the synagogue’s present appearance reflects extensive eighteenth-century rebuilding and enlargement, its religious history is rooted in the medieval foundation of 1367. The building contains prayer spaces, ritual facilities and architectural elements that reflect centuries of Jewish life in Provence. It is protected as a historic monument and remains a place connected to Jewish worship and heritage. For JWR, the qualifying metric is the earliest securely documented foundation year of a synagogue in France that is still active; this is why the title must retain the word “Active.”

Holder country
France
Achievement location
Carpentras, France
Achievement date
1367
View full record
Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue Site in the Americas

Record holder

Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue

Record value

1636 year

Kahal Zur Israel stands on Rua do Bom Jesus in Recife, at the historic site associated with the first organized synagogue community in the Americas during Dutch Brazil. The congregation emerged in the seventeenth century as Jewish life expanded under Dutch rule. Archaeological excavations in 1999–2000 uncovered remains connected with the early synagogue, including the mikveh area, and the site was later restored as a Jewish cultural center and museum. The visible building today is not presented as an untouched seventeenth-century structure; JWR's record concerns the historic synagogue establishment at the identified site. To comply with JWR geographic standards, the record is framed at the continental level as the oldest synagogue in South America.

Holder country
Brazil
Achievement location
Recife, Brazil
Achievement date
1636
View full record
Ohel Leah Synagogue in Hong Kong, China
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Active Synagogue in China

Record holder

Ohel Leah Synagogue

Record value

8 April 1902

Ohel Leah Synagogue was established by Hong Kong's Sassoon family as a permanent home for the city's growing Jewish community. The foundation stone was laid in May 1901, and the new synagogue formally opened on 8 April 1902. The building survived the Japanese occupation and later underwent a major conservation project that received international heritage recognition. Hong Kong heritage authorities describe Ohel Leah as the only surviving Jewish prayer house still in active use in China. JWR therefore frames the record nationally, with Hong Kong identified as the achievement city and China as the country. The record value uses the exact formal opening date rather than the construction year, producing a clear and repeatable chronology standard.

Holder country
China
Achievement location
Hong Kong, China
Achievement date
8 April 1902
View full record
Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Curaçao

Record holder

Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue

Record value

Consecrated 1732

The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue in Willemstad, Curaçao, holds the record for the Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Use in the Americas. The achievement date is based on the consecration of the current synagogue building, known as the Snoa, in 1732. This gives the record its value of "Consecrated 1732". The synagogue has remained in continuous congregational use since that time, establishing a record with a continental geographic scope covering the Americas.

Holder country
Curaçao
Achievement location
Willemstad, Curaçao
Achievement date
1732
View full record
Kahal Shalom Synagogue
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Greece

Record holder

Kahal Shalom Synagogue

Record value

1577

Kahal Shalom Synagogue holds the record for the Oldest Active Synagogue in Greece, with a qualifying date of 1577. Located in the medieval Jewish quarter on the island of Rhodes, the Sephardic synagogue is identified by the Jewish Community of Rhodes as the oldest in the country. The record defines the achievement as the oldest surviving synagogue building in Greece that remains available for Jewish religious services. Institutional sources document the synagogue's qualifying date, its identity, and its continuing use for worship.

Holder country
Greece
Achievement location
Rhodes, Greece
Achievement date
1577
View full record
Maghain Aboth Synagogue
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Singapore

Record holder

Maghain Aboth Synagogue

Record value

April 4, 1878

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.

Holder country
Singapore
Achievement location
Singapore
Achievement date
4 April 1878
View full record
Former Kahl Montgomery synagogue building, now Catoma Street Church of Christ, Montgomery, Alabama
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesFirst

Oldest Building in Alabama Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former Kahl Montgomery Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1862

The oldest building in Alabama originally built as a synagogue is the former Kahl Montgomery Synagogue in Montgomery, Alabama. This record is for the first building within the state documented to have been purpose-designed and constructed specifically as a Jewish house of worship, with the achievement date noted as 1862. Commissioned by the Kahl Montgomery congregation, the structure was dedicated that year and served its community until 1902. The Alabama Historical Association and the Alabama Department of Archives and History have both identified the surviving building as having been constructed as a synagogue in 1862.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Achievement date
1862
View full record
Exterior of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue in Charleston, South Carolina.
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Jewish Use in the United States

Record holder

Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1840

The Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue in Charleston, South Carolina, is the Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Jewish Use in the United States. The current Greek Revival building was constructed in 1840, replacing a previous structure from 1794 that was destroyed in the great fire of 1838. Following its dedication in early 1841, the sanctuary has remained in uninterrupted Jewish worship use, with the achievement dated from 1841-01-01.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Achievement date
1 January 1841
View full record
Former Temple B’nai Jeshurun building in Leavenworth, Kansas
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Building in Kansas Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former Temple B’nai Jeshurun

