St. Thomas Synagogue
St. Thomas Synagogue
4.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
391 reviews
Excellent
306
Very good
61
Average
16
Poor
4
Terrible
4

James H
Connecticut32 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
This is the third time I have visited this synagogue and even so, I found the information gained extremely new and interesting. It is one of only 5 synagogues in the world with sand floor!! The others being in Amsterdam, Kingston Jamaica, Curaçao, and I believe Surinam. I learned that the chandeliers were a gift from a french family, irreplaceable baccarat crystal, and this has been in continuous service since the the late 1700’s.. The guide, whose name I unfortunately did not ask, is enormously informative, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Their gift shop has wonderful items which support their budget which comes entirely from donations!!
Written April 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rizeek
Barcelona, Spain8 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
Our visit was brief- about 30 minutes including the gift shop- but well worth the time. The impromptu tour was just the two of us, and Agi, our guide, was warm and incredibly knowledgeable. The synagogue is small but the history is as sprawling and fascinating as the Jewish diaspora itself. Please consider supporting it with a visit or donation so it can continue to operate and serve local families and educate visitors for another couple of centuries.
Written October 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Portcruiser
Port Washington, NY125 contributions
Feb 2022
Several friends on our cruise recommended this as a must see because it's the second oldest synagogue in the Western hemisphere. Curacao was the first. Our ship docked in Charlotte Amalie and we took a cab who knew exactly where to go to the top of the hill. We thought that we were just going to get a walk through but we were extremely fortunate that we arrived at 11:30 which was a tour time. Agi gave us a comprehensive tour with a wonderful lengthy history session about the Jewish community and every detail of the synagogue from the sand floor to the five Torah scrolls including a Sepahrdic torah which we have never seen. Agi was so sincere and excellent that we became members to help support the shul.
Written March 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex H
39 contributions
Jan 2022
I believe this is an important place to visit and learn of our heritage and I want so badly to say it was a great experience BUT the tour guide was not welcoming, did not seam to want us, got very annoyed that another group showed up at the same time and actually really just came across as very unwelcoming. The "tour" meanwhile is just to walk into the sanctuary, give a 10 minute talk and ask for donations. All that we are fine with but c'mon, act like you love it and take pride in it. This is a special and holy place we were proud to see and experience. It just would have been nicer with a smile.

On another note, the President of the congregation was there at the same time and was lovely.
Written February 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BeeMee125
New York City, NY1 contribution
Jan 2023 • Family
May be off the beaten track, but worth it. Agi Rampino, who is the docent, was great to speak with and enjoyed all the detailed information she talked about. Great for those who are Jewish and history buffs alike. It was one of the trip highlights for me.
Written January 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lorri Z
8 contributions
Sep 2021
This ancient synagogue is difficult to get to but so worth the effort. Climbing up the steep hill was challenging but the architecture and historical tour were amazing. Go for services if you can arrange it.
The congregation is made up of vibrant young families who brought in the Jewish New Year with a lot of singing and new music as well as a field trip to the beach to continue their service and cast their sins into the ocean.
Written September 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jackie L
20 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
Very cool and historic synagogue - we visited before our flight without a reservation, they were extremely accommodating when we just showed up and we had a super informative and friendly tour guide. We also got to meet the Rabbi who was very nice. FYI that they require masks and you have to show your vaccination card, so definitely have that (or a picture of it) ready before you go.

We got a very detailed history on the synagogue, the Torah scrolls, the past congregants, and the overall history of Jews on St. Thomas. We are observant Jews (as were the other visitors who were there the same time as us) so we were knowledgeable on it and interested in it, but I imagine more explanation on what things are or less detail is given on tours with people less familiar with Judaism.

No matter what religion you are - this is a very cool place to visit and to see while on St. Thomas (and right downtown!) and I highly recommend it for an informative and different place to go!
Written February 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

awsupermom
Cooper City, FL75 contributions
Feb 2023
My friends and I (5 of us) had a Wonderful girls’ trip to St. Thomas last month and had the Pleasure of attending a Friday night service at the St. Thomas Synagogue. I have wanted to travel to St. Thomas ever since reading Alice Hoffman’s, “A Marriage of Opposites” about the Sephardic Jewish community in St.Thomas in the 1800’s, so it was such a Highlight to experience this historical synagogue during a Bar Mitzvah service. The grandparents of the Bar Mitzvah boy are pillars of the St. Thomas Synagogue and the community in general, so the family imported their Wonderful singer-songwriter husband and wife rabbis from Atlanta to lead the service in this Wonderful place (the synagogue was between rabbis when we were there). The congregation was warm and welcoming, and the grandparents and family invited everyone (congregants, guests, and visitors) to a Beautiful Oneg Shabbat in the Lilienfeld House Community Center across the street following the service. What an Incredibly Memorable Shabbat – such a Simcha!

Written March 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NPSteve
Minneapolis, MN2 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
We walked around Charlotte Amalie shopping district and had ice cream before hiking a couple blocks north to “Synagogue Hill.” We met our guide Agi at the gate, showed proof of COVID-19 vaccination, then went inside the synagogue. The floor is covered in an inch or two of sand, one of five synagogues to do so. You might think this is an unavoidable reality in a beach town, but it is actually an homage to persecuted Jews who would put sand on their floors to mask the sound of prayers and movement during times of worship. It’s a moment of instant connection to a resilient and devout people from the past. Agi continued telling us about the history of the synagogue and how Jews ended up in the Virgin Islands. You have to come and hear her tell the story. Finally, Agi showed great reverence for Torah scrolls—some of which were 300 years old. You can take pictures of the scrolls which are worth the hike up the hill to see. Beautiful to look at and just an incredible piece of history that has survived multiple fires. Jews and Christians will appreciate the spiritual aspect while all visitors will find the history and architecture fascinating. Agi was an open and wonderful guide, very knowledgeable, and obviously passionate about her ancestry and the synagogue. It was a highlight of our trip.
Written April 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TennisStar602
Florida509 contributions
Jun 2021 • Solo
I made an online appointment for a synagogue tour. It is the oldest continuous American synagogue, and it is one (1) out of five (5) synagogues in the world to possess a sand floor. Although the tours are free, one is encouraged to buy some merchandise and/or to donate some money. I liked the old Torahs, the architecture, and the tenacity of this congregation to thrive for a few centuries! The history was amazing. Aggie, the docent, was very knowledgeable. I was even invited to Shabbat services on Friday night!
Written June 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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St. Thomas Synagogue (Charlotte Amalie) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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