Saint Thomas Synagogue

Historic photograph of the interior of the Synagogue

St. Thomas Synagogue NHL nomination

Saint Thomas Synagogue, also known as Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasadim (Blessing and Peace and Acts of Piety), is a site with deep roots in the Hebrew Diaspora. It is one of five National Historic Landmarks (NHL) in the U.S. Virgin Islands and is the second-oldest synagogue in the United States.

During the 1400s, the king and queen of Spain enacted the Reconquista, a war of conquest and crusade against non-Catholics. Judaism literally moved underground, and basements became makeshift synagogues. Oral histories tell us that worshippers covered the floor in sand to muffle sounds. In 1492, Spain decreed that all unconverted Jews be expelled from the kingdom. It is estimated that half the Jewish population left Spain, with the rest “converting” to Catholicism. Though strictly enforced in the Iberian Peninsula, this expulsion decree was less severe in other countries and New World colonies. Places like the Netherlands and the Caribbean provided refuge for Sephardic Jews. After establishing communities in the Caribbean, Spanish and Portuguese Sephardic Jews founded The Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas in 1796 and constructed the building in 1833.

Modern photo of the interior of the Synagogue, with sand on the floor

NPS Photo

The Synagogue reflects an interesting combination of Caribbean materials, Greek and Gothic revival styles, and traditional Jewish features. The walls of the Synagogue are constructed of rubble masonry, using a mortar of lime, sand, and molasses and faced with calcified sandstone. The interior is finished in mahogany, likely locally sourced. Inside, the Ark, holding six Torahs, faces the Bimah (pulpit) on the west wall. Suspended from the ceiling in front of the Ark is the Lamp of Perpetual Light, called the Ner Tamid. The square area in the center is defined by four Ionic columns, representing the four mothers of Israel: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. The interior wood features are original to the Synagogue. According to regional Sephardic Jewish tradition, the central floor area of the congregation is covered with an inch of sand.

St. Thomas’ economy and society developed around sugar plantations and the slave trade. Many of the Jewish congregation members were planters and slaveholders. Enslaved people helped build it, and it was likely financed with profits made from the slave trade.

From Jerusalem to Spain, to Holland, to the Caribbean, Jews of the Hebrew Diaspora sought a place to live and worship. The congregation has been active since 1796 and the synagogue still holds services today. The site represents the tenacity of Judaism in the face of persecution and the hope of religious freedom in the New World. It was designated an NHL in 1997, with a plaque in Hebrew and English.

Historic photograph of the entrance to the Synagogue from the street.

St. Thomas Synagogue NHL nomination