Chesed-El Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Chesed-El Synagogue is a synagogue
in Singapore
. It is located at Oxley Rise in the River Valley Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district
.
The synagogue was constructed in 1905. As the Jewish community grew beyond the capacity of the Maghain Aboth Synagogue
, there was a need for this second place of worship
, which was built in the late-Renaissance
style. It was also one of the first places to use gaslight
s in Singapore.
There was another reason why another synagogue was needed. The Jewish community in Singapore was now made up of Jews from Europe
as well as from Asia
. Different backgrounds in the community led to disagreements over the order of service
and specific ritual
s. Manasseh Meyer
, who established the Maghain Aboth Synagogue, was very sensitive to this friction and was finally prompted to build his own private synagogue near his home in Oxley Rise.
Named Chesed-El which means "Bounty of God", the synagogue was completed in 1905. The attendance was good on holy day
s, but less so on ordinary days.
Today, Chesed-El and Maghain Aboth coordinate their services because the Jewish community is now small. When Chesed-El Synagogue has a service, Maghain Aboth does not. Service is usually held just once a week. Both, however, are open for festival
celebrations.
The Chesed-El Synagogue was gazette
d as a national monument
on 18 December 1998.
, the largest architectural
firm in Singapore at that time.
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It is located at Oxley Rise in the River Valley Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
The synagogue was constructed in 1905. As the Jewish community grew beyond the capacity of the Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Maghain Aboth Synagogue
The Maghain Aboth Synagogue is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at Waterloo Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district....
, there was a need for this second place of worship
Place of worship
A place of worship or house of worship is an establishment or her location where a group of people comes to perform acts of religious study, honor, or devotion. The form and function of religious architecture has evolved over thousands of years for both changing beliefs and architectural style...
, which was built in the late-Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
style. It was also one of the first places to use gaslight
Gas lighting
Gas lighting is production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, including hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, or natural gas. Before electricity became sufficiently widespread and economical to allow for general public use, gas was the most...
s in Singapore.
History
As the Jewish community in Singapore continued to grow, the Maghain Aboth Synagogue that was opened for use in 1878 frequently became rather crowded. By 1902, some felt the need for another synagogue.There was another reason why another synagogue was needed. The Jewish community in Singapore was now made up of Jews from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as well as from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Different backgrounds in the community led to disagreements over the order of service
Service of worship
In the Protestant denominations of Christianity, a service of worship is a meeting whose primary purpose is the worship of God. The phrase is normally shortened to service. It is also commonly called a worship service...
and specific ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
s. Manasseh Meyer
Manasseh Meyer
Sir Manasseh Meyer was a British businessman and philanthropist who was a benefactor to the Jewish community in Singapore.-Biography:...
, who established the Maghain Aboth Synagogue, was very sensitive to this friction and was finally prompted to build his own private synagogue near his home in Oxley Rise.
Named Chesed-El which means "Bounty of God", the synagogue was completed in 1905. The attendance was good on holy day
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
s, but less so on ordinary days.
Today, Chesed-El and Maghain Aboth coordinate their services because the Jewish community is now small. When Chesed-El Synagogue has a service, Maghain Aboth does not. Service is usually held just once a week. Both, however, are open for festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
celebrations.
The Chesed-El Synagogue was gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d as a national monument
National Monuments of Singapore
National Monuments of Singapore are buildings and structures in Singapore that have been designated by the Preservation of Monuments Board as being of special historic, traditional, archaeological, architectural or artistic value....
on 18 December 1998.
Architecture
Built in the late Renaissance style, Chesed-El Synagogue was the work of Swan and MacLarenSwan and Maclaren
Swan and MacLaren Architects is the oldest architectural firm in Singapore. Formerly known as Swan and MacLaren, it was the most prominent architectural firm in Singapore when Singapore was a British colony in the early 20th century.-Early history:...
, the largest architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
firm in Singapore at that time.
Features
- Flat-sided pillarColumnA column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s resting on rectangular bases run along the sides of the building. They are aligned with the second-storey pilasterPilasterA pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s that curve out into archArchAn arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es round the windowWindowA window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s.
- The entrance to the synagogue is covered by a projecting carriageCarriageA carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
porchPorchA porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
. Above this porch is the second-storey galleryBalconyBalcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
deckDeck (building)In architecture, a deck is a flat surface capable of supporting weight, similar to a floor, but typically constructed outdoors, often elevated from the ground, and usually connected to a building...
that extends from the women's gallery. The ceilingCeilingA ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
is made of woodWoodWood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
en slats and the crossbeamBeam (structure)A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
s create a cofferCofferA coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault...
ed effect.
- The gallery deck extends beyond the entranceway into the hallHallIn architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
, creating a small upper floor for the use of the women in the house. Women do not normally attend the synagogue but when they do, they are seated apart from the men. Separate entrances lead to the women's upper gallery.
- The synagogue was one of the first places to use gaslights in Singapore. The original lights have since been replaced by electric lightElectric lightElectric lights are a convenient and economic form of artificial lighting which provide increased comfort, safety and efficiency. Most electric lighting is powered by centrally-generated electric power, but lighting may also be powered by mobile or standby electric generators or battery systems...
s. The metal gas pipes are still in the prayerPrayerPrayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
hall beneath the roofRoofA roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
.
- The interior columnColumnA column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s are fluted and intersected with two sets of mouldingMolding (decorative)Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
. They have square moulded capitalCapital (architecture)In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
s and are joined with arches at the top. They rest on flat-sided bases.
- Moulding and small pilasters edge the wallWallA wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s above the arched columns. They can be seen above the railingGuard railGuard rail or guardrail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limits areas...
along the second-storey gallery deck where the women sit.
- The initialInitialIn a written or published work, an initial is a letter at the beginning of a work, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. The word is derived from the Latin initialis, which means standing at the beginning...
"M" for Meyer can be seen in the decorative moulding just below the ceiling and in two panels facing the congregation.
- To the right of the entrance is a plaqueCommemorative plaqueA commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
stating that the synagogue was built by Manasseh Meyer and the designer of the building.
- The floor is of white marbleMarbleMarble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. The original combination of white marble with a goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
trim that no longer exists once gave the interior an understated richness.
- The rails on either side of the ArkArk (synagogue)The Torah ark or ark in a synagogue is known in Hebrew as the Aron Kodesh by the Ashkenazim and as the Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. It is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls...
are for hanging oil lampOil lampAn oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
s to commemorate the dead in the community. They are kept lit for a year. At the end of the year, those who can afford it can donate the silkSilkSilk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
hangings to replace the lamp.
- The raised platform or bemaBimahA bimah A bimah A bimah (among Ashkenazim, derived from Hebrew בּמה , almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim) is the elevated area or platform in a Jewish synagogue which is intended to serve the place where the person reading aloud from the Torah stands during the Torah reading...
leading to the Ark where the scrolls of the TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
are kept was originally of marble. It was destroyed during the Japanese OccupationJapanese Occupation of SingaporeThe Japanese occupation of Singapore in World War II occurred between about 1942 and 1945 after the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. Military forces of the Empire of Japan occupied Singapore after defeating the combined Australian, British, Indian and Malayan garrison in the Battle of Singapore...
. It is now made of wood. The panels of the raised platform are ornamented with the Star of DavidStar of DavidThe Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
as are many other parts of the synagogue.
- There are three entrances to the Ark where the scrolls of the Torah are stored in special holders. The scrolls are handwritten on a single continuous piece of parchmentParchmentParchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
.
- The HebrewHebrew languageHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
inscription above the Ark says: "Lo, in Thine abundant love I enter Thy house; in reverence to Thee I bow towards Thy holy temple." There are also other panels in the synagogue that originally had inscriptions in Hebrew.
- Manasseh Meyer had a special chairChairA chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...
set out in the front of the congregation. The place of honour is close to the Ark.
- The wooden windows are double-leafed and topped with round and half-moon fanlightFanlightA fanlight is a window, semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape, with glazing bars or tracery sets radiating out like an open fan, It is placed over another window or a doorway. and is sometimes hinged to a transom. The bars in the fixed glazed window spread out in the manner a sunburst...
s edged out in wood. There are air ventVentilation (architecture)Ventilating is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality...
s running just above the ground.
- Some of the windows on the upper floors above the entrance and inside are rectangular with wooden louvreLouverA louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
s.
- A little vestibuleVestibule (architecture)A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
situated near the entrance allows worshippers to clean themselves and put on their headgearHeadgearHeadgear, headwear or headdress is the name given to any element of clothing which is worn on one's head.Headgear serve a variety of purposes:...
before entering.