The Complete Guide to a Kosher Trip to Singapore

Singapore's Jewish community, one of the oldest in the Far East, centers around the Jacob Ballas Centre on Waterloo Street — a single complex combining a synagogue, kosher restaurant, grocery store and mikveh. Singapore itself, with its highly developed tourist infrastructure, makes combining kashrut with the Far East especially accessible. Here's a short guide to planning your visit.

The Jacob Ballas Centre — everything under one roof

Maghain Aboth Synagogue, one of the oldest in the Far East, stands on Waterloo Street next to the Jacob Ballas Centre — a complex combining Awafi Kosher Restaurant on the 6th floor, Elite Kosher Mart grocery on the 2nd floor, and a mikveh. All the basic Jewish infrastructure is accessible on one street.

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Gardens by the Bay — most impressive at night

Gardens by the Bay, with its artificial Supertrees rising up to 50 meters, is a symbol of Singapore's futuristic urban planning. Practical tip: arrive at 7:45pm or 8:45pm — that's the daily light-and-sound show (Garden Rhapsody) that lights up the trees in sync with music, and looks best after dark.

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Merlion Park — the classic Singapore photo

The Merlion statue — a mythical creature with a fish's body and a lion's head, Singapore's official symbol — stands in a small park on the bank of the Singapore River, facing Marina Bay Sands. Practical tip: arrive at dusk, when the Marina Bay skyline starts lighting up behind it — the combination of the water-spouting statue and the illuminated city makes for Singapore's most iconic photo.

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Between the convenient Jacob Ballas Centre and the futuristic Gardens by the Bay, Singapore proves that you can combine an advanced Far East destination with especially accessible kashrut — without compromise.