The Maghain Aboth Synagogue is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at 24/26 Waterloo Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore’s central business district. The synagogue was constructed in 1878. It is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Southeast Asia.
It is presently managed by the Jewish Welfare Board and it remains to be the main place of worship for the Jewish community in Singapore. Till today, there are still several Jewish buildings standing within its vicinity. Descendants of some of Singapore’s earliest Jewish settlers are still living and doing business in Singapore.
The synagogue is a symmetrical building which has adopted a neo-classical style and colonial architecture. The design of the building was influenced by the Late Renaissance architectural style in Britain. The building has a repetitive sequence of Palladian arcades and pedestals and within the building, the hall has traditional Roman columns and rusticated walls which is bare of any decoration or image.
Along with the corners and sides of the building are pilasters topped with decorative capitals. The synagogue’s doorways are also adorned with arches with classical keystone architecture. A covered porch fronts the building with steps leading up to the vestibule originally designed for horse carriages.
The prayer hall is facing west towards Jerusalem and the bimah, an elevated platform in the centre, faces the alcove known as the ‘hekhal’, which is used to store the Torah scrolls, that is at the West wall of the hall. The parochet which is an embroidered fringed curtain that is rich in details is used to cover the Torah ark. In front of it hangs the sanctuary lamp which signifies the eternal flame that burned in the former Temple of Jerusalem.
According to Wikipedia
