The Nidḥe Israel Synagogue () is a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located on Synagogue Lane in

Bridgetown Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the Parishes of Barbados, parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, Saint Mic ...

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

. It is the only synagogue in Barbados, and is bordered by the wider Magazine Lane, James, Coleridge and Pinfold streets, it is a part of the ''Synagogue Historic District''. In 2011 the synagogue and excavated

mikveh A mikveh or mikvah (, ''mikva'ot'', ''mikvot'', or (Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazic) ''mikves'', lit., "a collection") is a bath used for ritual washing in Judaism#Full-body immersion, ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve Tumah and taharah, ...

were designated as

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

protected properties within the

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

of ''Historic Bridgetown and its

Garrison A garrison is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a military base or fortified military headquarters. A garrison is usually in a city ...

'' area. It is one of the oldest synagogues in the Western hemisphere and a Barbados National Trust property.

History

Built in 1654, it was destroyed by a

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

in 1831, was rebuilt, but then fell into disrepair until it was sold in 1929. Haim Isaac Carigal was in Barbados, perhaps acting as rabbi of the congregation, at the time of his death in 1777. About 300 Jews from Recife, Brazil, persecuted by the Portuguese, settled in Barbados in the 1660s. Skilled in the sugar industry, they quickly introduced the

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...

crop and passed on their skills in cultivation and production to the Barbados land owners.

Present day

From the time that the synagogue was deconsecrated in 1929, it underwent numerous changes. The women's gallery that looked down on the ark and bimah was converted into a full second floor. Arches around the windows and the original floor were replaced. The building changed ownership many times as well and the Jewish cemetery outside became a dumping site. In 1983, the building was seized by the Barbados Government, which intended to raze the building and erect a courthouse. Two years later, it turned the building over to the Barbados National Trust, in thanks to petitioning by the local Jewish community. In 1986, the renovation process began led by Sir Paul Altman. The building was returned to use as a synagogue when the renovation was complete, though it is still owned by the National Trust. In 2008, an American archaeologist, Michael Stoner, was excavating the former rabbi's house on the premises. As he was digging, two Israeli tourists happened by and uttered the word ''mikveh''. After excavating for three weeks, Stoner had indeed discovered a mikveh, probably dating to the 17th century. The Nidhe Israel Museum was also opened in 2008.

Gallery

INTERIOR OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.jpg, The synagogue's bimah 31 Dec 2011 - Bridgetown Synagogue Cemetery.JPG, Bridgetown Synagogue Cemetery

References

External links

{{commons category
Oldest known Jewish settlement in Barbados
Nidhe Israel Synagogue and Museum in Barbados.
Archaeologist in Mikvah Excavation, The Jewish Synagogue
The Ministry of Community Development & Culture, Barbados.
Video of the grounds of the Jewish Synagogue /w interviews.
1654 establishments in the British Empire 17th-century synagogues in North America Buildings and structures in Bridgetown Conservative synagogues in North America Museums in Barbados Jewish organizations established in the 1650s Sephardi Conservative Judaism Sephardi Jewish culture in the Caribbean Sephardi synagogues Synagogues in Barbados World Heritage Sites in Barbados

History

Present day

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links