Back in 1832 AD, David Sassoon moved to Mumbai from Baghdad to obviate religious persecution and established as a magistrate in the cotton industry. He built the Magen David Synagogue in Kolkata in 1861 AD. This one was like an addition to the older synagogue, an effort to bring in the community together. By 1884 AD, more Jews had started moving in to the city and they would all assemble in the Keneseth Synagogue during festival days. Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur are said to be some of highly celebrated festivals of the Jews community. There is regular “Minyan” on ‘Erev Shabbath’ and Shabbath. On these occasions, large number of devotees would gather around and offer prayer services.
The Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue is the centre for all Jewish cultural and religious events in the city. The beautifully designed synagogue building takes forward Jewish architectural tradition with Indian and English Victorian influences. It was built in the classical revival style and originally had Minton floors which were imported from England. Its decorative interiors, with Victorian stained glasses and rich Burmese teakwood furnishing and staircase are a sight to see and cherish.
The space inside has well decorated pillars. The Jewish worship center faces west towards Jerusalem. On both sides, there is a bimah, the readers’ platform, ornate in marble, over which is a gorgeous stained glass arch that reaches the ceiling. In honour of the tradition, women worshippers sit in a gallery upstairs. On the ground floor, there are meeting and school rooms and a ‘mikveh’, which is an immersion pool. For more than a century, the devotees from Asia would come and make use of the ‘Mikvah’ of the Keneseth Eliyahu Synagogue. The beautiful synagogue is also home to a large number of religious books, called Sefarim, belonging to the Sassoon family itself.
As part of the culture, it is believed that one must not travel to a synagogue in a vehicle, and the devotees must walk as a mark of respect to the place of worship. The beautiful building in Fort, stands tall, coloured and radiates a sense of togetherness. The beauty, peace and vibrancy, emanating out of Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue , draws attention of many decor & vintage lovers. The staircase, windows and balconies are in need of restoration and the community is now largely looking for funding from the outside.