Record value

Built in 1916

The former Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Leavenworth is recognised as the "Oldest Building in Kansas Originally Built as a Synagogue". The structure was "Built in 1916", replacing the congregation's original 1866 frame synagogue on the same site. According to a 2012 historical marker and city records, the earlier building was razed to make way for the present one. Although the 1866 original was Kansas’s first permanent Jewish house of worship, it was demolished and therefore cannot hold a record for a surviving building.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Leavenworth, Kansas, United States
Achievement date
1916
View full record
Temple Gemiluth Chassed, Port Gibson, Mississippi
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Building in Mississippi Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former Temple Gemiluth Chessed

Record value

Built in 1892

The oldest building in Mississippi originally built as a synagogue is the former Temple Gemiluth Chessed in Port Gibson, which holds the record with a value of "Built in 1892". The historic Moorish-style structure was purpose-built as a synagogue between 1891 and 1892, with its dedication occurring in 1892. Architectural, state, and Jewish-history sources confirm its construction date and survival. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History identifies the building as a Mississippi Landmark.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Port Gibson, Mississippi, United States
Achievement date
1892
View full record
Exterior of the Ludza Great Synagogue in Ludza, Latvia.
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Latvia

Record holder

Ludza Great Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1783

The Ludza Great Synagogue is recognised as the "Oldest Synagogue in Latvia", with a construction date of 1783. Located in the city of Ludza in eastern Latvia, the record is based on the verified construction date of the surviving historic timber structural frame. The age was determined using a combination of "dendrochronological dating of historic timber structure plus documentary heritage comparison". This research method, supported by Latvian government and museum documentation, dates the timber to the early 1780s. Sources identify Ludza not only as Latvia's oldest synagogue but also as the oldest wooden synagogue in the Baltic States.

Country
Latvia
Achievement location
Ludza, Latvia
Achievement date
1783
View full record
Exterior of the Old Wooden Synagogue in Piatra Neamț, Romania.
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Wooden Synagogue in Europe

Record holder

Old Wooden Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1766

The Old Wooden Synagogue in Piatra Neamț, Romania, holds the record for the Oldest Wooden Synagogue in Europe. The building, which is also known as the Besht Synagogue, was "Built in 1766". This record is defined by the construction year of a surviving wooden building in Europe that was purpose-designed and built as a synagogue. The 1766 date is documented by the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University and is independently listed in Romania's national religious-building database.

Country
Romania
Achievement location
Piatra Neamț, Romania
Achievement date
1766
View full record
Former Sherith Israel Temple building in Cincinnati, Ohio
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Building in Ohio Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former Sherith Israel Temple

Record value

Built in 1860

The oldest surviving building in Ohio that was originally constructed as a synagogue is the former Sherith Israel Temple in Cincinnati. Built in 1860 by Congregation Sherith Israel, the structure is located on what was then Lodge Street. The congregation occupied the synagogue from its completion until 1883. After the congregation moved, the building later served commercial purposes before its eventual conversion into residential condominiums. While it no longer functions as a place of Jewish worship, the original 1860 structure remains standing.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Achievement date
1860
View full record
B’nai Israel Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Building in Utah Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former B’nai Israel Temple

Record value

Built in 1890

The oldest building in Utah originally built as a synagogue is the former B’nai Israel Temple in Salt Lake City, with a record value of 'Built in 1890'. According to National Register documentation, the structure was purpose-built as a synagogue between 1890 and 1891 and was dedicated in 1891. While the congregation had an earlier synagogue property from 1883, that building was replaced and no longer survives. The record is therefore determined by a documentary comparison of surviving purpose-built synagogue buildings in Utah, which found no earlier qualifying structure still standing.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Achievement date
1891
View full record
Exterior of Isaac M. Wise Temple / Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio
JWR VerifiedFounding Record
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue Building Still Used for Jewish Worship in Ohio

Record holder

Plum Street Temple / Isaac M. Wise Temple

Record value

Built and dedicated 1866; still regularly used for Jewish worship

Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati holds the record for the 'Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Jewish Use in Ohio', having been built in 1866. The record specifically concerns the earliest-built surviving purpose-built synagogue building in Ohio that is still regularly used for Jewish worship. Also known as the Isaac M. Wise Temple, the building was erected and dedicated in 1866 and continues to be used for Sabbath services, lifecycle events, and other Jewish religious functions. The definition of the achievement does not require that its use for worship has been uninterrupted.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Cincinnati, United States
Achievement date
1866
View full record
Former United Hebrews of Ocala synagogue building, Ocala, Florida
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Building in Florida Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former United Hebrews of Ocala Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1888

The record for the "Oldest Building in Florida Originally Built as a Synagogue" is held by the former United Hebrews of Ocala synagogue, which was "Built in 1888". Located at 729 N.E. 2nd Street in Ocala, the structure was the third purpose-built synagogue completed in the state. The National Park Service confirms the building's survival within the Tuscawilla Park Historic District and its construction date of circa 1888. Its identity is also corroborated by sources including the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life and the University of North Florida. The original congregation used the building until 1976, after which it was adapted for Christian worship.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Ocala, Florida, United States
Achievement date
1888
View full record
Kaddish Synagogue in Daugavpils, Latvia
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Active Synagogue Building in Latvia

Record holder

Kaddish Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1850; currently active

The Kaddish Synagogue in Daugavpils, Latvia, is the country's oldest active synagogue, having been built in 1850. The record is based on a comparison of documented construction dates for all currently functioning Jewish houses of worship in Latvia, with uninterrupted use not being a requirement. According to the Jewish Community of Latvia, the nation has two active synagogues. The second, Peitav-Shul in Riga, was completed in early 1905, making the Daugavpils building at 38 Cietokšņa Street earlier by 55 years.

