Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue, Yangon

Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue is the last remaining synagogue in Downtown Yangon and the only one in Burma. Located between Indian paint shops and Muslim traders on a small street near the city center, the current stone building was constructed between 1893 and 1896, replacing an earlier wooden structure from 1854. It is listed as one of 188 heritage buildings by the Yangon City Development Council.

The synagogue serves the few remaining Jews in the country, mainly descendants of Baghdadi Jews from Iraq. Initially, it was built in the 1850s to accommodate the growing number of Baghdadi Jews and Jews from India during British rule. The original wooden structure was replaced by the current building in 1896. The area is now predominantly Muslim.

Historically, the community had 126 Sifrei Torah at Musmeah Yeshua. The nearby Jewish cemetery, established in the 19th century, has around 700 graves. A second synagogue, Beth El, opened in 1932 but closed after World War II due to a decline in the Jewish population.

Following Burma's independence in 1948, the synagogue was extended. Many Jews left Burma after the military took power in 1962 and nationalized businesses. By the early 21st century, fewer than 50 Jews remained in Myanmar.

In 2007, the Council for Business and Technology raised funds for the synagogue's restoration, completed in 2013. An interfaith event marked the completion, with various dignitaries attending.

Cyclone Nargis in 2008 damaged the synagogue, but it remains a top attraction in Yangon. As of 2015, fewer than 19 Jews live in Myanmar. Moses Samuels, the long-time trustee, passed away in 2015, survived by his family, who continue to be involved in the community. In 2016, the Yangon Heritage Trust awarded a blue heritage plaque to the synagogue to honor the Jewish community's historical presence in Yangon.