Jewish synagogue in art deco style, the only one in town
- Bawa Latif St, Bhadra
- Closed, but can be opened by caretaker
The synagogue is in close proximity to other houses of prayer, including a Hindu temple, mosque, church and a Parsi agiary, or Zoroastrian fire temple. This rare neighbourhood of many religious places of worship attests to Ahmedabad’s many years of multi-ethnic culture and diversity.
Only Synagogue in the state of Gujarat
Tucked away in a little lane of the Khamasa market, behind some date palm trees lies the Magen Abraham Synagogue - the only one in the state. The simple three-bay building was built by a French architect in the 1930’s. One of Ahmedabad’s few examples of Art Deco style, with a symmetrical façade and large semi-circular windows as a backdrop for the Stars of David and Menorah. The 250 year Jewish holy scriptures - the Torah, written in Hebrew are safely kept at the rear of the building.
Small population with a large footprint
The Ahmedabad Jews are descendants of immigrants from the Middle East, having fled during times of conflict. Currently, Ahmedabad has about 140 Jews. The population may be small but is very prominent, with some high profile important literary and scientific figures in the Jewish community.