Nidhe Israel Synagogue, Bridgetown (must see)

The Nidhe Israel Synagogue is the only synagogue in Barbados and one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. Its story begins in 1654, when Sephardic Jews fleeing Portuguese-controlled Brazil settled on the island. Many had valuable experience in the sugar industry and thus played an important role in developing sugar production in Barbados.

The Jewish community continued to grow as new arrivals came from other parts of the region, including Cayenne in French Guiana in 1664 and Suriname in 1674. Two main Jewish communities developed on the island, with the largest here in Bridgetown. At one point, 54 of the town’s 404 households were Jewish.

The synagogue itself has had quite an eventful history. Like many buildings in Barbados, it suffered repeatedly from hurricanes. In 1831, it was destroyed by a particularly powerful storm and had to be rebuilt.

Over time, however, the Jewish population declined, and the synagogue fell into disrepair. It was sold in 1929 and later modified. Decades later, plans were made to demolish it for a new courthouse, but the remaining local Jews successfully campaigned to save it. It was eventually handed over to the Barbados National Trust, and a major restoration began in 1986, returning the building to its original purpose as a synagogue.

There’s an interesting feature to look out for while you’re here. In 2008, archaeologists discovered a mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath, on the site of the former rabbi’s house. Remarkably, it was built over a natural freshwater spring that still flows today.

Also, within the historic complex is the Nidhe Israel Museum, which opened in 2008. It tells the wider story of Jewish settlement in Barbados and helps put the synagogue, the mikveh, and the community itself that once surrounded them into context.