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Nairobi Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, Nairobi, Kenya

Description

Background

In 1903, British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain, who managed the affairs of all British colonies, excluding India, offered a portion of Kenya and Uganda to early Zionists at the Sixth Zionist Congress, held in Basel, Switzerland, in what was known as the “Uganda Scheme”.[2] The proposal, which offered Zionists a substantial part of British East Africa, was championed by then-figurehead of the Zionist movement Theodor Herzl, though it was subject to much debate and controversy, and was eventually rejected at the subsequent Seventh Zionist Congress in 1905.[3]

Despite the rejection of the proposal, a small number of Jewish families chose to immigrate to Kenya, with the majority settling in the capital city of Nairobi. In 1907, the community officially named itself the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation and Burial Society and, in 1908, bought a plot of land intended to build a synagogue for the small yet growing congregation, which numbered 30 individuals by 1912.[4]

The Nairobi Hebrew Congregation Synagogue

The synagogue’s construction began in June 1912 and ended in December of that year, making it the first synagogue in East Africa.[5] The synagogue, surrounded by a park, consisted of a one-story building finished with stucco.

The end of World War II in 1945 brought increased economic prosperity to Kenya, bringing Jews from outside Nairobi and the country into the city. This influx of members–though the community never grew to include more than two hundred individuals–spurred the growing community into constructing a larger, more modern synagogue.[6] Following a prayer service in early June 1954, the original synagogue was demolished, and the new building was completed by September of 1955.[7]

The new building, flanked by the congregation’s educational and community center, Vermont Hall,[8] is fronted by a large Star of David set into white plaster. A pair of wide steps lead past white plaster columns and into the synagogue’s entryway, lined with plaques describing the history of the Nairobi Jewish community.[9] The sanctuary is lined with a series of stained glass windows depicting figures and events in Jewish history and tradition, featuring, among others, images of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Stars of David, and the burning bush.[10] The stained glass was installed in a renovation in the early 1990s.[11]

Today, the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation Synagogue serves the majority of Kenya’s 300-700 Jews.[12] Over 80% of Kenya’s Jews are Israeli expats who settled in Nairobi for business or diplomatic purposes.[13]

A photo gallery of the Synagogue and its campus can be found at the Congregation’s website.

Nairobi, Kenya

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