Country
Latvia
Achievement location
Daugavpils, Latvia
Achievement date
1850
View full record
Beth-El Synagogue in Traverse City, Michigan
JWR Verified
Jewish HeritageOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Continuous Use in Michigan

Record holder

Beth El Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1886

The synagogue building in Traverse City holds the record as the oldest in the U.S. state of Michigan to have remained in continuous use for Jewish worship. The structure, originally known as Beth El Synagogue, was built in 1886. Construction began in 1885, with the building’s formal completion and dedication taking place in March 1886. Since that date, the site has served without interruption as a Jewish house of worship for the local community.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Traverse City, Michigan, United States
Achievement date
March 1886
View full record
Exterior of the former Shaare Tefilah synagogue at 709 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · Synagoguesoldest surviving

Oldest Building in Louisiana Originally Built as a Synagogue

Record holder

Former Shaare Tefilah Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1867

The former Shaare Tefilah Synagogue at 709 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans holds the record as the "Oldest Building in Louisiana Originally Built as a Synagogue". The structure, which was "Built in 1867", establishes a key heritage benchmark for the state’s Jewish community. Although the congregation purchased the lot for the site in 1859, construction was delayed by the Civil War. The completed building, long known as the Jackson Avenue Shul, was formally dedicated on 5 April 1867.

Country
United States
Achievement location
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Achievement date
5 April 1867
View full record
Temple Adas Israel, Brownsville, Tennessee
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Surviving Synagogue Building in Tennessee

Record holder

Temple Adas Israel

Record value

Erected and dedicated 1882

Temple Adas Israel in Brownsville holds the record for the Oldest Synagogue in Tennessee. The record is for the earliest-built surviving building within the state that was purpose-designed and constructed as a synagogue. The temple was built in 1882 for Congregation Adas Israel, which had been organised in 1867. Originally a wooden structure, the building was brick-veneered in the early 1920s while retaining its original form, and it survives as an active Jewish house of worship.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Brownsville, United States
Achievement date
1882
View full record
Front and south side of the former Temple Israel synagogue in Lafayette, Indiana
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Indiana

Record holder

Ahavath Achim Synagogue

Record value

Built in 1867

The historic Ahavath Achim Synagogue building in Lafayette holds the record for the Oldest Synagogue in Indiana. The structure was purpose-designed and constructed as a synagogue, with its completion recorded as 'Built in 1867'. Ahavas Achim Congregation formed a building committee in December 1866, and the new synagogue was completed and dedicated during the High Holy Days the following year. The congregation, which later became known as Temple Israel, held its final service in the building in August 1969 before relocating.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Lafayette, Indiana, United States
Achievement date
1 January 1867
View full record
Historic Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Boise, Idaho
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Surviving Synagogue Building in Idaho

Record holder

Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel

Record value

Congregation Beth Israel formed in 1895; historic synagogue completed and in use by 1896; building survives and remains in Jewish worship use after intact relocation in 2003

Boise's historic Beth Israel synagogue is a rare surviving landmark of Jewish life in the American West. Congregation Beth Israel was organized in 1895 and the purpose-built synagogue was completed and in use by 1896. In 2003 the historic building was moved intact from State Street to Latah Street, preserving the same nineteenth-century structure. It continues to serve Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Boise, United States
Achievement date
1896
View full record
Temple Adath Israel, Owensboro, Kentucky
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Synagogue in Kentucky

Record holder

Temple Adath Israel

Record value

Built in 1878

The record for the "Oldest Synagogue in Kentucky" is held by Temple Adath Israel in Owensboro for its historic building, recorded as "Built in 1878". The achievement is defined as the earliest-built surviving building in Kentucky that was purpose-designed and constructed as a synagogue. Architectural history sources identify the surviving structure and give its construction period as 1877–1878, with the record value based on the 1878 completion year.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Owensboro, Kentucky, United States
Achievement date
1878
View full record
Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island
JWR Verified
Jewish Heritage · SynagoguesOldest

Oldest Surviving Synagogue Building in the United States

Record holder

Touro Synagogue

Record value

Dedicated 2 December 1763

Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, is the Oldest Surviving Synagogue Building in the United States. The record is based on its dedication date of 2 December 1763. The building was purpose-designed by Peter Harrison as a permanent Jewish house of worship, with construction beginning in 1759. The metric for this record is the documented construction and dedication chronology for a surviving purpose-built synagogue, not its continuous use.

Country
United States
Achievement location
Newport, Rhode Island, United States
Achievement date
2 December 1763
View full record

This page shows a curated selection. The button opens a broader text search of the full registry, which may include additional records outside this selection; all existing filters remain available there.

Search the registry for “synagogue”