Shaare Shalom Synagogue

Kingston


Jamaica’s only synagogue is an attractive white building dating from 1912. It's usually locked, though on weekdays there is often someone in the little office around the back who will open it up for a small donation. The hall adjacent to the synagogue houses a small but interesting exhibition on the history of Jamaica’s Jewish community.

Sand muffles your footsteps – the practice dates from the time of the Inquisition when Jews had to worship in secret, and is a gesture of solidarity by local Jews, who were never subject to religious restrictions in Jamaica.