Old Jewish Synagogue

Site of the Main Jewish Synagogue built in 1909, now a string-music concert hall (Jewish music culture), exhibition on Harbin's Jewish history. The synagogue built in 1909 bears witness to Harbin's once-thriving Jewish community — in the first half of the 20th century tens of thousands of Jewish residents ran businesses and bought property here, and Harbin was for a time one of the largest Jewish communities in the Far East. The synagogue is now a concert hall for string music, with classical and Jewish-themed concerts often held in the evening; the acoustics under the dome are warm and ticket prices friendly. By day, a history exhibition recounts the century of Harbin's Jews, with photos and texts from the cemetery, schools, and former bank sites threading together this nearly forgotten chapter of the city's memory. Jewish heritage buildings cluster around Tongjiang Street, just one street away from Central Street — architecture fans and music lovers should see the exhibition by day and catch a string concert at night.

Getting there: Tongjiang Street