Nidhe Israel Synagogue

Nidhe Israel Synagogue is one of the best Places to Visit in Bridgetown. Nidhe Israel Synagogue, the 'Synagogue of the Scattered of Israel', is one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere. It was established by Sephardic Jewish settlers that arrived in Barbados from Recife, Brazil about 1628, soon after English occupation of the island in 1627. The building used to be roughly 2,000 square feet in size and could hold about 300 people.

Nidhe Israel Synagogue, founded in 1654, is one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere. The synagogue was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. The current edifice was built in 1833 after the former structure was destroyed by a cyclone. Interesting aspects of the synagogue include the marble accents and mahogany furniture, while the tombstones in the surrounding cemetery originate from the 1630s. The modest museum tells the fascinating narrative of the Jewish community in Barbados and their role in the island's wealthy sugar business. The synagogue was abandoned in 1929, but the Jewish community preserved and renovated it in 1983.

Google rating: 4.4/5.0
Location: Synagogue Ln, Bridgetown, Barbados