Ben Ezra Synagogue

The basics

Prayers haven’t been said at the Ben Ezra Synagogue since 1992 and the structure has been rebuilt several times—most recently in the 1890s. However, a visit to Cairo’s best-known synagogue is a great way to learn about the Jewish community that once flourished here. You can also hear legends about the spring next door—a natural setting that’s believed to be both the place where baby Moses was found and where Mary drew water to wash Jesus. Most travelers visit as part of an Old Cairo tour, alongside big-ticket attractions such as the Hanging Church and the Alabaster Mosque—or on a walking tour of Coptic Cairo.

Things to know before you go

• There is no specific dress code for the Ben Ezra Synagogue but, as elsewhere in Coptic Cairo, women will feel more comfortable dressed conservatively.
• There’s no charge to visit the synagogue but donations are encouraged.
• Photography is strictly forbidden within the synagogue.

How to get there

The Ben Ezra Synagogue perches in the heart of Coptic Cairo, a stone’s throw from the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church, Abu Serga (the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus), and the Church of St. Barbara. Mar Girgis metro (Line 1) is just a minute away.

When to get there

The Ben Ezra Synagogue is usually open from morning until mid-afternoon, seven days a week—including the Jewish Sabbath, as it’s no longer a working synagogue.

A Guide to Cairo’s Jewish Sights

Only a handful of Jewish Egyptians live in Cairo nowadays but during its golden age, thousands flocked here after anti-Semitic Christian rulers drove the Moorish sultans out of what is now Spain. Besides the Ben Ezra Synagogue, check out the ninth-century Bassatine Cemetery and the Maimonides Synagogue, where the 12th-century philosopher prayed as a child. The art nouveau Chaar-Hachamaim Synagogue is still a working synagogue but is closed to casual visitors.