Сингапурдың Рочордегі Мағайин Абот синагогасы

Synagogue in Rochor, Singapore

The Maghain Aboth Synagogue (, translit: Ma'gen Ahvot, "Guardian of Patriarchs" or "Shield of our Fathers") is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at 24/26 Waterloo Street in Rochor, within the Central Area at Singapore's central business district. Constructed in 1878, it is the oldest and largest Jewish synagogue in Southeast Asia and the second largest in Asia itself, outside of Israel. Managed by the Jewish Welfare Board, it remains to be the main place of worship for the Jewish community in Singapore. It was designated as a national monument of Singapore in 1998. Today, the synagogue and its surroundings has served as the unofficial centre of Jewish activity in Singapore, with several Jewish buildings standing within its vicinity, including a kosher supermarket and a museum.

As early as 1831, Singapore's earliest Jewish settlers were Mizrahi/Sephardic merchants from mainly modern day Iraq and Iran who came to trade. In 1870, one of the Synagogue's new trustees, Joseph Joshua, negotiated to buy a plot of land owned by Raffles Institution at Bras Basah for $4,000 in order to build a new synagogue. However, not enough funds were raised to build the new synagogue within the 3 years period agreement.

Construction of Maghain Aboth began after the land was acquired and was completed in 1878. In 1893, a U shaped balcony was added to form the second storey of the building with the purpose of accommodating the female members of the community. However, parts of the original building remains in use in the present.

During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, the synagogue was a significant gathering place for the local Jews to exchange news and collect funds to help those in need. The Maghain Aboth Synagogue was gazetted as a national monument later on 27 February 1998.

In 2007, a seven storey building called the Jacob Ballas Centre was added to the compound next to the Maghain Aboth Synagogue. It was named after the late Jacob Ballas who was seen as a pillar of the Jewish community in Singapore. The centre provides facilities to meet the needs of the Jewish community such as offices and homes for the Rabbis and the Yeshivah boys, a women's mikvah, a slaughter room for kosher chickens, a kosher restaurant, a kosher shop and a social hall for events and functions including Shabbat and festival meals. Descendants of most of the earliest Jewish settlers in the country are today Singaporean citizens. In March 2021, the Internal Security Department reported that it had detained a 20 year old national serviceman, Amirull Ali, in February under the Internal Security Act for plotting to attack three Jewish worshippers at the Maghain Aboth Synagogue. Ali was motivated by sympathy towards the Palestinians and believed that these three men had served in the Israel Defense Forces and committed atrocities against the Palestinians. He also reportedly planned to travel to Gaza to join Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad Din al Qassam Brigades.

On 2 December 2021, The Jews of Singapore Museum opened its doors beside the synagogue at the Jacob Ballas Centre, which traces the history of the Jews in Singapore and the contributions notable Jews have made to Singaporean society.