Neveh Shalome Synagogue

As records say, the first Jewish immigrant in Calcutta was Shalome Cohen, who came to Calcutta in the 1790s, and with him came other Jews from the Middle East. With the Jews growing in number, there rose the need of a prayer house, and Naveh Shalome, the first Baghdadi prayer house in India was formed out of a converted residence. Built in 1831 by Shalom Obaidah Ha Cohen, Naveh Shalome stood in Canning Street until it was demolished in 1883 to make room for a bigger synagogue (Maghen David). But in 1912 the synagogue was rebuilt again, with fairly simple interiors. The heavy wooden doors open up to a simple rectangular synagogue sanctuary that leads up to the tebah (raised platform to read the torah) and the alter behind it. Now restored after several years of neglect owing to the dwindling Jewish community, the synagogue now houses a small museum in its gallery.