Vladivostok Synagogue, Jewish synagogue in Vladivostok, Russia.
The Vladivostok Synagogue, known as Bet Sima, stands at 5 Praporshchika Komarova Street in the historic centre of Vladivostok. It is the only synagogue in Primorsky Krai and the oldest continuously operating one in the Russian Far East. Of the original building, mainly the southern and western facades survived repeated rebuilding; the interior was restored in 2013–2015.
Construction began in 1916 and was completed in 1917, the same year Judaism gained legal recognition in Russia. A businessman named Léonti Skidelski laid the cornerstone and marked the start of the project.
The name Bet Sima honours Serafima (Sima) Kogan, mother of banker Vladimir Kogan, who funded the restoration. The community, about 300 members in 2013, follows Ashkenazi traditions rooted in the Eastern European Jews who settled in Vladivostok before 1917.
The synagogue is an active house of worship, not a visitor attraction; entry is arranged with the community, and men cover their heads. It stands at 5 Praporshchika Komarova Street in the historic centre, near the site of the earlier prayer room at house 19 on the same street. Of the pre-revolutionary building, mainly the southern and western facades survived the Soviet-era rebuildings.
During the Soviet era from 1933 to the 1990s, the building operated as a confectionery factory and store. This unexpected conversion gave the site a dual history before it returned to its original religious purpose.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,080 contributors worldwide.
