Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue

There were hundreds of Jews from the Middle East and India those who had settled in Burma during the British colonial rule. A group of these undertook the construction of the first Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue in 1854, in the plot of land granted by the British Colonial Government. The present building was completed in 1896 and has undergone several renovations over time. 

The Jewish community in thousands thrived about six miles around this synagogue during this time. Close to it is a Jewish cemetery home to over 700 graves. There was also a second synagogue, Beth El, which was opened in 1932. Several Jews were merchants and officers during the British rule. The Jewish population reached its peak during the second world war and Burma's independence. They started to decline when a majority of them fled to India, the US and other countries. 

Today there are just around 20 Jews left in Myanmar, and Muslims dominate the area around Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue.