Madras Synagogue

Madras Synagogue
Hebrew: בית הכנסת במדרס
The seal of the synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Rite	Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Status	Active
Location
Location	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Architecture
Type	Synagogue architecture
Date established	c. 1600s (as a congregation)
Completed	1644

The Madras Synagogue (Hebrew: בית הכנסת במדרס) is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Chennai (formerly known as Madras), in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Completed in 1644, by Jacques de Paiva, a Paradesi Jew, it is the only synagogue in Chennai. Madras Synagogue was also known as the Esnoga, or Snoge; Esnoga means synagogue in Ladino, the traditional Judaeo-Spanish language of Sephardic Jews.

The Amsterdam Sephardic community was among the richest Jewish communities in Europe during the Dutch Golden Age. They came to Chennai for trading in Golconda diamonds, precious stones and corals, they developed very good relations with the rulers of Golkonda and maintained trade connections to Europe.

Stone inscription of the oldest synagogue in Tamil Nadu has been discovered near Valantharai near Ramanathapuram.^[1] This inscription dates from the 13th century.