Where ancient Jewish history and ritual meet in the Dutch Caribbean

Mikvé Israel-Emanuel

The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue in Curaçao was consecrated in 1732. It is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Americas. The synagogue connects you to Spanish and Portuguese Jewish roots that can be traced back to the Iberian peninsula of the 1500s. Worshippers come together for regular weekly Shabbat services Friday evenings at 6:30 and Saturday mornings at 10:00 as well as on all Jewish holidays.

The harbor and inner city of the island’s capital Willemstad were designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. The city features colorful and historical Dutch colonial architecture, which includes Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue. It is one of the island’s prime historical monuments with its unique architecture, ancient mahogany furniture and magnificent chandeliers, gleaming silver and brass ornaments and symbolic sand floor. Immerse yourself in almost 400 years of history. The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel synagogue, where Jewish history and ritual meet Curaçao’s cultural history and monuments.