Or Torah Synagogue, Sephardic synagogue in Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Or Torah Synagogue is a house of worship in the Barracas neighborhood featuring Moorish-inspired architecture with a bulbous dome and intricate geometric decorative patterns. The interior is organized around a central reading platform with ornamental details that create a unified design.
The Unión Israelita Sefardí was founded on 17 October 1920, with Moisés Cohen Imach as first president. In 1923 Or Torah bought the plot at 1444 Brandsen; the first stone was laid in 1927 and construction, entrusted to the architect Valentini under Rabbi Yacob Mizrahi's direction, took about two years. The synagogue was inaugurated on the first day of Passover 1930, with Buenos Aires mayor José Luis Cantilo present.
The synagogue embodies Syrian Jewish traditions through its daily use and the arrangement of the prayer space. Members of the community maintain customs rooted in their Middle Eastern heritage that remain visible in how the place functions.
The synagogue stands at Brandsen 1444 in Barracas, a single building erected from 1927 and inaugurated on the first day of Passover in 1930. It is an active house of worship, so visits depend on prayer times rather than fixed tourist hours; check with the community before going. The facade carries a verse chosen by Rabbi Yaacob Mizrahi, worth reading before entering.
The facade bears a verse chosen personally by Rabbi Yaacob Mizrahi, who led the building work and served the Damascus-born community from 1909 until his death in 1945. Born in Beirut in 1888, he studied at the Maslaton rabbinical academy in Damascus and was named rabbi in 1908.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,742 contributors worldwide.