Bukhara Synagogue

Bukhara (XVI, XVII-XIX centuries) has 2 synagogues, one of which is not far from the Lyabi House complex. There should be a mezuzah on the door of the synagogue, a box with the holy Shema prayer. But in this synagogue it's just painted. At the entrance to the synagogue, every Jew must put his hand on the mezuzah. Inside there is a small courtyard with two prayer halls (old and new parts).

The synagogue's interior is special: more than 500-year-old scrolls of the Holy Torah, Jewish gold lamps on the walls, and ceremonial objects. Bukhara Jews have created a Jewish school called "homlo". Today, Bukhara has an elementary school that teaches Hebrew, a Jewish cultural association, and a huge Jewish cemetery with more than 10,000 graves.

Since there are so few Jews left in Bukhara, it is often difficult to find minyan. It was also difficult to find a Jewish spouse. Only 39 of the 440 students at the local school are Jews. Today, there are only about 400 Jews left in Bukhara.