Jewish Synagogue (1929) & Jewish Cementery (1805) , Penang

The state of Penang was once home to a Jewish community, until the latter part of the 1970s, by which time most had emigrated due to growing state-sanctioned antisemitism.
 
The Malaysian Jewish community consists of Jews of Sephardic origin, Mizrahi Jews, Malabar Jews and Ashkenazi Jews.
 
The arrival of Baghdadi Jews in Penang probably occurred at the turn of the 19th century as the fledgling British-ruled entrepot grew and attracted Jewish trading families such as the Sassoons and Meyers from India. There was also significant emigration of Jews from the Ottoman province of Baghdad as a result of the persecutions of the governor, Dawud Pasha, whose rule lasted from 1817 to 1831.
 
The first Baghdadi Jew known by name to have settled in Penang was Ezekiel Aaron Manasseh, who emigrated from Baghdad in 1895.
 
After WW2, a majority of the Jewish community had emigrated to Singapore, Australia, Israel and the United States. By 1963, only 20 Penang Jewish families remained in the country.
 
 

Penang Jewish Synagogue 1929

Penang's only synagogue was located on 28, Nagore Road, was opened in 1929 but closed down in 1976.   Situated at the intersection of Nagore Road and Bawasah Road, it is now a posh café.

 

Penang Jewish Cementery 1805

The Penang Jewish Cemetery was established in 1805.  The 38,087 ft2 plot of land situated at Yahudi Road ( now Jalan Zainal Abidin ).  The cemetery is managed by Penang Jewish Cemetery Trust established and registered in 1885.
 
The oldest Jewish tombstone is dated 9 July 1835 dedicated to a Mrs. Shoshan Levi. Most of the graves take the form of a triangular vaulted-lid casket, resembling ossuaries commonly found in Israel. There are approximately 107 graves located in the cemetery, with the most recent tombstone dated 2011.