Maghain Aboth Synagogue

Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Basic information
Geographic coordinates	1°17′53.5″N 103°51′02.3″E / 1.298194°N 103.850639°E / 1.298194; 103.850639Coordinates: 1°17′53.5″N 103°51′02.3″E / 1.298194°N 103.850639°E / 1.298194; 103.850639
Affiliation	Hasidic Judaism
Municipality	Singapore
Country	Singapore
Year consecrated	1878
Leadership	Rabbi Mordehai Abergel
Website	singaporejews.com

The Maghain Aboth Synagogue (Hebrew: מגן אבות, Ma'gen Ahvot; "Guardian of Patriarchs") is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at Waterloo Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district.

The synagogue was constructed by 1878. It is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Southeast Asia. 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.

In 1841, three Jews — Joseph Dwek Cohen, Nassim Joseph Ezra and Ezra Ezekiel — were given a land lease to build a synagogue in Synagogue Street. The area is the earliest settled part of Singapore that today still has many of Singapore's religious monuments and preservation buildings.

Near Raffles Lane, Synagogue Street was in the first Jewish quarter in Singapore just off South Canal Road, as a synagogue by custom is supposed to be within an easy walking distance from home.

When Manasseh Meyer returned to Singapore in 1873, he found the synagogue in Synagogue Street in a deplorable state and set about planning a new one for the Jewish community. Meyer asked the government for land for a new synagogue. He was given the site in Waterloo Street, then called Church Street because of the presence of the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul nearby. The Jewish community soon began moving into the surrounding areas of Dhoby Ghaut, Waterloo Street, Prinsep Street, Selegie Road and Wilkie Road. Today, there are still several Jewish buildings standing there.