Text: Julie Schwietert Collazo
Photos: Francisco Collazo

For an island that’s 31 square miles, St. Thomas sure does have a lot of churches. There’s the Dutch Reformed Church, the Lutheran Church, two Catholic churches, and a synagogue… and those are just the ones we saw.

The diversity of churches and faith traditions can be attributed to St. Thomas’ colonial history; the Dutch established their Reformed Church here in 1660, and a string of missionaries–Moravians among them– influenced religious beliefs and institutions here, too.

The story of the Jews, though, and their synagogue, Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim, is the most fascinating of the religious histories. The congregation was established in 1796 by Sephardic Jews who came to the Caribbean as financiers of the trade boom.

The present synagogue, a modest structure, was built in 1883 and was the third structure built; the first two were destroyed by fires. Though the congregation is perhaps smaller than it has ever been in its history, it remains vital within the island community and is historically important: it has been offering services since 1833 and as such, is the oldest synagogue in continuous use under the American flag.

The synagogue is small and simple. Apart from the 11th century menorah on the wall and some French lighting fixtures, decorations are minimal. The benches are handmade mahogany (currently being restored by craftsmen). The floor has a fine layer of sand covering it; according to the rabbi, the sand is “most likely derived from a practice… during the Spanish Inquisition….During that time, many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity but secretly continued to practice Judaism.” The Jews would gather in cellars with sand floors; the sand muffled the sounds of their religious rituals.

If you’re in St. Thomas, make it a point to visit the St. Thomas Synagogue. Services are held each Friday at 6:30 PM and Saturday at 10 AM, and the public is invited. Visitors who just want to see the synagogue can visit Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM until 4 PM.