Under the Bimah lies a trap door that was used to house runaway slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.
DS 17:44, 2 December 2010 (UTC) (there is a trapdoor in the center of the Beema where slaves are believed to have been hidden). The synagogue survived the war because it was used by the British as a hospital, not because it was a house of worship. On August 21, 1790, President George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799 [r. April 30, 1789 - March 4, 1797]) wrote a letter to Moses Mendes Seixas (1744-1809), the …

Share or Save this Map. By State/Territory State. In 1658, more than a dozen Jewish families, mostly refugees from Spain and Portugal, founded a Sephardic community. The Touro Synagogue or Congregation Jeshuat Israel (Hebrew: קהל קדוש ישועת ישראל) is a synagogue built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island.It is the oldest synagogue building still standing in the United States, the only surviving synagogue building in the U.S. dating to the colonial era, and the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America. The synagogue has an important place in American history; when it was dedicated on December 2, 1763, it exemplified religious freedom for all Americans. A legend exists that the trap door under the tebah (bimah) was used while the synagogue was a stop on the Underground Railroad. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Truro Synagogue) Jump to: navigation, search. In 1946, Touro Synagogue was designated a National Historic Site and is an affiliated area of the National Park Service. Search Filters. A century later, British-Colonial architect and local resident Peter Harrison designed a two-story Palladian house of worship for this … It was also used during the slavery period in Newport as a safe place for slaves as they could seek refuge in a secret area under the Synagogue. The synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15 Another highlight at the Orthodox synagogue is a trap door in front of the bima, where tradition states escaped slaves passed through as part of the Underground Railroad. The original settlers were Sephardic Jews who had been forced out of Spain by the Inquisition. In 1946, Touro Synagogue was designated a National Historic Site and is an affiliated area of the National Park Service. Later, it was used as a courthouse. Touro Synagogue. Calendar. Day Week Month. Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the United States. During the 19th century it served as a hiding site for runaway slaves who were escaping north via the Underground Railroad. The synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. THE TOURO SYNAGOGUE IN NEWPORT (A summary from Wikipedia) ... (bimah) was used while the synagogue was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The original settlers were Sephardic Jews who had been forced out of Spain by the Inquisition.

A legend exists that the trap door under the tebáh (bimah) was used while the synagogue was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Underground railroad "A legend exists that the trap door under the tebáh (bimah) was used while the synagogue was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
The synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

Touro Synagogue is a must see historic sight in Newport regardless of your faith. Does that mean that a) the synagogue was used as a stop but the trapdoor was not, or b) the synagogue was not used as a stop? Want to share this map with friends and family, or bookmark it so you can visit it again later?